Rosie O’Donnell has confirmed that she will take part in the 30th anniversary season of the ABC talk show « The View », while also shedding light on the strained relationship between herself and moderator Whoopi Goldberg. In an interview on the podcast « The Tangle » with host Kyle Ridley, the former co-host said she had been invited back and intended to appear as a guest during the anniversary celebrations.
O’Donnell, who has rarely appeared on the program since leaving her co-host position, said her last visit had been complicated by an awkward moment with Goldberg. « They’ve asked me before, but you know, when I was there last, I had sort of a tense time with Whoopi », she said. She described her initial hopes for their on-air partnership with a sports analogy, saying she imagined the two working together like Scottie Pippen and Michael Jordan, leading the team to victory. « But that’s not exactly what happened », she added.
The comedian said she believed Goldberg may have felt threatened or encroached upon, although that had not been her intention. « I was just doing it the way that I knew how to do it, and it didn’t go so well », O’Donnell said. She recalled that the tension began on her first day back, when she threw to a commercial break while Goldberg was still speaking. According to O’Donnell, a member of the production team had gestured for the break, but Goldberg was « very upset » about the timing.
Despite the friction, O’Donnell said the two have moved past the episode. « She’s a woman who supports women, as am I », she said, explaining that she did not want to make things awkward by returning too soon. For the 30th anniversary, however, she said the show is bringing back former hosts, and she is willing to participate « in whatever way they want me ». She said she remains proud of what the program has become and of the way it speaks to people about politics.
The announcement comes as « The View » is under scrutiny from the Federal Communications Commission over whether it has given political candidates equal treatment on air. ABC, which is owned by Disney, has argued that the show should be classified as a « bona fide » news program, which would exempt it from equal-time requirements. The network filed comments with the FCC in early July in support of a petition first submitted in May, and more than 77,000 public comments have been submitted defending the show.
In its filing, ABC warned that the government should not be allowed to decide which programs qualify as legitimate news. « The First Amendment does not permit the government to sit in an editor’s chair », the network said, arguing that the FCC’s approach could force programs to give airtime to guests they never chose to feature. ABC also pointed to a 2002 FCC ruling that recognized « The View » as a bona fide news program and suggested that the current investigation is driven by hostility from President Donald Trump.
Conservative media analysts have responded critically to the idea of a Rosie reunion. Tim Graham, director of media analysis at the Media Research Center, said viewers of the « hard-left, Trump-loathing audience » would welcome the return despite O’Donnell’s history of on-set conflict. He also dismissed comparisons between O’Donnell and Goldberg to Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, saying the pair are not champions of political analysis but rather part of a show that specializes in conspiracy theories and misinformation.
ABC has not commented on O’Donnell’s latest statements. The anniversary season is expected to feature a number of former hosts, though the network has not confirmed details about the guest lineup.