Rosie O’Donnell’s new Twitter avatar shows her as Trump senior adviser Steve Bannon. It was created by the Hillary Clinton For President Supporters Facebook page. (Twitter/Rosie O’Donnell)
For over a decade, Donald Trump and Rosie O’Donnell have been in an epic celebrity feud. It’s gone on so long that, when it started, Trump was just the businessman known for yelling “I’m fired” on The Apprentice. It’s been going on so long that it started on The View. Now, it’s entered a whole new phase with Trump as the President of the United States and O’Donnell just looking for an opportunity to play Trump adviser Steve Bannon on Saturday Night Live.
Here’s a look at the latest chapter in a feud that has no end in sight and its ‘humble’ beginnings.
1. O’Donnell Says She’s ‘Here to Serve’ After Melissa McCarthy Played Sean Spicer
(Getty)
After Melissa McCarthy played Sean Spicer on the February 4 SNL, Politico reported that the White House was stunned by it and made uncomfortable. The site suggests that this was why Trump was uncharacteristically quiet about the episode on Twitter. Typically, Trump tweets about the show, especially when it includes a skit with Alec Baldwin playing him.
After learning how “rattled” the skit reportedly left Trump and the White House, O’Donnell offered to play Bannon on SNL.
@calvininsf – i am here to serve – alec has trump – melissa has spice – i would need a few days to prepare – so if called – i will be ready
When O’Donnell changed her Twitter profile to a Photoshopped image of herself as Bannon, many thought this would be a sign that she’s definitely going to be on SNL for the February 11 episode, which Baldwin is hosting. However, her publicist told ABC News that she won’t be on SNL.
2. The Fight Kicked-Off in December 2006 When O’Donnell Criticized Trump for Not Firing a Miss USA
Trump’s decision to stand by Miss USA 2006 Tara Conner was the genesis for the O’Donnell-Trump feud. (Getty)
The O’Donnell-Trump feud has its roots in a drama surrounding 2006 Miss USA winner Tara Conner. Back in 2006, Trump decided to give Conner a second chance after allegations that she used drugs surfaced. As Fox News reported at the time, Trump said the Kentucky native would be going to rehab to get help. In a 2016 interview with Oprah Winfrey, Conner thanked Trump for helping her recover from her addictions. She’s been sober for over nine years now.
Even though things turned out well for Conner because of Trump’s help, O’Donnell criticized Trump’s decision on The View, which she was still co-hosting in 2006. As CNN pointed out, she called him a “snake-oil salesman on Little house on the Prairie” and criticized him for his multiple marriages. She also said Trump declared bankruptcy.
Trump refused to let those comments slide and thus, a feud was born. He told People Magazine that O’Donnell is a “woman out of control” and a “real loser.”
“You can’t make false statements,” Trump told People. “Rosie will rue the words she said. I’ll most likely sue her for making those false statements – and it’ll be fun. Rosie’s a loser. A real loser. I look forward to taking lots of money from my nice fat little Rosie.”
Trump also threatened to sue O’Donnell.
3. In 2007, Trump Took Credit for O’Donnell Getting Fired From ‘The View’ in 2007
Back in 2007, O’Donnell’s first tenure on The View came to an end when ABC decided not to renew her contract. Trump quickly went on Extra to take credit for O’Donnell’s departure.
“ABC, I strongly believe, just said ‘Rosie, you’re fired,'” Trump told Extra. “And I’m very proud to tell you I did predict it.”
However, Trump did take O’Donnell’s side during her feud with Elisabeth Hasselbeck.
“On this one I think Rosie should win, but Rosie is not much herself. I think anybody that’s against the war in Iraq is the winner of the fight, because to justify the war in Iraq — only an imbecile could do that,” Trump told Extra. He later called Hasselbeck “probably the dumbest person on TV.”
In September 2014, O’Donnell returned to The View, but her second tenure was short-lived. When she left a few months later, Trump did exactly what he did the first time. He claimed he predicted it.
“Well, it’s very sad what’s happened to The View and I predicted that with Rosie O’Donnell it would fail,” Trump told E! News. “I guess the prediction is correct, but, I mean she’s a total trainwreck, so let’s see what happens and I hope it works out well. … I like the show a lot, but let’s face it, Rosie is a loser.”
When her return was announced, Trump tweeted that it was a move of desperation from ABC. But just to make sure everyone knew he didn’t really think having O’Donnell on TV again was a good thing, he wrote, “Rosie is crude, rude, obnoxious and dumb – other than that I like her very much!”
Rosie is crude, rude, obnoxious and dumb – other than that I like her very much!
4. During an August 2015 Republican Debate, Trump Said ‘Only Rosie O’Donnell’ When Asked About Calling Women ‘Fat Pigs’
Back in August 2015, Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly asked Trump about his past with women, specifically how he called women “fat pigs,” “dogs” and “slobs.” Trump butted in, telling Kelly, “Only Rosie O’Donnell.” A shocked O’Donnell could only tweet, “try explaining that 2 ur kids.”
try explaining that 2 ur kids
During one of the debates with Hillary Clinton, Trump brought up O’Donnell again. “Rosie O’Donnell — I said very tough things to her, and I think everybody would agree that she deserves it and nobody feels sorry for her,” Trump said.
.@RealDonaldTrump on Rosie O’Donnell comments: “she deserved it and nobody feels sorry for her” #DebateNight t.co/yuutX34GN0
After revealing her 50-pound weight loss, wrote:
Rosie O’Donnell just said she felt “shame” at being fat-not politically correct! She killed Star Jones for weight loss surgery, just had it!
O’Donnell responded:
@realDonaldTrump – Donald – go away
In a 2014 interview with People Magazine, O’Donnell said that Trump was likely the worst bully she’s ever had to deal with in her life.
“Probably the Trump stuff was the most bullying I ever experienced in my life, including as a child,” she said in 2014, just after revealing her weight-loss following vertical gastric sleeve surgery. “It was national, and it was sanctioned societally. Whether I deserved it is up to your own interpretation.”
Trump’s response on Twitter was “you started it!”
.@Rosie—No offense, and good luck on the new show, but remember, you started it! http://t.co/Ag3TyZZxOh
5. O’Donnell Had to Apologize for Suggesting Barron Trump Has Autism
Back in November, O’Donnell retweeted a link to a YouTube video that claimed Barron Trump, Trump’s youngest son and his only child with third wife Melania Trump, has autism. There is no evidence to prove that Barron has autism and Melania threatened to sue O’Donnell for suggesting that he has autism.
O’Donnell’s first response to the backlash for her tweet was a poem on her website. She thought that, if it was true, then it would be an opportunity to raise awareness for autism. She also wrote that her own daughter, Dakota, 3, has been diagnosed with autism.
Eventually, on December 1, O’Donnell did issue an apology. “I apologize to @melaniatrump – i was insensitive in my RT – i am sorry for the pain i caused – it was not my intent – i am truly sorry,” she wrote. O’Donnell then briefly made her Twitter profile private.
Today, O’Donnell’s Twitter page is public and filled with anti-Trump messages. She recently pinned a tweet to her profile, with a joke about how Trump and Bannon probably watch SNL together.
The Barron chapter of the feud did not end it at all. Before the inauguration, O’Donnell called Trump a “criminal” and said he’s “mentally unstable.”
TRUMP IS A CRIMINAL – t.co/dkhfSr4Ubc