2-17-11 - At the Fishbowl with Rachael Ray and Star Jones!

In case you missed it...

ROSIE RADIO AT THE FISHBOWL, JOY BEHAR'S SHOW, HELEN THOMAS AND TWITTER
Rosie and the staff were in the Sirius "fish bowl" in New York City today!  But sadly, Howard Stern was on vacation so Janette couldn't follow through on her "unlimited head" offer.  Janette even had a gift for him too that she wanted to give him personally but couldn't. 

Rosie said she'll be on the Joy Behar Show tonight!  Rosie taped the interview yesterday and said it went well but she thought Joy seemed nervous.  Rosie had emailed her before the interview to touch base and break the ice.  They haven't really seen much of each other since she left The View.  Rosie said she tried to make it comfortable but the overall vibe of it felt weird.  Shoshana agreed Joy seemed nervous.  Rosie said she's known Joy for 30 years and it was weird.  Shoshana thought Joy seemed afraid of her.  Rosie didn't understand why she would be since they've been friends for so long and the interview was taped.  She also told Joy she could ask her anything she'd like besides questions about her private life.  She thought maybe her publicist Cindi Berger scared her. Rosie said Cindi represents all the divas and she can be intimidating.   But the best part is Rosie said she's going to Twitter during the interview tonight!  So, if you're not on Twitter hurry up and do it and follow Rosie and the Rosie Radio Recap blog, won't you?!  

Rosie said she's liking Twitter but she's getting to read a lot of what people say to her and about her, both good and bad.  They discussed non-verified celebrities and how you can know it's them.  Pete said there's no real way to know if a celebrity is verified or not.  He said you have to request to get verified and sometimes they will and sometimes they won't.  Rosie got very special treatment from the Twitter folks when the creator of Twitter came to her house to set her up and give her a personal Twitter-duction! 

Rosie got to meet Helen Thomas at the Joy Behar Show last night.  Former White House correspondent, Helen Thomas lost her job for her comments to Israelis about getting out of Palestine.  When that happened, Rosie sent her flowers and a note of support because she had been such a trail-blazer for women in media and then stripped of everything she ever worked for.  Rosie saw Helen in her dressing room yesterday and Helen started to cry.  Rosie told Helen, without her breaking down the doors, no woman would be in that industry.  She talked with her a bit on how she imagined it could have even been possible for a woman to do what she did at that time.  Helen was the first female officer of the National Press Club, the White House Correspondents Association, and first female member of the Gridiron Club. Helen attributed her living out her dreams to her parents.  Rosie said Helen was really lovely and she was very happy to be able to meet her and hug her.   

While Rosie was getting ready for the Joy Behar interview last night Piers Morgan walked in!  And Shoshana said what happened next was one of the funniest things she ever saw!  Shoshana said Rosie and Piers went at each other and everyone in the dressing room watched as if there was a show going on!  Shoshana said Rosie gave Piers an honest critique of his show, everything she's ever said on air, right to his face!  Rosie laughed that she was sick of Piers asking the same two questions in every interview!  She said he constantly asks his guests 1. If they had one moment they could do over in their life, what would it be?  and 2. Have they ever been properly in love?  And Shoshana said Piers came right back at Rosie and defended himself and told her he's the hardest working man in Showbiz!  Rosie told Piers to get some new questions and she also called him lazy and a bully!  Rosie said it was really fun and Piers seemed to enjoy it too.  He told Rosie to email him her critiques every night!  Janette asked Rosie if she'd do his show and Rosie said she would do it when her OWN show premieres if he promises to stop asking those questions to every celebrity he interviews! 

AMERICAN IDOL AND THE BIEBS
The staff briefly discussed last night's episode of American Idol and Rosie said she was so happy to see that Jaycee Badeaux got through to the next round.  She also loves "the red haired guy."
 
Rosie mentioned the article in Rolling Stone magazine about Justin Bieber where he is asked his opinion on abortion.   Rosie didn't really care what his opinion was but mostly wanted to know why their interviewer is asking a 16 year-old his opinion on abortion?!  She didn't think the Biebs was equipped at 16 years-old to give an opinion on such a complex issue and wondered why an interviewer would even ask him.  Janette said the interviewer did it to sell magazines because it's scandalous.  Rosie talked about how much she enjoys Justin Bieber and how she really enjoyed his movie Never Say Never.  Rosie said he almost seemed predestined to be a star and thinks he'll end up being in showbiz for a long time.  She also said she'd like to speak to his manager Scooter.  She said his publicist should have stepped in and not allowed those questions.  Rosie said Cindi Berger would have!   

RACHAEL RAY
Rosie then introduced Rachael Ray who called in to have a chat!  Rosie and Rachael discussed her incredibly busy schedule filming 3 different shows.  Rachael does The Rachael Ray Show, and a show on The Food Network and The Cooking Channel!  Rosie told Rachael how much she enjoys being on her show too. 

Rosie and Rosie's Theater Kids on the Rachael Ray Show in 2009!

