You’ve seen her on “The Rosie O’Donnell Show” and “The View”. She’s well-known as an Emmy award-winning television talk show host. She also is a stand-up comedian, a movie and Broadway actress, and an outspoken defender of human rights. Read this interesting article and learn some little known facts you probably don’t know about Rosie O’Donnell!
Her Childhood
Roseann Theresa O’Donnell was born on March 21, 1962 in Commack, Long Island, New York. Her family consisted of father Edward, an Electrical Engineer; mother Roseann, older brothers Daniel and Edward, and younger brother Timothy, and sister Maureen. Her older brothers had trouble saying her name, so they called her “Dolly” because they thought she looked like one.
When Rosie O’Donnell was just days short of celebrating her eleventh birthday in 1973, her mother died of breast cancer. Her father took over the full responsibility of raising his family.
School Days
A little known fact about Rosie O’Donnell is that she was a “Homecoming Queen”, Senior Class President, and on the Student Council when she attended Commack High School. Just like talk show host David Letterman- Little Known Facts About Talk Show Host David Letterman– Rosie O’Donnell had developed a great sense of humor, and she was known as the “Class Clown.”
Television Fan
Even though Rosie O’Donnell was active in school activities, she made time in her busy schedule to watch “The Mike Douglas Show” and “Merv Griffin”, her two favorites. She also admired singer/actors Bette Midler and Barbra Streisand. They didn’t know it at the time, but these four celebrities motivated Rosie O’Donnell to become a talk show host and a stage performer.
A little known fact about Rosie O’Donnell is that, every time she sends Barbra Streisand flowers, she receives a hand-written thank you note back. O’Donnell has twenty-seven framed notes from Streisand thus far.
Career Achievements
Rosie O’Donnell is a college drop out. She attended both Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, and Boston University in Massachusetts for a short time. But the five-foot-seven- inch brunette left the college life to pursue a career in comedy. (Which was obviously the right choice.)
Her career has brought her such honors as winning an “American Comedy Award for Funniest Female Performer in a Television Series” in 1997; a Tony Award in 1998; a Daytime Emmy for “Outstanding Talk Show Host” in 1999; and an Emmy Award in 1999 for “Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special.
Family Life
Rosie O’Donnell and her life partner Kelli Carpenter live with their four children in Nyack, New York. (A little known is that, although she loves animals, you won’t find any cats or horses at Rosie O’Donnell’s home because she’s allergic to both of them.) Their children are Parker Jaren, who was born May 25, 1995, Chelsea Belle, born September 20, 1997, Blake Christopher, born December 5, 1999, and Vivienne Rose, who was born November 29, 2002. The oldest three children were adopted. Carpenter gave birth to the youngest with the help of artificial insemination. A little known fact about Rosie O’Donnell is that she considers her children to be her “greatest success story.” (Biography Magazine, August 1998)
A final note: Rosie O’Donnell and Carpenter became legally married in California on February 26, 2004. However, their wedding license became null and void by the California Supreme Court two days later.
