On Monday night, Rosie O’Donnell stepped in as guest host for Jimmy Kimmel Live! while the regular host enjoys a summer break. Her opening monologue quickly turned to President Donald Trump, a figure with whom she has maintained a two‑decade public feud.
Trump becomes target of jokes
O’Donnell began by noting the president’s historic dislike for the show, quipping, “The president hated ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ when it was hosted by Jimmy Kimmel. Buckle up, people.” She then addressed Trump directly, smiling into the camera and saying, “Hi, I know you’re watching.” Throughout the segment she referred to him as “Mango Mussolini” and suggested he was “crying in the White House” because she had not mentioned him by name.
Move to Ireland and family remarks
The comedian explained that she relocated to Ireland in January 2025 after Trump’s 2024 election victory, describing the country as a place where “people are driven to drink regardless of who’s running their country.” She recounted a story about her teenage child informing classmates that the family was moving abroad because the president “hates my mother,” adding the child’s tongue‑in‑cheek comment that the mother might hate the president more.
O’Donnell praised the Irish public for their warm welcome, saying, “[The people in Ireland] would stop me in the street. They would say, ‘Welcome, Rosie. You’re home. We love having you here.’” She called Ireland her “refuge and salvation.”
Tribute to Hayden Panettiere
Mid‑monologue, O’Donnell became emotional while honoring the memory of Hayden Panettiere, a former guest on her own daytime talk show who died at age 36. “I’m just heartbroken over the passing of Hayden Panettiere last night,” she said, her voice shaking.
Reaction from media watchdog
Curtis Houck, managing editor of NewsBusters for the Media Research Center, criticized O’Donnell’s performance, calling her “painfully unfunny” and suggesting her commentary reflects a habit of letting politics dictate personal happiness. He added that she has not been arrested or sent to a “Trump‑branded gulag,” implying that her criticisms are safe from government retaliation.
Trump’s response
President Trump answered on his Truth Social platform with a cartoon image of O’Donnell and the caption, “She (?) is obsessed!” The post underscored the ongoing public sparring between the two figures.
O’Donnell on free speech
When asked about her guest‑hosting opportunity, O’Donnell told Variety she was surprised by the offer and grateful to Kimmel for it. She also praised Kimmel’s stance on the First Amendment, saying, “I support [Kimmel] in what he’s doing with the First Amendment, and our ability as entertainers and citizens to speak out against our government that’s enshrined in the Founding Fathers’ writings about our government, so I think he’s fantastic.” She expressed a wish that Stephen Colbert would receive similar support.
Fox News Digital reached out to O’Donnell for comment but did not receive a response.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
