Whoopi Goldberg Gets Furious After Rosie O’Donnell Shames Her Publicly

Rosie O’Donnell didn’t hold back during her jaw-dropping appearance on Brooke Shields’ podcast, reminiscing about her tumultuous stint on “The View.” Rosie, who joined the show in 2006, hinted at behind-the-scenes drama, subtly pointing fingers at Elizabeth Hasselbeck. However, the real bombshells were her revelations about her clashes with Whoopi Goldberg.

Rosie suggested that the dynamics of “The View” were far from smooth. She hinted that the show was more like a marionette act controlled by the late Bill Getty, a white male cis producer. But the juiciest tidbits were reserved for her interactions with Whoopi Goldberg. Rosie’s initial departure from “The View” was due to fiery clashes with Hasselbeck, but her return saw her butting heads with Whoopi over serious issues, including racism and the infamous Roman Polanski case.

Whoopi’s controversial defense of Polanski, who faced allegations of raping a young girl, sparked heated disagreements. Whoopi’s comments that it wasn’t “rape rape” left Rosie fuming, resulting in a fiery letter from Rosie expressing her disagreement. Rosie’s short-lived return from 2014 to 2015 saw even bigger fireworks, especially as allegations against Bill Cosby dominated headlines. Whoopi’s defense of Cosby ignited another fierce battle with Rosie, who pushed back forcefully.

Their feud wasn’t just on-screen; it extended behind the scenes. According to the tell-all book “Ladies Who Punch,” Rosie claimed that Whoopi was the meanest person she had ever encountered on live television. Rosie confessed that while she once held respect for Whoopi, their time on “The View” was her worst experience on live TV. Despite the clashes, Rosie insisted she would never lose respect for Whoopi but admitted that their professional and personal relationship took a significant hit.

In a 2020 interview with Howard Stern, Rosie spilled even more details about their tumultuous relationship. It turned out that all the co-hosts of “The View” found Rosie’s departure a relief. By the time Rosie left the show in 2015, her relationship with Whoopi had deteriorated to the point where even casual conversations were off the table. The tension was palpable when they ran into each other at an event, opting to sit at separate tables despite a waiter’s assumption they’d want to sit together.

Rosie admitted that while she didn’t hate Whoopi, she felt very awkward around her. The story of their strained relationship was like a tragic twist in a friendship tale. Rosie shared that despite everything, she still respected Whoopi and wanted to keep her in a place of reverence.

But the drama didn’t stop with Whoopi. Rosie also had things to say about Ellen DeGeneres. In a conversation with The Hollywood Reporter, Rosie revealed feeling hurt and bewildered by Ellen’s behavior during a 2004 appearance on “Larry King Live.” Rosie pondered whether Ellen’s distancing was rooted in jealousy, competition, or a hurtful remark Ellen once made.

The behind-the-scenes drama on “The View” was like a heavyweight boxing match, with clashes between co-hosts like Elizabeth Hasselbeck and Rosie O’Donnell, and Jenny McCarthy and Whoopi Goldberg. The most notable feud, however, was between Whoopi and Rosie, whose fiery disagreements over contentious topics like racism, Roman Polanski, and Bill Cosby left a lasting impact on the show’s legacy.

Rosie’s candid revelations on Brooke Shields’ podcast provided a rare glimpse into the intense dynamics of “The View,” highlighting the show’s turbulent history and the personal and professional toll it took on its co-hosts.