Rosie O'Donnell gets brutally honest on Trump, facelifts, and leaving America

1. 0:00 – 1:41

   Rosie serenades Donald Trump

   1. RORosie O'Donnell0:00

      Donny, know you're watching.

   2. KSKara Swisher0:02

      [laughs]

   3. RORosie O'Donnell0:02

      Donny, it's me, Rosie, showing up on ABC.

   4. KSKara Swisher0:06

      [laughs]

   5. RORosie O'Donnell0:07

      I wanna do, like, a little love song. Like-

   6. KSKara Swisher0:09

      Yeah

   7. RORosie O'Donnell0:10

      ... you- you got a crush.

   8. KSKara Swisher0:11

      [laughs]

   9. RORosie O'Donnell0:11

      Donny, it's too much.

   10. KSKara Swisher0:13

       [laughs]

   11. RORosie O'Donnell0:14

       I hear you're leaving Melania for me.

   12. KSKara Swisher0:16

       [laughs]

   13. SPSpeaker0:17

       It is on. [upbeat music]

   14. KSKara Swisher0:22

       Hi, everyone. Today, I'm talking to Rosie O'Donnell. You've heard of her. I really wanna talk to her 'cause she's doing a lot of really interesting things, including a new show, a theater show, where she talks about her life in Ireland, where she's moved, and a lot of other things, including the death of her mother, her autistic child, and of course, Donald Trump. There's a lot to talk to Rosie O'Donnell about, a comedy legend, a talk show host, an activist, a- a theater person, everything else, and so she's the perf- person to have on right now. She's also gonna be guest hosting Jimmy Kimmel's show. That should be a good one. Uh, this is also gonna be a fun one, so stick around. Rosie, thanks for coming on On.

   15. RORosie O'Donnell1:00

       My pleasure.

   16. KSKara Swisher1:00

       I'm so-

   17. RORosie O'Donnell1:00

       Thank you for having me

   18. KSKara Swisher1:00

       ... thrilled you're here in person. This is-

   19. RORosie O'Donnell1:02

       Well, it was very far downtown.

   20. KSKara Swisher1:04

       I know it's d- far down here, but it's nice. You can come visit. You can go see the Stock Exchange.

   21. RORosie O'Donnell1:08

       Exactly.

   22. KSKara Swisher1:08

       If you feel like that, stuff like that.

   23. RORosie O'Donnell1:10

       Yeah, the Bull.

   24. KSKara Swisher1:10

       You can jump on the Staten Island Ferry if you feel like it.

   25. RORosie O'Donnell1:12

       You can be at the very tip of New York.

   26. KSKara Swisher1:14

       The very tip of New York. Anyway, welcome back to the U.S. after moving to Dublin, uh, earlier this year. You sort of did an opposite Statue of Liberty thing and went the other direction.

   27. RORosie O'Donnell1:23

       Right.

   28. KSKara Swisher1:23

       Um, I'm just curious, what's the first stop you wanted to make when you got back to New York, other than seeing your kids and your new grandson?

   29. RORosie O'Donnell1:30

       You know, I wanted to see Broadway.

   30. KSKara Swisher1:32

       Mm-hmm.
2. 1:41 – 4:20

   Why Rosie moved to Ireland

   1. KSKara Swisher1:41

      Mm-hmm.

   2. RORosie O'Donnell1:41

      And I've seen Jellicle Ball three times.

   3. KSKara Swisher1:42

      I took my kids to it this weekend.

   4. RORosie O'Donnell1:45

      Wasn't it unbelievable?

   5. KSKara Swisher1:46

      Unbelievable.

   6. RORosie O'Donnell1:47

      And it's a lesson in- in gay history and-

   7. KSKara Swisher1:49

      Mm-hmm

   8. RORosie O'Donnell1:49

      ... ballroom-

   9. KSKara Swisher1:50

      Mm-hmm

   10. RORosie O'Donnell1:50

       ... and perseverance and, and, uh, minority, uh, presence in the world.

   11. KSKara Swisher1:55

       And it works for Cats.

   12. RORosie O'Donnell1:56

       And it works.

   13. KSKara Swisher1:57

       Finally, Cats works.

   14. RORosie O'Donnell1:58

       Right, because Cats was just poems without a book.

   15. KSKara Swisher2:01

       It also was a little annoying.

   16. RORosie O'Donnell2:02

       It was a little annoying. Redundant.

   17. KSKara Swisher2:04

       Yeah.

