01-07-10

In case you missed it...

•  Today Rosie began the show by telling the story of the house where they record the radio show.  The house used to belong to Marie Tharp (born July 30, 1920 - died August 23, 2006) who was a geologist and oceanographic cartographer who mapped the ocean floor all over the world.  Marie once told Rosie how she started her career as a secretary for the Shell Oil Company and then joined her partner to map the ocean floor.  You can view and purchase Marie Tharp maps HERE.  Marie also had a beautiful garden that Parker (Rosie's eldest son) once played in.  The house where they record the show was also part of the Underground Railroad.  African Americans would escape along the river and Pete mentioned the windows in the basement that face the river that was probably easily accessible to escaping slaves.   

•  Rosie also owned a house named "Pretty Penny" once owned by Helen Hayes.  Helen Hayes (born October 10, 1900 – died March 17, 1993) was an American actress whose career spanned almost 70 years. She eventually garnered the nickname "First Lady of the American Theatre" and was one of only twelve people who have won an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony Award.  Helen tended to an enormous rose garden which Rosie and her family maintained and enjoyed until she was catapulted to instant stardom when The Rosie O'Donnell Show premiered.  The instant fame caused her to move to Greenwich Connecticut which Rosie called "the worst 6 months of her life."  She lived in an area called Conyers Farm in Greenwich for only 6 months and they moved right back to Nyack.  Rosie said it "was like driving into Tara" (a reference to Gone With The Wind) and Rosie did not like how the town was not racially diverse. 

•  Rosie scolded Bobby for not getting her tickets to opening night of A Little Night Music on Broadway starring Catherine Zeta-Jones and Angela Lansbury.  Rosie mentioned her new girlfriend Tracy doesn't love Broadway. (GASP!) And asked if this was a huge mistake to date someone who doesn't love Broadway and Bobby said YES!  Shoshana admitted to falling asleep during The Lion King. (Double GASP!!)  But also admitted to falling asleep in movies and shows that start after 8pm.  And Lou admitted to never having seen a Broadway Show!! (triple GASP!!!)  Rosie then proceeded to "interview" Lou in order to see which show they should go see together.  She asked him what his favorite movie musical was and he responded "Grease."  And she asked him what his favorite movie (in general) was and Lou responded "Rocky I."  Rosie decided based off his answers that she was going to take him to see Jersey Boys (or possibly Next To Normal) and she told him they would be going to Joe Allens on West 46th Street where they would have the Chicken Sandwich with Cajun Mayonnaise and she hopes to not be "sexually inappropriate" because she's his boss.  The studio roared with laughter.   All I have to say is, can I come? :)

Here's a video from opening night of A Little Night Music for all of us who missed it, including Rosie!

•  Rosie then took a caller asking about the roses from the garden in the house she once owned and Rosie told the story about how The American Rose Society has actually created a Rosie O'Donnell rose!  She promised to send the caller a Rosie O'Donnell rose bush.  They talked about depression, gardening, the importance of moving every day and getting out into the sun.  Rosie is also sending the listener a Sirius radio since she currently has to listen online.  Here's a  picture and description of a Rosie O'Donnell rose I found online.  Here is another photo and description.

•  A listener called in who recently saw the musical The Addams Family in Chicago starring Bebe Neuwirth and Nathan Lane to share her experience with Rosie.  Rosie said she is excited to see The Addams Family when it premieres in March on Broadway.  Click HERE to get tickets!  The caller raved about it.  Rosie gave her a pair of round-trip airline tickets courtesy of Airtran and tickets to see Billy Elliot in honor of the actors who play Billy on stage who were in the studio today.  What a fantastic gift!!   

•  A listener called in and asked Rosie what the best show was to take a 6-8 year old to on Broadway and Rosie responded "LION KING, LION KING, LION KING."  :) 

•  Pete, Shoshana and Rosie went out to dinner last night with two men that previously called into the show and offered to trade the blueprints of the Starship Enterprise (originally published in 1973) in order to have dinner with Rosie.  The couple lives in Orlando, Florida and they drove all the way to New York to have dinner with Rosie and her staff.  Pete got to keep the blueprints (even though Janette beat him in a Star Trek trivia contest) and called them "awesome" and almost "like a holy scripture" for him.  Rosie called the men "adorable and lovely."  The couple laughed at Rosie's ineptitude for facebook.  Rosie said she didn't understand facebook and called it "the lazy person's blog."  Janette loves facebook.  So do I Janette!  If you love facebook and want to connect with other Rosie Radio fans on facebook click HERE.

