"Griffin." "O'Donnell.' "O'Donnell." "Griffin." This week's special guest is none other than Kathy Griffin. Join us as these two long term cohorts hang out, chatting about life and stuff; both big and small.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week Rosie has a very special guest, American hero, Alexander Vindman.Vindman, in honoring his oath to democracy and the constitution, reported Trump's quid pro quo phone call to Ukraine's President Zelensky. Rosie and Alexander talk about his childhood as an immigrant growing up in NYC, his service careers in both the military and the White House, and the decision to expose Trump's abuse of power, leading to Trump's first impeachment. Here they discuss what public service, honor, and love of country really mean in America, as well as how doing the right thing has affected Vindman and his family. https://vvfnd.org/https://votevets.orgSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Writer, Actor, Producer, and Creator Lena Waithe joins Rosie for this dynamic episode! The two bond over manifesting their careers as they dreamed from a very young age and their incredible love for Mary Tyler Moore. Waithe produced the doc, 'Being Mary Tyler Moore', that Rosie also appears in... Their powerful conversation is a true heart to heart about how different a person and their persona might be; using their voice and platform to support others, especially those who are other; and speak honestly about how impossible it is to be all things to all people. And then some! This is an episode you don't want to miss!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week Rosie chats with standup comedian, actress, and author, Maria Bamford. Listen in for their laugh out loud funny and honest conversation about dealing with mental illness, getting through day to day obstacles, and shared experiences as standup comedians. Maria Bamford's new memoir, Sure I'll Join Your Cult, is available on Sept 5th. Please Note: Mental Illness and OCD Issues are discussed in this episode. If you need to talk to folks for help here are some sources: https://iocdf.org/ https://www.iasp.info/suicidalthoughts/ Help Maui: https://mauiunitedway.org/disasterrelief https://hawaiifoodbank.org/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, Rosie sits down with chef and filmmaker, Elizabeth Falkner, who is a multi-award winning celebrity chef and author, a Food Network and Bravo TV regular, and has appeared as both a competitor on Iron Chef America and The Next Iron Chef, and as a judge on Top Chef Masters and Top Chef Just Desserts.  She also happens to be Rosie's personal chef! Together they speak passionately about and Chef Falkner's first documentary SORRY WE'RE CLOSED, food in general, families (blood and chosen), and the actual love involved in the restaurant and service industry that very few people even notice. SORRY WE'RE CLOSED, a film by Elizabeth Falkner and Pete Ferriero, is an insider's perspective on the state of mind of chefs, how the independent restaurant business deals with crisis, and how food systems must evolve. It's just been released on multiple streaming platforms for your viewing!LINKS TO HELP MAUI:  https://hawaiifoodandwinefestival.com/kokua-restaurant-and-hospitality-fund-for-maui/ https://www.hawaiicommunityfoundation.org/strengthening/maui-strong-fundSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rosie's guest this week is comedian, political commentator, host, mother and old friend, Samantha Bee. Tune in as they chat about everything under the sun, including feeling like their kids' private Uber drivers, the shocking loss of hard fought for rights, and the untold issues and insanity of menopause! Links for Maui response: https://www.hawaiiancouncil.org/ http://www.mauirapidresponse.org/ https://www.mauihumanesociety.org/  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This weeks guest, Marci Marie Simmons, is building a new life after surviving 10 years in a Texas Prison. With over 250K followers on Tiktok, Marci answers questions about what life was really like behind bars. She's become an activist and advocate for those still inside. She's also become a friend of Rosie's, having captured her interest and respect - first online with her prison cooking antics and then in person as a fierce woman who refuses to give up on herself and others. Still on parole, Marci, who was never a violent offender in or out of custody, shares her experience with openness and honesty.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, Rosie has a conversation with dear friend, collaborator and mentor, and documentary empress, Sheila Nevins. Throughout her tenure, Nevins has focused the lens on character-driven stories, allowing real people to do the talking. Lauded by both audiences and critics, Nevins’ unique theatrical style has garnered numerous awards for her and her team throughout her career. A New Yorker through and through, Nevins is famous for speaking her mind in all situations, which is one of the many things that she and Rosie have in common, making them *mishpocha from the day they met. (*Mishpocha is the Yiddish word for family) Share a voice memo with your questions for Rosie to OnwardRosie@gmail.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, Rosie chats with bariatric surgeon, Dr. Daniel Rosen. Rosie was recently prescribed Mounjaro to control her diabetes. (Mounjaro is approved strictly to treat Type 2 diabetes and it has not yet been F.D.A approved as a weight loss drug.) Since being on it, Rosie has experienced slow and steady weight loss and, even more surprising, she's been able to say goodbye to the non-stop food chatter she's had to deal with for years. In her opinion, Rosie's been given a miracle drug and she wanted more info about it to be able to share whatever trusted information she could find with others. Dr. Rosen, as a medical specialist in both weight management and specifically Mounjaro, is on TikTok relaying reliable and relatable information to help answer questions and to remove stigma surrounding obesity and its treatments. So Rosie reached out to him. Listen in as they discuss these new drugs, costs, the diet industry, and living a healthy positive shame-free lifestyle. Share a voice memo with your questions for Rosie to OnwardRosie@gmail.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this week's episode, Rosie catches up with her dear friend and 'little sister,' Kristin Chenoweth. In 1999, after Rosie saw Kristin in the Broadway show, You're A Good Man Charlie Brown, in the role of Sally, Rosie predicted she was going to be a "huge huge huge star." And as we now know, Rosie was correct. But what neither of them realized back when Kristin first came on The Rosie O'Donnell Show, was that that was the beginning of a longstanding friendship, which later led them to become each other's chosen family. After not seeing each other for a while, listen in as Rosie and Kristin catch up in only the way sisters do, sharing updates on their personal lives, as well as how they're adjusting to the world at large. Share a voice memo with your questions for Rosie to OnwardRosie@gmail.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, Rosie welcomes the dynamic lead singer of the Go-Go's, Belinda Carlisle, who has also had an incredibly successful solo career. Rosie and Belinda have met several times before in that 'showbiz' way, but it's not until this conversation that they realize they have a ton in common, both in their paths and their perspectives. Listen to their friendship blossom, and you'll understand why Rosie now calls Belinda her new best friend! Share a voice memo with your questions for Rosie to OnwardRosie@gmail.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 2018, Rosie heard about a case involving a woman named Reality Winner, who was arrested and charged with sending a classified document anonymously to the news outlet The Intercept. The leaked document confirmed Russian interference in the 2016 election. In the immediate aftermath of her arrest, Winner was vilified in the press and by the sitting president and his administration. And that propelled Rosie to work even harder to find out the truth. After Rosie eventually connected with Winner's mother, and then Winner herself, a friendship of trust and support blossomed between all 3 of them. Now, with Winner out of jail —though still under the terms of parole and house arrest, Winner and Rosie share a conversation to help clarify what really went on and why. Share a voice memo with your questions for Rosie to OnwardRosie@gmail.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our final guest for Pride Month couldn't have set the bar higher. Grammy, Tony, and Emmy Award Winning actor, singer, writer, and director Billy Porter sits down with Rosie to mark the occasion. Rosie and Billy's friendship, love and support for each other dates back to the Grease Broadway revival in the mid 90's and they travel through it all together in this conversation, as long as the Wi-Fi connection allowed it! Share a voice memo with your questions for Rosie to OnwardRosie@gmail.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Unrivaled Sensation, Activist and Gay Icon Cyndi Lauper, is the third very special guest of our Pride Month episodes. Listen in as two dear friends catch up with each other in a funny, heartbreaking, wacky and poignant way, as only two longtime friends could. They gab about their latest life happenings, their careers, and the day-to-day battle to use your voice and platform to unite for the good of mankind and the world. (And do yourself a favor, check out the clip of Cyndi singing after stepping on a bee!) Share a voice memo with your questions for Rosie to OnwardRosie@gmail.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