   18. RORosie O'Donnell2:04

       Right, when they went on you in the audience and-

   19. KSKara Swisher2:06

       Oh, my God

   20. RORosie O'Donnell2:06

       ... like, licked you [laughs] you know?

   21. KSKara Swisher2:08

       Exactly.

   22. RORosie O'Donnell2:08

       It was like, this is very immersive-

   23. KSKara Swisher2:10

       Yes

   24. RORosie O'Donnell2:10

       ... in 1981.

   25. KSKara Swisher2:10

       Yeah. Um, and so you- theater. Theater is where you go first.

   26. RORosie O'Donnell2:13

       Theater is where I go first, and then, you know, my old haunts like Joe Allen's and-

   27. KSKara Swisher2:18

       Mm-hmm. Theater

   28. RORosie O'Donnell2:19

       ... you know, Nobu and Theater.

   29. KSKara Swisher2:21

       Mm-hmm.

   30. RORosie O'Donnell2:21

       And, you know, I mean, that's what New York is to me.
3. 4:20 – 9:30

   Losing her mother at 10 years old

   1. RORosie O'Donnell4:20

      the day she died-

   2. KSKara Swisher4:20

      Mm-hmm

   3. RORosie O'Donnell4:21

      ... and what happened as a result.

   4. KSKara Swisher4:22

      Mm-hmm.

   5. RORosie O'Donnell4:22

      And, um, you know, that's a, a grief that doesn't end, as you were saying.

   6. KSKara Swisher4:27

      Mm-hmm.

   7. RORosie O'Donnell4:27

      And I remember Nora Ephron used to say to me, "Is that the defining emotional moment of your life?"

   8. KSKara Swisher4:32

      Mm-hmm.

   9. RORosie O'Donnell4:32

      And I'm like, "It is."

   10. KSKara Swisher4:33

       Yes.

   11. RORosie O'Donnell4:34

       It is.

   12. KSKara Swisher4:34

       100%.

   13. RORosie O'Donnell4:35

       It doesn't go away.

   14. KSKara Swisher4:36

       Never.

   15. RORosie O'Donnell4:36

       You know? And, and she had two parents-

   16. KSKara Swisher4:38

       Mm-hmm

   17. RORosie O'Donnell4:38

       ... who were very successful and, and she never experienced that.

   18. KSKara Swisher4:41

       Mm-hmm.

   19. RORosie O'Donnell4:41

       So I think people who haven't, it's hard for them to relate. And when people like you-

   20. KSKara Swisher4:45

       Yeah

   21. RORosie O'Donnell4:45

       ... tell me their story-

   22. KSKara Swisher4:47

       Mm-hmm

   23. RORosie O'Donnell4:47

       ... I think right away, "Oh, I get them."

   24. KSKara Swisher4:49

       Mm-hmm.

   25. RORosie O'Donnell4:49

       They get me.

   26. KSKara Swisher4:50

       Well, it's not a day goes by.

   27. RORosie O'Donnell4:52

       Correct.

   28. KSKara Swisher4:53

       Which people don't realize, and it's 'cause it's, uh, a lot of... Someone explained it to me that about half the people in your life, if half the people in have died one day, that's the same kind of impact-

   29. RORosie O'Donnell5:02

       Right

   30. KSKara Swisher5:02

       ... like, as an adult. And you really don't, it's all, it's all, it's all about omission, what you missed, right?
4. 9:30 – 18:00

   Parenting an autistic child

   1. RORosie O'Donnell9:30

      ... in LA is not even a possibility.

   2. KSKara Swisher9:32

      No, yeah, mm-mm.

   3. RORosie O'Donnell9:32

      And in New York, I would never allow.

   4. KSKara Swisher9:34

      Mm-hmm.

   5. RORosie O'Donnell9:34

      You know? I, I have fears in New York that I don't have-

   6. KSKara Swisher9:38

      Mm-hmm

   7. RORosie O'Donnell9:38

      ... in Ireland.

   8. KSKara Swisher9:38

      Mm-hmm.

   9. RORosie O'Donnell9:39

      It's one of the safest countries in Europe.

   10. KSKara Swisher9:41

       Mm-hmm.

   11. RORosie O'Donnell9:41

       And, uh, I just fell in love with our life there.

   12. KSKara Swisher9:45

       Mm-hmm.

   13. RORosie O'Donnell9:46

       The smallness of our life there.

   14. KSKara Swisher9:48

       Mm-hmm.