•  During the show Rosie got an email from RalphLauren.com and asked Pete to unsubscribe her from that email list.  They talked about spam they receive in their email in-boxes and Janette clarified with everyone that her boyfriend Barry does not need Viagra.  Rosie is getting so many spam messages selling her Viagra she's starting to take it personal!

•  The Oprah clock says 14 days until Oprah!  Rosie discussed her fear of going on the show and her fear of making a fool of herself.  Rosie is not nervous to do any other talk show, she is ONLY nervous to be on the Oprah show.  She discussed her frustrations over finding something to wear to the interview because of her breakup with Eileen Fisher.  She mentioned trying to order socks on LifeIsGood.com while taping the show because she's "out of socks" and she "likes to get packages every day."  Pete mentioned that he is still wearing the pants he wore in high school!  NICE!  A listener called in and told Rosie she SHOULD be nervous to go on Oprah because, perhaps, Oprah is mad about when Rosie said that Oprah and Gayle were gay.  Rosie clarified that she didn't really think they were gay, "they just act like they are."  Lou played Madonna "Dress You Up" and went to commercial. 

•  Rosie then interviewed two of the boys that play Billy Elliot on Broadway.  Trent Kowalik (who originated the role and won a Tony for his performance) is from Long Island, New York.  He has been performing in the musical for two years.  Alex Ko is from Iowa City, Iowa.  Alex's dance teacher took him to New York and he was seen dancing and was then asked to audition and he got the role!

Alex Ko and Trent Kowalik

•  Rosie talked to them about performing on Broadway and learning the complicated dance numbers.  Rosie said she "thinks its the best show she's ever seen."  They talked about building up your stamina for the show, the height and weight requirements, and funny things that have happened onstage.  Alex told Rosie about how when he was 10 years old he lost his father to liver cancer.  Rosie shared with him her own  story about when her mom died.  Rosie asked Trent about what it was like to win a Tony!  Watch a performance from Tony night and the acceptance speech they gave that night below: 

The performance at the Tony's!

The boys accepting their Tony!

•  The boys mentioned how they like to play Wii and PlayStation 3 and Rosie said she was having a Wii with ALL the games delivered to the theater for them today!  You learn more about Trent on his blog HERE.  Then Rosie asked them to sing - LISTEN below.

LISTEN to the Alex and Trent from Billy Elliot on Rosie Radio today!

(not great sound quality but the best I could do...)

•  A listener named Carla, a truck driver who is suffering from depression and was sexually abused as a child, called in and was so deeply touched by the boys' performance, she was crying.  Rosie sweetly talked to Carla about her depression and her recovery from it and recommended the book "The Courage to Heal: A Guide for Women Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse" by Ellen Bass and Laura Davis.  She asked her to stay on the line so that Rosie could connect Carla to her therapist so they could do phone sessions. 

•  Came back from commercial playing "No One" by Alicia Keys. 

•  They talked about the speech that speech that Mariah Carey recently gave at the People's Choice Awards where she admitted to being drunk.  Rosie and Janette loved it.  Mariah and Rosie share the same publicist Cyndi Berger.  Janette told a funny story about being drunk at an awards show. 

•  For the last part of the show Rosie took callers.  One caller told Rosie she had nothing to worry about since she's already done the Howard Stern Show and what could be scarier than that!  (which is a good point).  Rosie gave her a copy of last season's Big Love.  She talked to a caller about her documentary A Family Is A Family Is A Family which Rosie said is loosely based off the similar sentiment of "Free to Be You and Me" only her documentary is about families and how families are all different today.  Rosie maintained she will just have to keep doing her Transcendental Meditation to try not to be nervous for Oprah.  You can do it Rosie!

•  Rosie closed the show.