Rosie O'Donell Quits The View

Rosie O'Donell is said to quit her role as one of the talk show hosts from The View. Brian Frons, the president of ABC Daytime TV said that he had hoped for Rosie O'Donell to stay with the show until the end of the contract which would be just 3 weeks from now. Barbara Walters, who is The View's creator and co-executive producer said that Rosie O'Donell was a big contributer to one of the most exciting and sucessful years at The View. And that their close and affectionate relationship will not change. In fact, Barbara was the one who brought Rosie in to the show.

How did it all happen? Why did Rosie decided to quit so suddenly? Some say it has to do with her spat with co-host Elizabeth Hassselbeck. Rose O'Donell, known for her unabashedly liberal views, and Hasselbeck, who is a political conservative, have sparred frequently on the show, although they profess to be good friends off-camera. At an interview, Rosie had said that she is extremely grateful and that she loves all three women at The View, including Hasselbeck.

Their latest exchange last Wednesday, perhaps their most heated one, was a continuation of a debate over the Iraq war that began last week when Rosie O'Donell said on the show, "655,000 Iraqi civilians have died. Who are the terrorists?" Supporters of the US war effort accused O'Donnell of equating American soldiers with terrorists, and Hasselbeck said on Wednesday that Rosie O'Donell should clarify her statement.

Rosie did say that she planned to return to The View next season for special segments and as a recurring guest host. Rosie O'Donnell has been a ratings booster for the ABC daytime show and has caused controversy with tart-tongued comments aimed at leading public figures, including real estate developer Donald Trump.