It was just over a year ago that Rosie O’Donnell allegedly angered the mighty O by calling Oprah’s road trip with her BFF, Gayle, “as gay as it gets.” If that comment pissed off Oprah, she seems to have gotten over it, considering that Rosie has a new talkshow that will air on Oprah’s OWN network starting next year. In a recent red carpet interview with ABC News, Rosie said that she believed Oprah’s most recent assertion that Gayle isn’t her girlfriend and that they don’t have anything going on other than a deep friendship. It’s not like Rosie is going to trash talk her new employer, although that didn’t really stop her where Barbara Walters was concerned.
Rosie O’Donnell spoke about the speculation surrounding Oprah Winfrey and best friend Gayle King, saying that she believed Winfrey’s recent statement to Barbara Walters that she is not a lesbian.
According to ABC News, O’Donnell spoke at the Jingle Ball concert in New York City on Friday. She suggested that the rumors about Winfrey and King stem from a lack of understanding about the nature of close female relationships.
“People don’t really understand or don’t have the privilege of seeing a friendship between two women that is that deep,” said O’Donnell. “I have the same best friend that I’ve had since I was 3. I know the intensity of that relationship and what it feels like — to have someone you can depend on no matter what. So, I get it. And I don’t think she was defending it as much as just answering all the speculation. She didn’t seem defensive to me. If anything, it’s just insulting to her integrity that people would consider that she was lying.”
In an interview that aired on ABC last week, Winfrey responded to a question from Walters about the “dumb rumors” by saying, “I’m not even kind of lesbian.”
O’Donnell will premiere a new talk show on the Oprah Winfrey Network next month.
[From The Advocate via ONTD]
If you watch Rosie talk to the ABC reporter (below) she gets kind of defensive like she’s saying all that out of obligation, but she seems defensive like that most of the time.
I agree with Kaiser that if Oprah was gay she’d tell us about it and make it into a month-long theme about being true to your core self or whatever. When it comes right down to it, the only person that Oprah truly loves is herself.
Check out the logo for the new Oprah Winfrey Network, in brilliant shades of orange green and purple. Isn’t it hideous? The upcoming shows on OWN look somewhat interesting but familiar, like an organizing show, a cooking show with amateur cooks, a medical mystery show that’s like a real-life House, and reality shows featuring Shania Twain and Duchess Fergie. One thing that’s missing is any kind of talk show with Jenny McCarthy, as has been rumored for some time. Lisa Ling is there, though, as is Rosie. We’ll see how Oprah’s ratings are when her network premieres January first.
Rosie is shown on 12/10/10 and 11/11. Oprah is shown in Australian on 12/13 and 12/14. Credit: WENN.com
Rosie once said the exact same thing on Howard Stern. And it’s true, some women have intense non-sexual relationships. BUT I have to agree the only person Opes loves is herself.
i’ll second that min76! oprah pays tribute to herself every month on the cover of her magazine.
is Rosie the expert on every gay or lesbian now?
how is her opinion even relevant?
ugh, so not a fan of Rosie.
“i’m not even kind of lesbian” she should have added: not that there’s anything wrong with that.. ; ) I guess big mouf Rosie is the ‘go to’ person for all things gay.
Seriously though, Gail seems like a great lady. I just can’t wrap my brain around how she can stand Queen O and her massive ego.
I don’t see much of a future for the “OWN” network- which by the way, looks tacky and totally self-serving- “I’m Oprah and I OWN almost everything”. I guess the true Oprah disciples will follow it and crow about the magic, but Oprah’s ego gives me involuntary eye-rolling most of the time.
I wouldn’t put it past Oprah or Rosie to lie their asses off. Me thinks the ladies protesteth too much.
Anyone notice how much Rosie looks like Paul Sorvino?
Who cares?They both look ghastly! Especially O’D.
What makes Rosie qualified to judge who’s gay or not? Because she’s a lesbian? That’s like expecting all black people to be authorities on anything related to being African American.
yeah, but even if Oprah was gay AND wanted to come out, she couldn’t…
come on look at her fan base
she’d go through so much scrutiny even if retiring… the paps would hunt her like mad. no matter how rich you are, sometimes you just don’t want put up w that. she’d have to explain herself and her lies. it’s so much easier to just lie even if she doesn’t wanna live a lie.
it is unlikely that Rosie just randomly stated at a concert that Oprah wasn’t gay, she was probably asked to comment on it. she gave her opinion based on her own relationship with Oprah.
there is nothing at all in this article to suggest that Rosie gave her opinion on behalf of all gay people–but i’m certainly not surprised that haters jumped on that.
what in Rosie’s past suggests she has ever waited to be asked to voice her opinions?
