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| Rosie O’Donnell and Donald Trump have been embroiled in a rhetorical feud that has played out in headlines and sound bytes since Dec. 20. (Photo by Mary Altaffer/AP) |
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HOME > VIEWPOINT > ACTION! ALERT
By: ZACK HUDSON
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Is the former "Queen of Nice" now the Empress of Insults, or a victim of a mouthy millionaire with a possible anti-lesbian bias?
Since re-ascending into the talk-show nobility by taking over the moderator’s throne on ABC’s "The View," comedienne, actress, author, producer, and cruise line operator Rosie O’Donnell has grabbed headlines and ratings for the 10-year-old gab-fest by mouthing off on the air about such notables as Oprah Winfrey and Gayle King, Kelly Ripa and Clay Aiken.
Rosie’s latest opponent, Donald Trump, didn’t take kindly to her Dec. 20 remarks on "The View" following the well-publicized public chastising the real estate magnate gave 2006 Miss USA Tara Conner about the beauty queen’s perceived hard partying ways.
Calling The Donald out on his much documented marital failures, Rosie asked rhetorically if Trump should concern himself with the morals of others.
"He left the first wife — had an affair. He had kids both times, but he’s the moral compass for 20-year-olds in America? Donald, sit and spin my friend," she said, among other barbs about Trump’s finances during the live broadcast.
Trump is the executive producer of the Miss USA contest telecast, as well as the owner of the pageant.
Immediately following the telecast, Trump made the media rounds, rebuffing O’Donnell and threatening a lawsuit against the talk-show host.
"Rosie’s a loser, a real loser. I look forward to taking lots of money from my fat little Rosie," he told People magazine.
TRUMP NEVER EXPLICITLY chided O’Donnell for being a lesbian, but he called her a "degenerate" and other barbs that raised eyebrows among gay viewers.
"Maybe she wanted to put the crown back on Miss USA’s head. I think she’s very attracted to Miss USA so she probably wanted to put the crown on her head herself," he told "Good Day L.A."
Recounting the incident to the New York Daily News, Trump said, "When I saw the tape, I said, ‘You’d better be careful or I’ll send one of my friends over to take your girlfriend!’ I imagine it would be pretty easy to take her girlfriend away, considering how Rosie looks."
O’Donnell responded by bringing her partner, Kelli Carpenter, to sit in the audience of "The View" the next day.
"Look who’s here today — Kelli!" O’Donnell said. "I was afraid to leave her home in case somebody with a combover came and stole her from me."
AS MAINSTREAM MEDIA outlets hung on every word, the feud was also bandied about relentlessly in the gay blogosphere, with most opinions leaning toward O’Donnell.
"What’s most painful about the whole Rosie and Donald spat is that it all started by Rosie doing a comedic imitation of Donald and his hair, which, had it been done by Jay Leno or any other less female or lesbian comic, probably wouldn’t have ruffled Donald’s feathers," said Frank Griggs, editor of the OMG blog.
But Trump’s comments about Rosie disturbed Griggs and lesbian blogger Maria Angeline more for what they perceive to be misogyny than homophobia.
"I don’t know if I’d say that Donald’s comments about Rosie’s appearance are homophobic. Rosie doesn’t look like a supermodel, and perhaps that’s what Donald feels women should strive to look like. Donald obviously thinks his opinion of Rosie’s appearance matters," said Angeline, who blogs at Daily Dose of Queer.
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