   15. RORosie O'Donnell9:49

       And the genuine interactions that I was able to have with people-

   16. KSKara Swisher9:53

       Mm-hmm

   17. RORosie O'Donnell9:53

       ... that I'm not always able to have in the United States-

   18. KSKara Swisher9:56

       Right

   19. RORosie O'Donnell9:56

       ... because of my notoriety.

   20. KSKara Swisher9:57

       Right. Talk a little bit about the, the, the putting, talking about your daughter. Do you say daught-

   21. RORosie O'Donnell10:02

       No. She says she prefers, they prefer child.

   22. KSKara Swisher10:05

       Child.

   23. RORosie O'Donnell10:06

       Right, my child.

   24. KSKara Swisher10:07

       Your child's autism.

   25. RORosie O'Donnell10:07

       Yes.

   26. KSKara Swisher10:08

       Yeah.

   27. RORosie O'Donnell10:09

       Well, uh, at two years old, I had her tested.

   28. KSKara Swisher10:12

       Mm-hmm.

   29. RORosie O'Donnell10:12

       Them tested. They go by they/them.

   30. KSKara Swisher10:13

       Mm-hmm.
5. 18:00 – 21:33

   Coming out in Hollywood

   1. RORosie O'Donnell18:00

      and there are men that I feel that way about.

   2. KSKara Swisher18:02

      Yeah, yeah.

   3. RORosie O'Donnell18:02

      There's Sydney Harcourt in, in the Jellicle Ball-

   4. KSKara Swisher18:05

      Yeah. Oh, yeah

   5. RORosie O'Donnell18:05

      ... who plays Rum Tum Tugger.

   6. KSKara Swisher18:06

      Rum Tum Tugger. He's a hot piece.

   7. RORosie O'Donnell18:08

      Oh, my Lord.

   8. KSKara Swisher18:09

      He, yeah.

   9. RORosie O'Donnell18:09

      And he, when I was up there doing that, he gave me, my face a caress. And I was like-

   10. KSKara Swisher18:14

       Oh, he did

   11. RORosie O'Donnell18:14

       ... "Oh, my God."

   12. KSKara Swisher18:15

       Nice. Well done.

   13. RORosie O'Donnell18:15

       You know? But I don't want them naked in my bed.

   14. KSKara Swisher18:18

       Right, right.

   15. RORosie O'Donnell18:18

       You know?

   16. KSKara Swisher18:19

       Yeah. Yes.

   17. RORosie O'Donnell18:19

       I just love men in, in a different-

   18. KSKara Swisher18:21

       Yeah

   19. RORosie O'Donnell18:21

       ... kind of way.

   20. KSKara Swisher18:21

       Yeah. I, I hate to g- quote Roseanne Barr, but she did have the best jokes. I don't know why people think lesbians hate men. They don't have to sleep with them.

   21. RORosie O'Donnell18:27

       [laughs]

   22. KSKara Swisher18:29

       See, I don't like to laugh at Roseanne Barr these days, but it's a great joke.

   23. RORosie O'Donnell18:32

       I know. She's-

   24. KSKara Swisher18:33

       It's a-

   25. RORosie O'Donnell18:33

       It's very sad-

   26. KSKara Swisher18:34

       You know what?

   27. RORosie O'Donnell18:34

       ... what's happened to her. I think.

   28. KSKara Swisher18:35

       The previous, the, the person formerly known as funny Roseanne Barr.

   29. RORosie O'Donnell18:38

       Yes.

   30. KSKara Swisher18:38

       Um, let's get back to, uh, it's, anyway, it was interesting conversation. I'm glad you did, 'cause I think it means a lot to young people especially.
6. 21:33 – 28:30

   Rosie vs. Donald Trump

   1. RORosie O'Donnell21:33

      And I said it.

   2. KSKara Swisher21:33

      Mm-hmm.

   3. RORosie O'Donnell21:34

      And he went absolutely batshit crazy.

   4. KSKara Swisher21:36

      Yeah. You were sort of the first-

   5. RORosie O'Donnell21:37

      Yeah

   6. KSKara Swisher21:37

      ... that really did focus on him.

   7. RORosie O'Donnell21:39

      That, yes, exactly.

