Rosie O'Donnell Leaving "The View"

Comedian Will Exit ABC Chat Fest In June, Said Off Camera She's Known For 2 Weeks

(CBS/AP)  Rosie O'Donnell announced the news of her departure from "The View" on the show Wednesday. She assured the studio audience that she'd be back on the ABC show.

"We couldn't come to terms with my deal with ABC, so next year I'm not going to be on 'The View.' However, I will be coming back and guest hosting," she said. "I'm not going to do the everyday thing because they wanted me three years, I wanted one year.

"I'm not going away, I'm just not going to be here everyday."

"I am sad," said her co-host Barbara Walters, after the announcement. "I hoped that it would be more than one year. We have had — to say the least— an interesting year. You've had an exciting, fun filled, provocative (year) we have all loved it, we have all gotten together and you will be missed very much."

Walters stressed that she wasn't involved in the negotiations with her co-host.

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Photos: Rosie O'Donnell

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"I would like to make one thing perfectly clear," she said. "I do not participate in the negotiations with Rosie. It's ABC daytime. I'm going to read, 'I did this, I did that,' brings back a lot of other things I was accused of doing and did not do. It was between your representatives."

O'Donnell told the audience that she'd still be writing on her blog regularly. "They're not kicking me out, don't worry," she said.

One audience member said that she guessed before the show that something big was going to happen.

"I was interviewed on my way in to the show, so I sort of expected something was up," Amanda Tolino told The ShowBuzz.

"I'm shocked," said Angelique Donato, who was also in the audience. "I'm not happy. She's a big asset to the show."

O'Donnell said that she's been keeping this secret for a while.

"During one of the breaks, she said she knew for two weeks but couldn't say anything," said Tolino. "She's the main reason I watch the show, but it will still go on after I'm gone."

ABC announced Wednesday morning that O'Donnell is leaving the show after only one controversial season because the network wasn't able to come to terms on another contract with her. Her last day will be sometime in the middle of June.

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Photos: Donald Trump

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The president of ABC's daytime programming said they knew when they first hired O'Donnell that anything longer than a one-year stay would be "gravy." He said he hopes O'Donnell will do a series of one-hour specials for the network and maybe even guest-host once in a while.

O'Donnell made her debut on the ABC chat show Sept. 5, 2006. She filled the spot emptied by Meredith Vieira, who left to join NBC's "Today."

During her time on the show she's voiced her opinions on a slew of issues and people, including Donald Trump, Paula Abdul and Kelly Ripa. Her long standing feud with Trump dominated headlines for weeks.

She took aim at the real estate mogul after he gave Miss USA Tara Conner a second chance after news of underage drinking surfaced.

"He annoys me on a multitude of levels. He's the moral authority? Left the first wife, had an affair; left the second wife, had an affair; had kids both times, but he's the moral compass for 20-year-olds in America?" O'Donnell said at the time.

She also took aim at the FOX network. She called the reality show "American Idol" "racist" and "weightist" for booting 2003 contestant Frenchie Davis, while allowing 2007 contestant Antonella Barba to remain on the reality show after racy photos of her surfaced.

[rfield9]

- The show needs a strong conservative voice with Elizabeth knowlegeable on the issues - Bunkerman12


You mean like when she says now that Senile
John McCain, is a viable answer to the horrific
problems Junior has created for us during his
run as King?

Only the morons are left on the RNC Titanic
my friends. Only the morons -

[rfield9]

- Her lifestyle choice is viewed by most Americans as perversion - ConserveVoic

No it isn't. It's viewed that way by persons
in Christian/Conservative circles - everybody
else is into social pluralism and tolerance in America.

Did you know that working American women in
their 20's routinely have children while still
single - and think nothing of it? Wake up, for
your world-view is just about over now...

[wombles1]

I am GLAD that Rosie is GONE! I knew that she would not last long. She is so full of herself and she is very inappropriate. I lost ALL respect for Barbara during the whole Star Jones thing. Rosie thinks that her opinion is law and that she is always right and unfortunately she believes her own hype! Rosie was NEVER a good fit for that show to me. However, the show was not balanced at all. She was too dominating and the show has become too lopsided and far from it's original goal...which was to get different woman of color from different walks of life to share their point of view about different life issues. It became Rosie's one man show. I feel sorry for her because as much as she bad mouth's people she is the one really hurting when ALL of the cameras are off...she is really depressed. She really does not like herself. I am a African American woman and it would be nice to see a woman of color on the show to share a different perspective. The View has definitely lost the class it had when it first came on. Sad to say...it is a great idea gone bad. Always remember...what goes around comes around. I strongly believe because of the way the situation with Star was handled in front of the camera and behind the scene...it is coming back on Barbara and Rosie. I believe Barbara comes off like she is innocent and nice to save face...but Barbara has another side to her I think. I think Donald Trump is right...Barbara wants Rosie gone as much as we do.

