Rosie O'Donnell and Ellen DeGeneres' fallout explored as former recounts "painful" experience

During a September 7 episode of Mamamia's No Filter podcast, Rosie O'Donnell reflected on the "painful" friendship fallout with Ellen Degeneres. More than two decades ago, in a 2004 interview on Larry King Live, Ellen DeGeneres had mentioned that she was not friends with O'Donnell.

The two were pioneering figures in the 1990s for LGTBQ+ visibility in mainstream American entertainment. While Ellen came out in 1997 with her sitcom Ellen and TIME cover ("Yep, I'm Gay"), Rosie came out seven years later in 2002.

As per O'Donnell, Ellen did not come out in support of her despite her supporting Ellen's coming out moment.

"Instead of deciding to stand next to me and hold my hand, which is what I did to her, she did the opposite. That was like, one of the most painful things that ever happened to me, in show business, in my life."

She then added,

"I couldn't believe it. I have photos of her holding my newborn babies. I knew her for 30 years."

While talking about feeling hurt by Ellen's actions, O'Donnell explained, "I don't rehash it for pleasure. I rehash it because our careers have taken sort of parallel, interwoven paths."

"I knew her for so many years" - says Rosie O'Donnell

Rosie O'Donnell's comments on Ellen DeGeneres during a September 7 appearance on the No Filter podcast, is not the first time the comedian has opened up about her friendship with Ellen.

In 2022, during an appearance on Watch What Happens Live, O'Donnell recalled her 30-year old friendship with Ellen and said,

"I know her mother. I could identify her brother without her in the room. I knew her for so many years. It just felt like I don't trust this person to be in my world."

O'Donnell highlighted that Ellen DeGeneres used the same staff; Jim Paratore and Andy Lassner from her show. She also added that Ellen denied Rosie's request to appear on her show,

"I remember going, 'Seriously?' After she said no that one time, whenever they would ask (me to appear) on the show, I would say no."

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After her interview with Andy Cohen in 2022, Rosie O'Donnell during a 2023 interview with The Hollywood Reporter revealed that she recently received a text from her ex-friend saying, "I'm really sorry, and I don't remember that."

Rosie responded and asked Ellen "how she's surviving not being on TV" after Ellen DeGeneres officially ended the The Ellen DeGeneres Show in May, 2022.

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