Rosie asked Rachael all about her charity Yum-O which is doing phenomenally.  "Launched in 2006 by Rachael Ray, Yum-o! is a nonprofit organization that empowers kids and their families to develop healthy relationships with food and cooking by teaching families to cook, feeding hungry kids and funding cooking education and scholarships." [source: yum-o.org] Rachael was really proud when they helped get the Health and Hunger Free Child Act through the Congress that promotes school nutrition.   Rachael's organization has also worked with Mayor Bloomberg and the schools of New York City to put in gardens in order to teach kids where their food comes from and the importance of eating fruits and vegetables.  For every product Rachael sells she donates 100% of the proceeds to her charity Yum-O.  She said she's raised millions for charity doing this and uses the same model with her pet rescue Rachael's Rescue. 

Rosie asked Rachael about her throat because she sounded a bit hoarse during the interview.  Rachael said she's been doing great since she had surgery on her throat for a clogged gland on her vocal chords.  She had to be quiet for 3 weeks after the surgery and even though she was miserable at first, it ended up being a great experience for her.  Rachael said she got back to running, back to writing recipes and got back into reading for pleasure and she highly recommends trying it for a weekend! 

Rosie also asked Rachael about a recent photo she saw of her in a Dancing With the Stars dress!  Rachael said she's always been self-conscious of her body.  She said she thinks of herself as more of a laborer and was so uncomfortable in the spotlight when people looked at what she wore.   She wanted to do something  to get over some of her fear so she made a goal to get over it.  When this challenge presented itself, she thought it was the perfect opportunity to do so!  She was trembling when she was wearing the revealing dress but now she's happy she did it. And right now you can go on Charityfolks.com to purchase the dress with proceeds going to Yum-O!   

Rosie thanked Rachael for calling in and she also told her to rest her voice.  Rosie said Piers Morgan told her yesterday he was the hardest working person in Showbiz but Rosie told Rachael she is.

THE UNREST IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND THE BAD THAT COMES WITH CELEBRITY
Rosie and the staff discussed the unrest in the Middle East.  They talked about how the protests all started from a student who set himself on fire in Tunisia because the conditions of the country had gotten so bad.  The Tunisian protests then inspired the Egyptian protests which brought down Mubarak's regime.  Pete and Rosie discussed how the lack of jobs, poverty, hunger in these countries are greatly contributing to all the unrest.  Pete and Rosie discussed the disillusionment we have felt in America when our own protests don't effect change.  Rosie listed the time she participated in the Million Mom March as an example. Rosie marched in the Million Mom March against gun control but said it was disheartening because nothing changed because of it.   Janette pointed out that in our country we protest and if nothing changes we go back to our lives of wealth and comfort which makes it hard to effect change.  In many of these countries in the Middle East they are protesting for their lives.

Rosie and the staff discussed how a CBS reporter was beaten and sexually assaulted while covering the protests in Egypt and the reporter who belittled and mocked her on Twitter.  Rosie couldn't believe the story neither could Janette.   Rosie couldn't believe that someone could suffer such a horrible crime and someone would make a joke out of it like he did.  She talked about how people can be unbearably mean, especially on Twitter.

Rosie said when she searches her name on Twitter she can see how people are responding to her/mentioning her and she can see the barrage of incoming.  Janette said she's always gone by the rule that if 100% of the people she knows can't read it then she won't post it online.  Rosie said as a celebrity you have to prepare yourself for fat jokes etc.  She said you cannot expect to have fame and not the other stuff that comes with it.  Rosie said to say she doesn't get hurt by what is said about her would be a lie but it's when she has to defend who she is as a person that really bothers her.  Bobby mentioned when Rosie would post the hateful things people have said to her in the past on her blog.  Rosie said she started her blog to try to find her authenticity again after her television show.  She said she did it so that she would have a place to reclaim herself.  She posted the mean things people would say to her because she wanted to show people that being famous isn't all about everyone telling you how much they loved you.  She wanted to show people both sides to it.  She said there's a reality to fame that's rarely talked about.  Rosie loved Carrie Fisher on Oprah the other day when she said fame is just "waiting for obscurity."  Janette only ever got one piece of negative press written about her after she was on The View and said that she never really got a good appreciation for what it felt like until it happened to her.  Rosie then started to read some of the mean things people were saying to her on Twitter, a lot of which was in regards to her weight.  Janette said her tolerance for fat jokes was wearing thin.

Rosie wanted to know what will happen to all the fat jokes if her diet works and she loses her weight.  She asked what people will say about her then.  She doesn't know if she's willing to accept herself as a thin person in the world and being seen as sexy.  Janette said she's been seeing signs from Rosie that are showing this time her attitude about her diet might be different.  Janette said the difference this time is she fell off the diet and got right back to it.  Rosie attributes her ability to get back on her diet to her good friend Jennifer Hutt who's helping her tremendously.  She's helped her plan her meals for today and the rest of the weekend!  Rosie said she wasn't ready before to ask, accept and want help with losing weight.  But now she is.  She said it helps to have a personal connection to someone who has succeeded her own weight loss. 