[amberjane2]

Rosie Rocks ! I'm sad she's leaving the view.Rosie's been the best thing for the show, she is REAL.I won't be tuning in when she's gone.I love that she voices her opinions, most of them I agree with. The other hosts don't have much content to add. Rosie, come to Canada and host a show here .

[vanessa771]

Meredith was the best co-host that show ever had. I don't know if they'll be able to find someone as good as her ever again.
Rosie was pretty good, but she's not a good fit for a show where everyone is supposed to express their opinion equally. A lot of people do like her though.
I guess her fans don't come to this website.

[thisandthat1]

Barbara Walter's stock went wayyyyyy down with this Rosie O'Donnell fiasco.(Not that it was ever that high before!) All you need to do is look at this blog which is running about 90 percent against Rosie and even a poll on Barbara's own network website (ABC owned by Disney) is showing about the same percentages. Barbara should put 1,000,000 miles distance between her and Rosie and not even think about having her come back as a guest host. About the only person who has come out and said that Rosie did a great job is Rosanne Barr. Now THERE'S quite an endorsement for you, huh? My question for ABC, and all the rest of the Networks, for that matter is ..... Are you so out of touch with the pulse of the American people that it takes you this long to weed out some of these people like Rosie, Star Jones, Don Imus and others like them?

[erasmus6]

Have you Rosie haters read the new article stating how many people were watching, the ratings and how they wanted to keep her on etc.,etc........

[loree4]

Personally, I'm saddened by the news that Rosie is leaving the view. Rosie has a WONERFUL personality & sense of humor, which I enjoy VERY much!! She tells it like it is & most people can't handle the truth.
All I can say is: I DID NOT WATCH before Rosie arrived & I HAVE WATCHED everyday since Rosie came. When Rosie leaves, I WILL NOT WATCH again, because no one can fill her shoes! ABC give her a one year contract & KEEP ROSIE ANOTHER YEAR!! PLEASE!!

[jeannec3]

One word for Rosie's off the view ' Yaaaaaaaaay !!!! ' Now..... close down the fake Walter's !!!! And get some REALLY entertaining people on there !

[erasmus6]

elgraz

I think it is you that is a digrace to women!

Questionnews

Forget the polls, you need to check the RATINGS of the View BEFORE Rosie was there and then AFTER Rosie was there. And then you can check the ratings AGAIN when she leaves in June. The polls mean nothing.

And as for the rest of you that hate Rosie, WHY are you watching it then? In order to have an opinion you must be watching it.

[dellastreet-2009]

Thank goodness for small favors! Rosie should never have been hired for The View; then Barbara didn't want to admit what she'd done by hiring such an inappropriate, rude, disrespectful, brazen, ill-mannered, atrocious, overbearing, did I say "brazen and disrespectful" person! I lost all respect for Barbara. I guess some news people think anything for a dollar! There's no limit to what they'll do.

If Imus was fired, why wasn't Rosie fired a long-long-long time ago!

It's time our country and our news stations get back to some form of respect and tolerance. We the people are sick, yes, and tired, of such behaviour. It's totally inappropriate and uncalled for. It's like trash is what some stations want to put on for viewers. Enough is enough! Okay??????

[jeannec3]

I hope she was kicked off and didn't quit !

[jdubs63]

TO ELGRAZ............. there is no need for your trash mouth either and you are oh so very wrong and you need to go to another site and pick on someone else of your mentality.....peace

[jegibbons]

The really sad thing here is that very many younger women see Rosie as some kind of heroine, or leader. or role model. This woman use to be funny; so what happened? Ellen DeGeneris is funny without being mean spirited. Jay Leno is funny without being mean spirited.
This women is full of hatred, anyone can see that. Good-bye to bad rubbish, good riddance. Bad breeding shows. Rosie, your mother should be mortified at some of your antics.

[gcualumni]

She was angry, tasteless, crass and disturbed. She honestly needs psychological help.

[ampsanne]

Good! Good! Good! I'm glad that BIG MOUTH is leaving. Just can't stand that woman. Seems so overbearing and thinks she's right all the time.
GOOD RIDDANCE!

[questionnews]

I'll miss her about as much as I miss Morton Downey Jr.
They're about the same in regards to public appeal. You only watched to see a jerk insult a guest until they walk off the stage. Except Rosie didn't insulted people to thier face and her victims didn't have a chance to defend themselves or set the record straight. She did it safely in the confines of a studio with her armed guards hanging close by.

[formrusmcsgt]

Why on earth anyone would miss O'Donnell's drivel is beyond me.

[elgraz]

JDUBS63,
You must be another Rosie fan and another nitwit. I will bet that you are a female..You all stick together like poop.

[elgraz]

Hey Rosie,
Get yourself to a fat farm or better yet to a camp for losers. Cause you are really a loser amiga. You blew it bozo with your big lesbian mouth. You filthy broad....saying those words in front of all those young girls. What were you smoking you *******? You are a disgrace to women.