   8. KSKara Swisher21:40

      Um, and-

   9. RORosie O'Donnell21:40

      And, and I think it's because-

   10. KSKara Swisher21:42

       Mm-hmm

   11. RORosie O'Donnell21:42

       ... I'm from, uh, Commack, which is on Long Island-

   12. KSKara Swisher21:46

       Mm-hmm

   13. RORosie O'Donnell21:46

       ... and he's from Queens-

   14. KSKara Swisher21:47

       Mm-hmm

   15. RORosie O'Donnell21:47

       ... which is part of Long Island.

   16. KSKara Swisher21:48

       Mm-hmm.

   17. RORosie O'Donnell21:49

       And I think I'm those girls that he didn't like in elementary school, who were tough and maybe-

   18. KSKara Swisher21:55

       Mm-hmm

   19. RORosie O'Donnell21:55

       ... grew up to be gay, who would talk-

   20. KSKara Swisher21:57

       Mm-hmm

   21. RORosie O'Donnell21:57

       ... back to the idiot rich boys who thought they were funny-

   22. KSKara Swisher22:00

       Mm-hmm

   23. RORosie O'Donnell22:00

       ... who were obnoxious-

   24. KSKara Swisher22:01

       Mm-hmm

   25. RORosie O'Donnell22:01

       ... and, and make fun of them.

   26. KSKara Swisher22:02

       Mm-hmm.

   27. RORosie O'Donnell22:03

       And say, "You're not playing with us. You're not playing kickball."

   28. KSKara Swisher22:05

       Right, right.

   29. RORosie O'Donnell22:05

       And I think that is what got him, that he thinks he is elevated himself from where he used to be to who-

   30. KSKara Swisher22:11

       Right
7. 28:30 – 36:11

   Why billionaires have lost their way

   1. RORosie O'Donnell28:30

      sure is, and that's the only place to go for it

   2. KSKara Swisher28:32

      ... right. Absolutely. But, and also, Trump's popularity is in the toilet right now, largely-

   3. RORosie O'Donnell28:35

      Yes

   4. KSKara Swisher28:35

      ... due to the war in Iran, his handling of the economy. People are tired of his act, I think. Um, so-

   5. RORosie O'Donnell28:40

      And the fact that he's falling asleep.

   6. KSKara Swisher28:42

      Yes, he's old.

   7. RORosie O'Donnell28:42

      That he's ve- very physically ill.

   8. KSKara Swisher28:44

      Yes, yeah.

   9. RORosie O'Donnell28:44

      That he doesn't look like he's long for this earth.

   10. KSKara Swisher28:46

       Right, yeah.

   11. RORosie O'Donnell28:47

       That he shouldn't be the man in control of the nuclear codes.

   12. KSKara Swisher28:50

       Nuclear codes. [laughs]

   13. RORosie O'Donnell28:50

       Like, these are things that everyone around him knows.

   14. KSKara Swisher28:53

       Yeah, yeah.

   15. RORosie O'Donnell28:53

       But America just goes, "Oh, the oak, the o-"

   16. KSKara Swisher28:55

       Well, no, his polls are proving that he's in the low 30s. This is the lowest of any president. And do you, do you think his base is finally breaking in a meaningful way, and-

   17. RORosie O'Donnell29:03

       Yes

   18. KSKara Swisher29:03

       ... people are seeing the facade?

   19. RORosie O'Donnell29:03

       I think people are waking up. Yes, they are, and I think it's taken a very long time.

   20. KSKara Swisher29:08

       Mm-hmm.

   21. RORosie O'Donnell29:08

       And so many people have suffered-

   22. KSKara Swisher29:10

       Mm-hmm

   23. RORosie O'Donnell29:10

       ... and people have died because of him.

   24. KSKara Swisher29:12

       Mm-hmm.

   25. RORosie O'Donnell29:12

       Many people, and, um, they're over the charade. He thinks this is a reality show.

   26. KSKara Swisher29:18

       Mm-hmm.

   27. RORosie O'Donnell29:18

       And I do blame Mark Burnett-

   28. KSKara Swisher29:20

       Mm-hmm

   29. RORosie O'Donnell29:20

       ... for teaching him-

   30. KSKara Swisher29:20

       Mm-hmm
8. 36:11 – 45:00

   Democrats, Trump and Jimmy Kimmel

   1. RORosie O'Donnell36:11

      grown-ass women.

   2. KSKara Swisher36:12

      Mm-hmm.

   3. RORosie O'Donnell36:12

      And I have tremendous respect and admire all that she's done.

   4. KSKara Swisher36:16

      Mm-hmm.

   5. RORosie O'Donnell36:16

      This EGOT.

   6. KSKara Swisher36:17

      Yeah.

