Rosie O’Donnell returned to the airwaves this week as a guest host for Jimmy Kimmel Live. She opened her four-night stint with a monologue that focused on her long-standing public history with Donald Trump. O’Donnell noted her time spent in Ireland over the past two years, citing the current political climate as the primary factor for her relocation.
During the segment, O’Donnell told the studio audience that her child previously explained the family move to classmates as a necessary reaction to the president’s personal dislike of her. She also addressed Trump directly during the broadcast, suggesting that he would likely be watching the show to see if she mentioned him by name.
Beyond the political commentary, O’Donnell took a moment to honor the late actress Hayden Panettiere. She shared memories of Panettiere’s appearances on her own talk show in the past, praising the actress for her early advocacy regarding mental health awareness. O’Donnell expressed condolences to the family of the actress and acknowledged the impact of her career.
Jimmy Kimmel previously announced that he would be away from the show for two months. To manage the production, he selected a rotating cast of guest hosts to fill the seat during his break. O’Donnell is the latest in this series, following other performers like Tiffany Haddish and Colman Domingo.