STAR JONES

Rosie then introduced her friend Star Jones who was in the studio!  Rosie told Star about her interview on Joy Behar's show last night and said Joy seemed very nervous to interview her.  Star said she wasn't nervous at all because she and Rosie have talked many times since they had a fall out a few years back.  Star said women sometimes have trouble getting over when they've had their feelings hurt.  Rosie and Star talked and had a glass of wine and their feud was over!  

Rosie then told Star about her own goals to lose weight and asked her how it is living as a thin person today.  Rosie said Star is the only one  she knows who had had weight loss surgery and been able to keep it off.  Star told Rosie she had the gastric bypass in 2003 and she's maintained her current weight for the past five years!  Star said it was a combination of making up her mind that she wanted it and going to therapy that's helped her keep it off.  Star said she wasn't ready to talk about the weight loss surgery in the beginning because she was worried she might fail and be judged because of it.  She thought if she could keep it quiet no one would notice.  She talked with Rosie about how it felt to get bigger and said she stopped weighing herself at 275 pounds.   The day she did the surgery she weighed 307 pounds. 

Rosie and Star then chatted about their times on The View.  Rosie said the year she was there it was a very stressful work environment and not a cohesive group at all.  Star said in the beginning it was a cohesive group and they would do a lot together outside the show.  Then she said the cohosts started to distinguish themselves as individuals and  egos got involved, feelings got hurt and some let it go to their head.  Star admitted she was one of the ones who let it go to her head.  Rosie said when she got to The View no one was friends. In fact, when she heard Star got her own show Rosie wanted to congratulate Star on the air and no one else wanted to!  Rosie said it seemed to her when you left the show you were like Lord Voldemort, the one that cannot be spoken of.  Star said it's been a long time since they were both on The View and the show has moved on and so have they.  Rosie said Joy seemed anxious in their interview yesterday and wondered why?!  Star said Rosie has no anxiety seeing Joy because in her head she knows she acted honorably.  Star said Joy doesn't have that same feeling that's why she had anxiety.

Rosie asked Star about her open heart surgery and about when she reached out to Barbara Walters who also had open heart surgery.  Star offered to help Barbara through the steps of recovery and sent her a note after she heard it went well.  Star said she personally recovered well from surgery and had no complications!  She is thankful she was at her current weight during the time of the surgery too because she was safer on the operating table because of it.  Star wasn't sure she could have had the surgery if she was at her heaviest weight.  Star received an aortic valve repair and currently promotes heart disease awareness in women.  Star said she's passionate about the cause and said she's happy to use her celebrity for something that means so much to her. 

Star said she works out about 4 times a week doing weights and cardio but gets 30 minutes of walking in every day no matter what.  Star said the American Heart Association recommends 30 minutes of activity a day but that you can split it up into 10 minutes increments if that works better for you.  Star said she enjoys being thin and admitted part of her motivation is not only health but the way she looks.  Rosie's a bit concerned because she isn't comfortable having people think she's attractive.  Rosie said 170 is a goal for her but the last time she weighed 170 pounds men would hit on her and she didn't really like it.  Rosie and Star talked about the vulnerability one feels when they lose weight and men approach them.  Star remembered the time she first bought an item of clothing that was a size 8 at Sax Fifth Avenue and how she cried in the dressing room.  Rosie said the time she went to the Trump and Marla Maples wedding with Bobby she went to Sax and fit into a size 10 Armani suit.  Even then she was thin and still thought she was fat. 

Star asked Rosie if she thinks she's prepared for the time when someone flirts with her because she looks good, not because she's Rosie O'Donnell.  Rosie said she doesn't think she is ready for that!  Rosie said in the past when people have flirted with her, unless it is so blatant, she can't recognize it happening.  Star offered to take Rosie out!

Rosie and Star then talked about how great it feels today to walk around with no secrets.  Back on The View, Rosie once made a comment about how Star was shrinking before their eyes and Star denied doing anything but Pilate's.  Star said Rosie had a right to call her out on it but on The View they had zones of privacy that no one was supposed to speak of.  Star said she was a part of that View family and her weight  was her zone of privacy, right or wrong.  She expected everyone to treat her secrets the same way she did theirs, which was to never speak of them. 

Lastly, Rosie talked with Star about this season of Celebrity Apprentice which premieres Sunday, March 6th on NBC.  Star said they've taped all the episodes but the finale.  Rosie mentioned the buzz that there's been fighting amongst Star and the Real Housewives Star Nene Leakes.    Star said she was honestly excited there was going to be four black women on the show and hoped they could approach the tasks as sisters. She said some of the ladies were better at that than others.  Star did say she enjoyed her time on The Apprentice more than anything else she's done besides putting murderers in jail.  She and Donald Trump have been friends for years but she really treated it like he was her boss and this was her job.  Star said she's learned more from Donald Trump in business than anyone.  Rosie said she has to do more research on him and implied she might have been wrong about how he came into money.  Rosie said at the end of the day Trump seems like he could be a great businessman if he wasn't such a misogynistic fat basher. 

Rosie thanked Star for coming in and offered to have her back on the show when her new book comes out in April! 

Rosie closed the show.

and that's what you missed -kw