2-3-11 - How the Staff Spent Their Snow Days and the Hilarious Judy Gold!

In case you missed it...
HOW THE STAFF SPENT THEIR SNOW DAYS
Rosie started today's broadcast saying she had to turn off the questions on her blog because people were so livid that Rosie Radio had two days off because of the snow!  Rosie said she can walk to the studio but they canceled because of the staff that had to commute in.  Rosie said her kids can't contain the glee they feel when they find out there's a snow day, and then proceed to complain that they're bored all day.  She said they have so many things for them to do at home she has no patience for them when they say they're bored. 

Rosie said she was thinking about seeing The Rite with Parker but heard it got horrible reviews.  She also revealed that she's never really seen an episode of Friends, Seinfeld or Frasier!  She said she used to be a sitcom person as a kid but not as much as an adult.  She does however have Modern Family on her DVR and has promised herself that she'll watch them all.  Rosie went through Paul Rudd's IMDb website and doesn't remember ever seeing any of his films.  He's her new favorite actor!  She's in the process of assembling a Paul Rudd movie marathon.  She said she feels like an idiot for missing out on him!  She also thinks she's the only person she knows who hasn't seen The Hangover yet.

Over the snow break Rosie read Shirley MacLaine's latest book I'm Over All That: And Other Confessions and was surprised to see she's in Chapter 2!  Rosie knows Shirley but they're not exactly buds, as in they don't hang out, but they know each other.  In the book, Shirley discusses all the things she's "over" and one of the things she's over is the TSA.  She tells a story about one particular TSA officer who was particularly rude to her who later got fired and Shirley says, "Maybe he tried that crap with Rosie O'Donnell!"  Rosie didn't know what to think about it but thought she'd take it as a compliment.  Rosie was reading an advanced copy and I think Deirdre alluded to the fact that Shirley might be a future guest on Rosie Radio!   

Rosie said she hasn't been crafting in her craft house in almost a year so she's been reading in her spare time.  A lot!  Before her kids used to complain that she crafts too much and now they're complaining she spends too much time reading!  She said no matter what she does there's always a complaint.  Janette assured her that she's correct, no matter what she does, because she's the parent, it will always be wrong.  Bobby spent his days off being pissed at the pigeon who messed up the lighting on his terrace that shines a spotlight on his outside greenery.  He couldn't fix it because the snow turned to ice and it's now frozen pointing in the wrong direction.  Rosie of course made fun of him because this was his biggest complaint over the break.  Deirdre shoveled the walk for the tenants in her Aunt's building and Shoshana spent her time catching up on episodes of the West Wing.  Shoshana said she's obsessed with Aaron Sorkin now and everything he's done.  And Janette spent her time off at the gym!

EGYPT, THE EMBEDDED JOURNALISTS AND AMERICANS VIEWS OF OTHER CULTURES
Rosie and the staff then discussed the crisis going on in Egypt and how it seems every reporter has been attacked or harassed by mobs. Anderson Cooper was attacked and so was Christiane Amanpour and Katie Couric.  Rosie and Janette then discussed the Anti-American sentiment in the Mideast.  Rosie discussed Dan Eldon and the risks journalists take everyday in an attempt to tell the stories of what's going on in the world and she recommended the documentary Dying To Tell the Story.  But Rosie didn't quite understand what the benefit is to going into a rioting mob and wondered if the journalists should have stood at a farther distance and reported.  She worried that someone of prominence will have to die before changes are made.  Janette said she could see the producers of the news wanting the journalists to go down into the angry mob.  She also said she sees the value in showing the violence that's going on over in Egypt because it will have a greater impact on the rest of the world actually seeing it.  She also said the journalists that are over in these types of events want to be there and know they're taking risks.  Rosie said she could never imagine putting herself in that kind of risk for her job. 

Anderson Cooper recounts being attacked.

terrifying.

Janette recalled a time she was mobbed by a group of people in Congo.  She was on a relief mission and after they arrived at a refugee camp the people started coming at them by the hundreds and almost crushed them trying to get supplies.  Janette said it was terrifying.  Rosie remembered a time she was in Tijuana with Jeannie and purchased some Chicklets from some kids on the streets.  After she gave the kid a dollar, hundreds of children started coming from everywhere and in minutes they were surrounded.  Rosie said the experience was completely overwhelming for her. 

Rosie then took a caller who took his dream trip to Egypt recently.  He said the day they arrived they were told by the tour guide if anyone asks, they should say they're Canadian.  He was also gay and traveling with his partner and said he was careful not to let on to that.  He said it was a scary place to visit and he was not surprised by what is going on over there right now.  Rosie then started discussing the judgments we have as Americans towards cultures different than ours.  It really seemed to bother Rosie when we judge other nations but don't spend the time looking at our own nation.  Bobby agreed and said he has a problem when Americans think our culture is superior to others and that other cultures are wrong because they're different from our own.  Rosie took a call from a listener who said Americans are never going to change that region of the world and instead of trying to change them, we need to just appreciate them for what they are.  Janette said she tries to do that in all cases but when a woman has no vote, it's legal to beat her, legal to kill her, and legal to mutilate her body, it's hard for her to accept.   At some point , there comes a time that some things about other cultures might be just wrong.   Rosie said we have our own problems with how we treat people here too and Janette said it's nothing compared to other countries.  Rosie said there's horror everywhere we look and if we are only going to look outside our borders and and never address what's going on at home we're never going to help anyone.