   7. RORosie O'Donnell36:17

      Again, an unlikely woman.

   8. KSKara Swisher36:18

      Mm-hmm.

   9. RORosie O'Donnell36:18

      Only in America could-

   10. KSKara Swisher36:20

       Yeah, what a great story she has.

   11. RORosie O'Donnell36:21

       Oh, my God. You know, really beautiful, and I think she's doing a great job on that show. And-

   12. KSKara Swisher36:26

       Yeah

   13. RORosie O'Donnell36:27

       ... you know, for me, uh, talking politics is not the best use of my talent.

   14. KSKara Swisher36:31

       Right. Right. Comedy.

   15. RORosie O'Donnell36:32

       But I feel the need to do it-

   16. KSKara Swisher36:34

       Right

   17. RORosie O'Donnell36:34

       ... because-

   18. KSKara Swisher36:34

       Well, comedy. You can do political comedy

   19. RORosie O'Donnell36:35

       ... you can do it through comedy, but just-

   20. KSKara Swisher36:37

       Do, do you want to have another show?

   21. RORosie O'Donnell36:39

       I would go back to daytime if they asked me-

   22. KSKara Swisher36:41

       Mm-hmm

   23. RORosie O'Donnell36:41

       ... because I really feel that those are my people.

   24. KSKara Swisher36:44

       Right.

   25. RORosie O'Donnell36:44

       The mothers at home with their kids.

   26. KSKara Swisher36:46

       Right.

   27. RORosie O'Donnell36:46

       And, you know, I would do that. Uh, and 'cause Kelly Clarkson left and there-

   28. KSKara Swisher36:50

       Mm-hmm

   29. RORosie O'Donnell36:50

       ... seems to be a vacancy-

   30. KSKara Swisher36:52

       Right
9. 45:00 – 54:05

   GLP-1s, plastic surgery and aging

   1. RORosie O'Donnell45:00

      sad."

   2. KSKara Swisher45:00

      Same thing with GLP-1s is that it, it's revolutionary. It's revolutionary.

   3. RORosie O'Donnell45:04

      No, I think it's gonna help addiction in many, many areas.

   4. KSKara Swisher45:06

      Yes.

   5. RORosie O'Donnell45:07

      Because, you know, the food addiction is real.

   6. KSKara Swisher45:09

      Mm-hmm.

   7. RORosie O'Donnell45:09

      And the noise that your brain hears when you are an obese person and you, like-

   8. KSKara Swisher45:14

      Same thing with drinking.

   9. RORosie O'Donnell45:15

      Well, right. Every, uh, October after Halloween until Christmas, my kids would hide their candy from me.

   10. KSKara Swisher45:22

       Oh.

   11. RORosie O'Donnell45:22

       And at night I would go search for it because I would know there was a Butterfinger somewhere in the house, and I couldn't sleep.

   12. KSKara Swisher45:29

       [laughs] Their candy or Butterfinger.

   13. RORosie O'Donnell45:30

       Right. And so, you know, it was very, very difficult-

   14. KSKara Swisher45:34

       Mm-hmm

   15. RORosie O'Donnell45:34

       ... for me to not-

   16. KSKara Swisher45:35

       Mm-hmm

   17. RORosie O'Donnell45:35

       ... overeat sugar.

   18. KSKara Swisher45:36

       Mm-hmm.

   19. RORosie O'Donnell45:37

       And this drug has changed my life.

   20. KSKara Swisher45:40

       Mm-hmm.

   21. RORosie O'Donnell45:40

       And whenever I see someone struggling with obesity, I wish I could convince the company that makes Mounjaro to let me do commercials, even though they don't need it, 'cause everyone wants it.

   22. KSKara Swisher45:51

       Mm-hmm.

   23. RORosie O'Donnell45:51

       If they would drop the price for people-

   24. KSKara Swisher45:53

       Right

   25. RORosie O'Donnell45:53

       ... so that-

   26. KSKara Swisher45:53

       Which they will

   27. RORosie O'Donnell45:54

       ... they have to.

   28. KSKara Swisher45:55

       Prices will be lo- lower and lower.

   29. RORosie O'Donnell45:57

       I hope so.

   30. KSKara Swisher45:57

       Yeah. It's something that they should do, which is, it's, this is, to me, something like the Trump administration should do. Like, it would be health, healthcare costs would go down so considerably around it. I was, it, you know, so sort of a, a diabetic industrial complex along with-

Episode duration: 54:05