Rosie O’Donnell Opens Jimmy Kimmel Live! Guest Host Run With Trump Shout-Out: “Hi, I Know You’re Watching!”
Rosie O'Donnell began a week-long stint as guest host of Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Monday, marking her first talk-show hosting role in nearly 30 years while regular host Jimmy Kimmel is on his annual summer break. The comedian and longtime critic of Donald Trump used her opening monologue to needle the president directly, joking that his dislike of the show would only intensify under her tenure, and even addressed him personally, saying "Hi! I know you're watching" towards a presumed viewer in Washington, DC.
Much of the monologue focused on O'Donnell's decision to relocate to Ireland two years ago, which she attributed to her opposition to Trump and Project 2025, joking about taking her then 11-year-old child with her. She recounted an anecdote about her child telling classmates about the move despite being asked to keep it quiet, quipping that the president "hates my mother" but that she "hates him more". O'Donnell will continue hosting the show for the rest of the week.
- Rosie O'Donnell is guest-hosting Jimmy Kimmel Live! for a week
- She mocked Trump and referenced her 2024 move to Ireland
- She addressed Trump directly, saying she knew he was watching
New here? Start with this
Jimmy Kimmel Live! is an American late-night television programme that mixes comedy, interviews and discussion of current events. Its regular host, Jimmy Kimmel, sometimes takes a summer break, with other performers filling in.
Rosie O’Donnell is a comedian and television presenter who has hosted talk shows before, though not for nearly 30 years. She has publicly criticised Donald Trump, the US president, and has spoken about moving to Ireland with her child because of her opposition to his politics.
Project 2025 is a policy plan produced by a group of conservative organisations for a future US administration. It has become a focus of political debate because of its proposals for changes to the federal government.