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Rosie O’Donnell shares the hurtful comment Ellen DeGeneres made about her

DeGeneres was on her show in 1996


Jovita Trujillo
Jovita Trujillo - Los Angeles
Senior WriterLos Angeles
SEPTEMBER 16, 2022 11:08 PM EDT

Rosie O’Donnell is still hurt by a rude comment Ellen DeGeneres made about her. The actress joined Andy Cohen on Watch What Happens Live, where she revealed why she has no interest in having a friendship with the former host.

Premiere Of Netflix's "Green Eggs And Ham"   Arrivals© Getty

A curious fan asked why O’Donnell was never on DeGeneres’ show during its 20-year run. O’Donnell revealed they never asked her and explained, “We had a little bit of a weird thing.”

“After my show went off the air, and hers was coming on the air, Larry King was on with Ellen, and he said, ‘Whatever happened to Rosie O’Donnell? Her show went down the tubes. She came out as a lesbian and disappeared.’”

DeGeneres had been on The Rosie O’Donnell Show in 1996, where they hugged and looked very friendly. But after King made his statements O’Donnell said DeGeneres responded, “I don’t know Rosie. We’re not friends.”

The Rosie O'Donnell show 1996© The Rosie O’Donnell Show

O’Donnell was shocked by her statement. “I was in bed with Kelly, and I said, ‘did I just hear that, or was that a hallucination?” “That’s what happened, and it hurt my feeling, and I never really got over it,” she continued.

What Happened Between Rosie O’Donnell and Ellen DeGeneres? | WWHL

While they did ask O’Donnell to come towards the end of her show, they denied her request to bring someone with her to make it “less awkward,” so she never went on.

Although O’Donnell is still hurt by the comment, she did wish DeGeneres well. “I wish her all good things in her life,” she said.

Check out the old footage of DeGeneres on O’Donnell’s show below.

ELLEN COMES OUT on THE ROSIE O'DONNELL SHOW