Oprah isn’t gay, but she know how to market herself.
1. Her new Network is starting soon, so she needs to generate eyeballs, so she goes on a trip with Gail, knowing that fools will go crazy.
2. In interview with Barbara Walters she reintroduces Steadman in the mix – creating an, is-she-or-isn’t-she buzz.
Oprah understands how to rope in nosy individuals, getting them to build her OWN buzz for her, as I am doing right now, by blogging about her.
Because of the above/below I nominate Oprah as the most powerful woman in the world.
1. If you want to be President – see Oprah
2. If you want to be successful in Media – see Oprah
3. If you’re a country seeking tourist attention – see Oprah
4. If you’re a Cable channel in trouble – see Oprah
5. If you’re a housewife seeking direction – see Oprah
Ugh. Cannot STAND Rosie, and it’s got nothing to do with her being gay. She’s just so obnoxious it’s hard to even look at her.
As for Oprah, I didn’t care about her one way or another until I found out they are getting rid of the Discovery Health channel to make room for her massive ego, OWN. I LOVE Discovery Health and watch it a lot…but not for much longer, apparently.
I don’t think OW would lose many fans if she came out. She has admitted to sleeping with a married man, using crack, being sexually abused. She is friends with Ellen. She has “out” people like Suze and Nate on her shows. She has gays or transexuals on her show often.Homophobes don’t watch OW.
I think sex is the last of Oprah’s priorities. I believe she’s straight, but I also think that she could care less about romance/sex with Steadman…work comes first for her.
@ Liz
See, while I think she’s straight, I think that she WOULD lose fans if she were an out lesbian. Housewives wouldn’t relate to her as much.
When did someones sexual preference become so damn important to society? I could care less whether someone is gay, straight or bi…..it does NOT affect my life!
Rosie Odonnell doesn’t get to say who’s gay.
I think the Queen of the Gays is Ellen. She can crown or knight or whatever. Prince of the gays would be NPH, until Gaycrest comes out….
I listen to Rosie Radio on XM, and she talked about this a few days ago. It sounds like she is telling the truth, and so is Oprah, and why should anyone care anyway?
@Redlips: couldn’t agree with you more on the ‘who cares?’ thing. Its 2010. If anyone has issues with it, fuck ’em!
As for these two media-whores…why do they even feel the NEED to keep running around saying she’s not gay???
Like its a bad thing?
Well if Rosie says so then I guess that’s all there is to it. I should write to her and figure out if I’m gay or not because apparently she’s the authority on such matters.
OMG!
Putting these potato-heads side-by-side…
Oprah’s like the “Black Rosie”
LOL about the road trip. Yep, pretty much.
Oprah’s in love with herself, but not in touch with herself.
She gets insulted about this integrity thing but she’s had so much quackery on her show. And wow, how she’s changed her core beliefs.
Since she has been on air she “knew Jesus was Lord” and now is into New Age religions where you’re God.
She was sure the Iraq War was the right thing, Tom Friedman browbeat her audience when they dared disagree. Now she’s positive it’s wrong.
She knew Tiger Woods was the future of the world, now radio silence.
She was sure she’d figured out her weight three times or more.
If you’re “truth” changes on war, your religion, who’s Mr. Wonderful and your own body why would you have a clue that you’re gay for your Bestie? Oprah is always the last to know and the first to proclaim she is sure of everything.
Just a celeb (ego) gone wild.
One thing I absolutely cannot stand about Oprah is how she slaps her name on every damn thing. Even her bff’s Gayle’s show was called Oprah & Friends. Ugh!
As for Rosie why did they ask her? Is she an authority on all gay people or something? Nevermind, I know why she was really asked. Just the media looking for a soundbite as per usual.
Actually, the idea of passionate platonic friendship between women has been around for a long time (I think they called them romantic friendships). I think we as a culture are just really ‘out’ happy and try to make everyone gay.
I don’t think Oprah’s gay (not that it’s that important anyway and nothing wrong with it either) and I hope her network succeeds (she better keep some of that original Discovery Health Channel content though and not mess it up, it was already fine to begin with).