Rosie O’Donnell has plenty of experience as talk show host, and now she could be taking it to The Talk — if producers can get her. The actress and comedian is reportedly a frontrunner to fill the coveted spot left vacant when longtime moderator Julie Chen left the show amid her husband former CEO Les Moonves’ sexual misconduct scandal.
Multiple sources told the Daily Mail that CBS is eying O’Donnell to join The Talk and that Deidre Dod, the former talent booker on O’Donnell’s previous show, recently started working as the talent producer on the Emmy-winning daytime talk show. Of O’Donnell’s qualifications for the high-profile CBS role, an insider told the Daily Mail she has an impressive resume and is good at “creating moments,” which is something The Talk is looking for as it heads into its ninth season.
“She has a proven track record, from her own show to her time on The View , and despite being polarizing she brings in viewers. Rosie can be a bit intense when it comes to politics, but she is incredibly good at connecting with an audience, and would be an ideal fit.”
Rosie O’Donnell hosted a self-titled daytime chatfest from 1996 to 2002 and a nighttime show, The Rosie Show , from 2011-2012. O’Donnell was also a co-host and moderator on The View on and off between 2005 and 2015. Her first stint ended after a headline-making argument with Elisabeth Hasselback. O’Donnell returned to The View in 2015, then stepped away for good soon after, telling fans in a video posted to her YouTube that she exited the show before her contract ended to take care of her health.
In addition to Rosie O’Donnell, The Talk producers have reportedly been floating names that include Ann Curry, Debbie Matenopoulos, Lisa Ling, Kris Jenner, and Mayim Bialik, as well as frequent guest host Carnie Wilson, as potential candidates to fill Chen’s spot.
Of course, Julie Chen made her own pitch for her replacement during her videotaped goodbye message to her fans and former co-hosts Sara Gilbert, Sharon Osbourne, Sheryl Underwood, and Eve last week. Chen addressed guest host Carrie Ann Inaba directly in her farewell video message, saying, “Carrie Ann. I don’t know, but in my opinion, you look awful good sitting in that chair my Asian sister.”
Insiders for The Talk say there is no set timeline to replace Julie Chen and that the show will likely rely on guest hosts for the time being and wait until at least November to make a final decision on who will be a permanent addition to the panel.
The Talk airs weekdays on CBS.