Janette recommended the books Infidel, and Honeymoon In Tehran and said she cannot accept a culture that allows you to kill your wife.  Rosie said there was a time in America where we were allowed to abuse our kids because they were our property and the only reason they changed the law was because of the laws on the books against abusing animals!  Rosie took a final call from a listener whose father is Egyptian and who had been to Egypt many times herself.  She said it's important to understand that Egypt, as a country, is not necessarily an Arab country as other countries are in the middle east.  She said it's extremely western in many aspects but since 9/11 the radical Islamic groups have been infiltrating the area more.  She wanted everyone to understand the differences of Egypt versus other countries in the Mideast before they make sweeping statements. 

CLOSE TALKING, KISSING AND HUGGING
Then it was time to discuss the unwanted kiss on the lips, the awkwardly long hug and the close talker.  The staff decided there's a 3 second limit to hugging before things begin to get awkward.  Shoshana asked if anyone had ever been kissed on the lips when they didn't want to be.  Rosie and Bobby don't mind kisses on the lips (by someone they're not dating) so much and thought perhaps it was a theater thing.  Janette has had stray lip kisses from strangers and friends and hates it!  She said there's an awkward moment where she wishes she could wipe away the stray lip juice on her lips but doesn't want to appear rude.  Shoshana said she's a big proponent of personal space.  Rosie's been told before she's a "close talker."  She was embarrassed when she heard it, and said she tries to adjust but she can't help it!  Bobby said he hugged Janette the other day and she turned hard as a rock!  Janette admitted she's not a hugger.  They discussed the awkward "forward-bending-waist-hugger" position, the one Janette prefers.   Rosie took a call from a listener who spoke about the differences in social norms of talking, kissing and hugging in other cultures.  Rosie said her son Parker is a "space invader" and she used to call him the "barnacle boy."  :) 

The Close Talker: Seinfeld

OUR SOLDIERS COMMITTING SUICIDE
Rosie said there's a disturbing finding out that says for the second year in a row more U.S. soldiers committed suicide last year then were killed in Iraq and Afghanistan.  She said it's a significant finding and she finds it very troubling.  Janette said it's a scary situation.  Rosie could hardly believe it and said we send our soldiers to the Mideast and expect them to fight and then come home without any fanfare.  Janette said our soldiers are the real heroes, the ones that face all the brutality and personal risk, and they should be revered more than anyone. Rosie took a call from a listener whose son's friend committed suicide after they served together in the war.  She also took a call from a listener whose husband is an active duty Captain in the Air Force who's currently stationed in Alabama at officer training school.  His brother committed suicide and left a video taped letter to his family behind.  He uses the tape at suicide prevention demonstrations with soldiers and has found great success with it.   He knows the military has a serious problem when it comes to suicide and said the military is trying to get the soldiers more help.  She thinks pride of the servicemen and not having enough services available for them is part of the problem.  Finally Rosie took a call from a listener whose cousin just came back from Iraq who spoke about the lack of services here and overseas. 

JUDY GOLD
Rosie then introduced the hilarious Judy Gold! Judy told Rosie what a pleasure it is for her to follow a discussion on how women are abused all over the world and how our soldiers are committing suicide!  The perfect opening lineup for a comedian.  Rosie laughed, they chatted and then she played for her the following audio/video so they could discuss it.

Rosie thinks the boy in the video has a future in politics and both Rosie and Judy hope their sons become as articulate as the boy in the video!  Rosie and Judy complained about having teenage boys that know everything and insist their mothers know nothing!  They joked about the long hours their sons spend in the bathroom and how Judy fears one day this will turn into the worst fetish for her son.  She said her son is going to ask his future partner to yell at him in a nasally-Jewish-motherly accent so he can get off. 

Judy said the city of New York hasn't collected their garbage in forever because of the snow and you have to walk in a single-file down the sidewalk!  She called 311 to complain and there was a recorded message saying, "If you're calling to complain about garbage, we are not taking complaints for that at this time."  She said she lives on an island full of Jews and they're telling her she can't complain?!  She doesn't think so!

Rosie and Judy complained about all the snow days and the kids being home too.  Rosie said that's when divorce comes in handy because she wanted to kill all her kids and she can ship them off to Kelli's!   Rosie said she'll be "kid free" for the next 5 days and she's loving the idea!  She said there was a time she thought she'd never survive it but last night it felt great! 

Rosie asked Judy how she liked doing the series of radio shows she did for OutQ radio on Sirius/XM.  Judy LOVED it!  Rosie said she loved being a guest on it too!  Judy hopes to do more episodes on OutQ because she gets to sit and talk for two hours and not worry about hair or makeup. Hello?!

Judy said her son is into sneaker trading on the Internet.  She said she can't get him out of bed for school but if he has a sneaker deal going on he's up early!  Apparently, there's a Nike skateboarding sneaker the kids like to trade.  The sneakers cost between $800-$1200 so the kids buy them and then trade with each other. 

Rosie told Judy all about her new method of "non-response" for getting Parker to comply.  She said if she asks him to do something and he doesn't, she will give him 5 minutes and then there will be consequences.  He keeps trying to engage her but she ignores it and eventually he gives in!  She said it's working nicely. 

Judy is currently performing in Love, Loss and What I Wore.  They discussed the other members of the cast and how several people canceled because of the snow yesterday.   

Rosie and Judy discussed the book Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother and the author that explains why Chinese mothers are superior.  Judy said she hated the woman at first and then she realized her kids are going to Ivy League schools and Judy's kids are trading sneakers online and she thought, "How can she criticize her?!"  I swear, it's all funnier when Judy says it. 

Lastly, Rosie and Judy talked about a mutual friend of theirs, Margaret Smith, who was Rosie's first girl kiss!  Apparently, when Rosie kissed this woman in her 20s after the kiss she said, "Oh my God, it's just like kissing a guy."  Not exactly what every lesbian wants to hear.   

Then there was a quick mention of Piers Morgan, TruTV and Judy closed the show!

and that's what you missed -kw