Rosie O'Donnell, following a four-day guest-hosting stint on "Jimmy Kimmel Live," has shared an opinion piece from Variety that positions her as a potential permanent replacement for the late-night host. The piece, written by Variety Chief Correspondent Daniel D'Addario, suggests O'Donnell could bring a new energy to the late-night landscape.
D'Addario's op-ed noted that Jimmy Kimmel "perennially makes noise about wanting to leave [Jimmy Kimmel Live], but hasn't yet." Kimmel's current contract is set to expire in May. The article highlighted O'Donnell's recent guest-hosting run as "four remarkable nights of old-school television" that reminded viewers of her presence in the industry. D'Addario commented that O'Donnell's return was not dependent on the current political climate, but rather on her ability to energize a late-night scene he believes is currently "lacking." He described her approach to political commentary, particularly her jokes about former President Donald Trump, as delivered "with a sense of real craft."
O'Donnell, 64, shared the Variety article on her Instagram stories, thanking D'Addario. This follows a statement O'Donnell made to the Tangle podcast last month, indicating that her team is exploring possibilities for a full-time return to television. During her final guest-hosting appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live," O'Donnell humorously dismissed rumors of a comeback, joking about becoming the "next Golden Bachelorette, Gay Edition."
Kimmel personally extended the invitation for O'Donnell to guest-host, as both are vocal critics of former President Trump. O'Donnell had previously lived in Ireland, stating she moved to escape the Trump presidency and had promised not to return to the U.S. until his term concluded. Her recent four-day stint was heavily focused on material critical of Trump. During her time on "The View" in 2006, O'Donnell's exchanges with Trump began, which led to Trump famously remarking in 2015, "Only Rosie O'Donnell," when asked about using derogatory terms for women.
A White House spokesperson responded to O'Donnell's commentary during her guest-hosting week, calling her "a nasty woman and a total slob whose brain has been completely destroyed by Trump Derangement Syndrome."
O'Donnell's past television work includes "The Rosie O'Donnell Show," which ran for six years in the late 1990s and early 2000s. She also had two stints on "The View," one in 2006 and another in 2014, departing both for health and personal reasons.