To continue our Pride Month celebration, one of our very favorite LGBTQ+ allies', star of stage and screen, Bridget Everett, joins Rosie this week. Listen in for some real talk about what authentic visibility means when you're different and growing up in small town America. It's a fast and fun roller coaster through Bridget's amazing life, career and family of friends and how that manifested into her hit show on HBO Max, Somebody, Somewhere. Share a voice memo with your questions for Rosie to OnwardRosie@gmail.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

To kick off Pride Month, we could not be prouder or more honored to share Rosie's conversation with multi-award-winning actor, Holland Taylor. Together, Rosie and Holland traverse their storied lives: from psilocybin trips, to the work that goes into acting, to how Holland wrote and produced her one-woman show "ANN," to never even being asked about sexual preferences back in the day, and to present day loves and life experiences. Share a voice memo with your questions for Rosie to OnwardRosie@gmail.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

MegaSuperStar rapper, producer and best-selling author, Logic, has way more in common with Rosie O'Donnell than one could ever imagine. Listen as their budding friendship and mutual respect grows with each sentence, as they cover everything from family, mental illness, succeeding against all odds, and then taking a pause at the pinnacle of fame. Plus, finding out how they found each other will bring a tear to your eye. Share a voice memo with your questions for Rosie to OnwardRosie@gmail.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Singer, Actress, Broadway Star and Ferocious Mom, Stephanie Mills, catches up with her friend Rosie O'Donnell. Sharing stories and experiences, about and with their special needs' kids, neither will back down from truth and it makes for a fantastically lively, fun and poignant conversation. Share a voice memo with your questions for Rosie to OnwardRosie@gmail.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ricki Lake and Rosie chat and giggle about sex, drugs and hosting talk shows! Just say YES Nancy Reagan! Share a voice memo with your questions for Rosie to OnwardRosie@gmail.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Broadway Loving, Street Wise and Sassy Game Playing Actor, Camryn Manheim joins Rosie for an electrifying conversation.Listen as the two friends run the gamut of showbiz, motherhood, flying 1st class, and surviving the pandemic together online.  Share a voice memo with your questions for Rosie to OnwardRosie@gmail.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.