TVSquad

Rumors have been swirling for months that Rosie O'Donnell was in negotiations with NBC to create her own show. There were even rumors that she would get a talk show on MSNBC to compliment Keith Olbermann's show (though now Rachel Maddow has that gig). Instead, it has been announced that Rosie will host a variety show on NBC on Thanksgiving Eve, November 26.

It's called Rosie's Variety Hour, because it's hosted by Rosie, it features variety, and it's going to last 60 minutes. Rosie will do a monologue and introduce musical and comedy acts, and they'll be big prizes for people in the studio audience and people watching at home. Rosie compares the show to Carol Burnett, Ed Sullivan, and Sonny & Cher. She had me at the first two. I'd love to see a show like that on TV again. Not sure about the last one, but I think I know what she means.

If the show is a hit, you might see it as a weekly series.

Rachael Ray aired a special tribute episode for Rosie O'Donnell today, and Ellen DeGeneres' show isn't happy about it.

Rosie O'Donnell appeared on the special episode earlier today, one day after Telepictures (the company that syndicates Ellen) called and tried to get the episode pulled. That's right, a company called the day before an episode aired to try and get it pulled. Seems that Telepictures is worried that if Rachael Ray airs old footage from The Rosie O'Donnell Show (which Telepictures also syndicated), then Ellen would be beaten in the ratings.

Yes, that's a very weird headline.

During a press conference for the new "why oh why are they bringing that back?!" NBC version of American Gladiators, former wrestler and current reality show star Hulk Hogan was asked which celeb he'd like to see on the new game show, and Hogan said "Without a doubt, Rosie O'Donnell. Somebody needs to shut that big mouth up." O'Donnell heard about the suggestion, and wrote about it on her blog (can't find the exact entry, and there's no way I'm slogging through her videos and poetry).

I just realized that Rosie O'Donnell has become one of those celebs that you know by one name, like Madonna or Twiggy or Superman. Now you can just say "Rosie" and TV fans know who you're talking about.*

There's been a lot of talk lately about what Rosie is going to do next. Will she go do a talk show on MSNBC after Countdown with Keith Olbermann? (Answer: no.). Now Rosie herself, on her blog, says that she's seriously thinking about doing a talk show on her web site. It makes sense, since she has more money than God and can do anything she wants, turn down anything she wants, and wouldn't have to put up with the hassle of working for someone else.

The search for Rosie's replacement continues.

Ivanka Trump, Donald's daughter, says that she has no interest in being on The View because she's much too busy and co-hosting a daily talk show just doesn't fit into her plans at this time. She was actually considering it, because she had a good time on The View before Rosie was on it and would probably have a good time now that Rosie is gone.

Maybe they shouldn't even get a full-time, permanent host. The ratings seem to be good since Rosie left and they've had a rotating group of guest hosts. Maybe that can be their "thing," a new, mysterious guest host each day.

By the way, remember when Rosie said she wasn't going away completely, that she'd still show up now and then to guest host? Yeah, right.

Rosie O'Donnell has answered the prayers of many longtime Price Is Right fans: she has taken herself out of the running for the hosting job.

Of course, no one officially offered her the job, but she did meet with the show's producers for lunch last week. She would love to host the show, but as she says on her latest video blog, she doesn't want to uproot her family and move out to L.A., where the show is taped. She knows that a lot of people would, but she doesn't need the money and would rather take on projects that would keep her in New York.

So now we're down to only 47 other people who could host.

[via TV Tattle]

Mario Lopez...George Hamilton...Mark Steines...and now Ian Ziering? Are the producers serious about keeping The Price Is Right going, or are they just trying to find a way to end the show now that Bob Barker has left?

Yup, the former Beverly Hills, 90210 and Dancing with the Stars star (and I'll always remember him from The Guiding Light many years ago) auditioned for the gig last week. So the list seems to actually be growing. Besides the names above, don't forget John O'Hurley, Todd Newton, and The Early Show's Dave Price, who should insist on the job since he has the right name for it.

Oh, and Rosie O'Donnell is meeting with producers this week. Radar has a sneak peek at what a Rosie-hosted TPIR might be like.

A while back, I showcased some blogs that celebrities were (at the time) keeping. David Duchovny had one for a while, but it was just to promote one of his movies and he stopped it. Zach Braff had one for Garden State, but doesn't update it as much as he used to at his new site (though it's still pretty entertaining). And of course we know that Rosie O'Donnell updates hers, a little too much probably.

But there are other TV celebs who blog too, so it's time for an update. After the jump, a list of some of the better blogs out there.

OK, so none of us want Rosie O'Donnell to take over for Bob Barker as host of The Price Is Right, but what exactly is the next step for the former View host (besides going on tour with Cyndi Lauper and building a new arts center in NYC)?

FOX News is reporting that new NBC programming chief Ben Silverman wants Rosie on the network. And not just in a daytime capacity. He also wants her to host a prime time game show on the network. No word from Rosie yet.

Of course, this news comes from Roger Friedman, who seems to be wrong 84% of the time in the stories that he reports, at least about celebs. But if she does host a game show, Ben, can you make sure it's not in the same mold as Deal Or No Deal/Identity/1 vs. 100? Or maybe create a daytime game show for her? We need more game shows in the daytime, less Dr. Phil/Jerry/Maury.

I'm sure everyone has already seen the horrifying video of Rosie and Elisabeth going at each other on The View. Now comes word that Rosie won't be coming back on Tuesday to finish the remaining three weeks of her contract.

O'Donnell took Thursday off to celebrate the birthday of her partner Kelli, and today's episode was taped before the battle. O'Donnell posted a video montage of her time on the show on her blog, and it's probably no secret that it's titled "True Colors."

No word from Donald Trump yet, but I'm sure he'll be talking about his "victory" on the gossip shows this evening.

The feud continues.

After Rosie O'Donnell announced on The View that she has been treated for depression (and that she hangs upside down every day), Donald Trump had to go and make a statement to one of the gossip shows about it (seriously, does The Insider have a crew stationed outside his office 24/7 in case he does something?). The video is after the jump, but here's the text of what he said:

"I have no compassion for Rosie...I can fully understand that when she looks in the mirror she suffers from depression."

O'Donnell wrote one of her poems about it on her blog, and if she comes up with more gems like "it has been my goal/for so long/to give a balding billionaire a boner," I might have to bookmark her site.

[via Best Week Ever]

Last year I pointed all of you to Rosie O'Donnell's blog,  where she practices a crazed sort of stream-of-conciousness poetry, writing about her kids, politics, celebrity, and everything in between. She's still doing it, and now she seems to be writing more than ever. Her site has grown a lot in the past 6 months. And while I commend her activism and giving money to charity, I can't let this go by (lack of caps is hers, not mine):

helen reddy
think i'll write a song

took blake 2 pizza
his beauty stuns me
daily

can u hunt a bear?

mistakes
lessons
bricks and birds

jane fonda
on everything
bright yellow she
full of grace

Whoa, man. And she ends this poem with the phrase "deal or no deal."