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Feature: Rosie O'Donnell: Fan with a View
October 2006

Just like so many of us, comedienne and talk show host Rosie O'Donnell is an ardent Barbra Streisand fan. Unlike most of us, when Rosie talks about Barbra, millions get to listen. With a coast-to-coast talk show as a platform, Rosie O'Donnell provided Barbra Streisand with an unprecedented amount of publicity in the late '90s. And when Barbra actually appeared on the show, well, we all remember how we experienced the moment vicariously through Rosie.
 

When Barbra Streisand appeared on The Rosie O'Donnell Show on November 21, 1997, it was not as unexpected as one might have assumed. Even though Barbra hadn't done daytime television in decades, Rosie's invitation was one she just had to accept. As the host of a nationally syndicated television show, Rosie O'Donnell was in the unique position of influencing public opinion about the arts. She talked about Barbra every day, and when Barbra was about to release her new album, "Higher Ground," Rosie promoted it non stop. One can only imagine the impact Rosie had on sales of the CD when it debuted at number 1. So Barbra did the show (twice, actually), a wise business decision, while making a dream come true for Rosie in the process.

But the Rosie/Barbra experience wasn't just limited to Barbra's unprecedented appearances on her show. Even with her other guests, Rosie always seemed to redirect the topic of conversation back to Barbra. The late Mike Douglas told Rosie that his favorite guest of all time, on his own show, was Barbra Streisand. Hillary Clinton boasted enthusiastically of her friendship with Barbra. And when John F. Kennedy, Jr. was on the show, he went into great detail about how he convinced Barbra to do the cover of "George" magazine. Guests knew in advance that if they had even the slightest association with Barbra Streisand, it was a certainty that Rosie was going to pry all the juicy details out of them.

Fans of Rosie's show will also remember the annual birthday tributes each April 24th. Film and audio clips, not to mention Broadway-style production numbers were all used to mark the occasion. And even when "Funny Girl" celebrated the 35th anniversary of its Broadway premiere, Rosie dedicated the first half of her show to musical tributes and Streisand trivia games with the audience. Fans were often invited on the program to show off their Streisand collections, while Rosie showed off some of her own rare Streisand treasures. When "Timeless" rolled into New York, Rosie was at Madison Square Garden for both performances, reporting in great detail her experiences to a nationwide audience the next morning.

The Rosie-Barbra fest was loads of fun while it lasted, and Rosie made it once again en vogue to be a Streisand fan.

Now, Rosie is back on daytime television, co-hosting The View with another Streisand pal, Barbara Walters. And even though Rosie said it won't happen (she said so on her blog), wouldn't it be the perfect show for Barbra to appear on while she is in New York performing? The chemistry would be dynamic, the show would be entertaining, and who knows? Barbra might even sell a few concert tickets.