Comedian Rosie O'Donnell is filling in as guest host for Jimmy Kimmel on his ABC late-night show this week, despite admitting they have never spoken in person or on the phone.
Kimmel, 58, is currently taking a two-month summer vacation from his broadcast, leading O'Donnell, 64, to step into the hosting chair for a series of guest appearances.
O'Donnell revealed details of their hostile relationship on Monday, telling Variety that the invitation to join Kimmel's rotation of summer stand-ins came out of the blue.
She described the offer as a surprise because the two performers had historically ignored one another whenever they attended the same industry events.
O'Donnell is an American comedian, actress, and former host of The Rosie O'Donnell Show, while Kimmel has hosted ABC's flagship late-night program since 2003.
Adversarial Relationship and Stern's Mediation
O'Donnell explained that radio personality Howard Stern previously tried to mediate peace between the two comedians when they crossed paths socially.
She recalled attending several parties alongside Kimmel where she conversed with his wife, executive producer Molly McNearney, while Kimmel maintained his distance.
"But Jimmy was never a fan of mine," O'Donnell told Variety on Monday. "And it was kind of an adversarial relationship. Not that I was fighting back, but I was like, 'OK, one of the bro guys...'"
Even after accepting the hosting gig, O'Donnell emphasized that she and Kimmel have still never spoken on the phone.
She recalled her initial reaction when her representative called with the offer: "When my publicist called and said, 'Do you want to guest host Kimmel for a week?' I said, 'I haven't ever even been a guest!'"
O'Donnell added: "And then I said, 'If you're positive that that's an actual offer and he wants me to do it, then I most certainly will.' I was surprised, to tell you the truth, and very thankful."
Stern hosts the long-running Howard Stern Show on radio, while McNearney serves as co-head writer and executive producer on Kimmel's television broadcast.
Defending Late Night and the First Amendment
Kimmel previously stated that inviting O'Donnell to host was intended as a special treat for Donald Trump, referencing the president's decades-long public feud with her.
O'Donnell confirmed she accepted the invitation to address Trump's ongoing vendetta against her and to show solidarity with fellow late-night hosts amid tension between the White House and television comedy.
She voiced strong support for Kimmel's recent defense of free expression following controversy over his monologue regarding conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
![O'Donnell spoke of their past interactions as she recalled: 'We've been at the same parties a few times and I would talk to [Kimmel's] wife [Molly McNearney]. But Jimmy was never a fan of mine'; pictured in October 2024](https://i.dailymail.com/1s/2026/08/18/00/110691421-16059155-O_Donnell_spoke_of_their_past_interactions_as_she_recalled_We_ve-a-1_1787008316776.jpg)
"I support [Jimmy] 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," O'Donnell said.
ABC temporarily took Kimmel's show off the air for six days in September 2025 following public backlash and pressure from the Federal Communications Commission over his comments about Kirk.
O'Donnell also expressed regret over the departure of Stephen Colbert, whose 11-year run hosting the Late Show on CBS ended in May in what observers described as an effort by CBS to appease Trump.
"And I wish that Stephen Colbert had the same kind of support when it happened to him, because he shouldn't be gone either," she said.
Critique of Media Mergers and CBS News
Beyond late-night television, O'Donnell criticized Paramount CEO David Ellison over his pending 111 billion dollar takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery, which encompasses major outlets including CBS and CNN.
"It would be like Fox taking over all news channels. Imagine if Fox was not one outlier and Fox was the mainstay? That's what's happening with Hollywood now and the Ellisons, and it's tragic," O'Donnell warned.
She further targeted the editorial direction at CBS News and 60 Minutes under Ellison and incoming editor-in-chief Bari Weiss, accusing executives of executing a conservative makeover of prestigious news programs.
"Look at what's happened to CBS News and 60 Minutes, which was the gold star of their entire network, and they blew it up," O'Donnell said.
Directing her criticism at Weiss, she added: "This Bari Weiss person, I don't know how she can live with herself. There are people who are sidling up to him and history will record all of their names, what they did, and who they stood next to."
O'Donnell offered a preview of her commentary for the upcoming broadcast stint, concluding: "If you're in a room with 10 Nazis at a table and you're the only one who's not, there's a pretty good chance you're a Nazi."
