“Rosie O’Donnell Breaks Silence on the Collapse of Her 30-Year Bond With Ellen DeGeneres, Calling It ‘One of the Most Painful Experiences of My Life’ After Public Dismissal on Live TV”
In a raw reflection on her decades-long friendship with Ellen, Rosie O’Donnell reveals how a single televised remark left her devastated and permanently altered their relationship.
Rosie O’Donnell has opened up about the heartbreaking end of her friendship with Ellen DeGeneres, describing it as one of the most painful chapters of her life.
Speaking on Mamamia’s No Filter podcast, the comedian recalled how the collapse of her bond with Ellen—once one of the most public friendships in Hollywood—still weighs heavily on her. The breaking point, O’Donnell revealed, came during a 2004 appearance on Larry King Live, when DeGeneres dismissed their closeness with the words: “I don’t know Rosie; we’re not friends.”
For O’Donnell, who had been a visible supporter of Ellen during her 1997 coming out, the comment cut deeply. “It hurt my feelings like a baby… I never really got over it,” she admitted. She emphasized that their connection had once been strong, pointing to photos of Ellen cradling her newborn children and recounting the decades they had shared side by side.
The fallout wasn’t limited to personal pain. O’Donnell also recalled the professional sting of not being invited to appear on The Ellen DeGeneres Show until much later in its run, and only under conditions that made her feel uncomfortable.
Although Ellen later sent a text apology, claiming she did not remember making the comment, O’Donnell said the moment remains etched in her memory. “I don’t rehash it for pleasure… I rehash it because our careers have taken parallel, interwoven paths, and it was such a defining break.”
The revelation sheds light on the fragility of even the most seemingly unshakable Hollywood friendships and offers a poignant reminder of how a few public words can leave scars that last a lifetime.
