‘Rosie O’Donnell: Common Knowledge’ Review: Poignant Off Broadway Show Recounts Family Challenges, The Trump Feud And What She Just Might Do On ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live’
Rosie O’Donnell’s new Off Broadway solo show, Common Knowledge, recounts personal and political experiences including her long-running feud with Donald Trump, her move to Ireland and challenges within her family. The review describes the performance as candid and humorous, presenting Trump as only one element of a broader autobiographical account.
Much of the show focuses on O’Donnell’s childhood loss of her mother and her relationship with her youngest adopted daughter, who is autistic and nonbinary. It also revisits O’Donnell’s 2006 criticism of Trump on The View, which helped start their public feud, and Trump’s later statement that he was considering revoking her US citizenship after she moved to Ireland in January 2025.
In short
- O’Donnell’s show combines family stories with her Trump feud.
- She says Trump’s re-election helped prompt her move to Ireland.
- The performance revisits a public dispute dating back to 2006.
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The case for
O'Donnell is performing legitimate autobiographical theatre, a respected art form for processing personal experience. Her stories about losing her mother, her relationship with her adopted daughter, and navigating public life are authentic experiences deserving of expression. Solo performance allows artists to control their narrative and share difficult truths with audiences who may find connection and catharsis in similar experiences. The show's breadth—covering family, identity, adoption, and loss—demonstrates that the Trump feud is one element among many in a complex life story.
The case against
Whilst autobiographical performance is valid, questions remain about whether repeatedly revisiting a years-long public feud serves artistic growth or merely perpetuates antagonism. Beyond O'Donnell's own narrative rights, there are legitimate privacy concerns when intimate family details—particularly about her non-binary autistic daughter—become public entertainment, even with good intentions. Whether such family members' stories warrant public performance warrants thoughtful consideration about boundaries and consent. A performance primarily focused on personal growth rather than external grievances might represent greater artistic maturity.
Explained simply
Rosie O'Donnell is an American comedian and television presenter. She is best known for hosting her own daytime talk show in the 1990s and 2000s.
O'Donnell has been at the centre of a long-running public disagreement with Donald Trump dating back to 2006, when she criticised him on television. She moved to Ireland in January 2025, after which Trump suggested he might seek to revoke her US citizenship.
O'Donnell is an adoptive parent and has experienced significant personal challenges in her life, including the loss of her mother in childhood. She has spoken openly about the complexities of family relationships and the difficulties she has faced.