Because she could not come to terms with ABC about contract renewal, Rosie O’Donnell announced Wednesday morning she would be leaving “The View” after her lively one-year stint there runs out in June.
“They wanted me three years, I wanted one year,” she told the audience at the top of the show. “It just didn’t work. And that’s show biz.”
But, she added, “I’m not going away,”
“I will be coming back and guest hosting,” O’Donnell said. “I’ll be doing one hour specials on autism and depression and stuff that I’m interested in. I’m just not going to be doing the every day thing.”
O’Donnell came in last year to take the seat of Meredith Vieira, who went to the “Today” show (where she replaced Katie Couric, who went to the “CBS Evening News”). In that time, she’s both enlivened the daily daytime talk show and been a lightning rod for conservative critics.
Most of all she’s been half of a public and sometimes ugly feud with Donald Trump that began with her criticizing his decision to allow Miss USA to go to rehab and retain her crown.
“I am sad,” co-host and show producer Barbara Walters said of her departure. “I knew you were only coming one year. I hoped it would be more that one year. We have had to say the least an interesting year.”
“I’ll tell you what’s really bad,” said another panelist, Joy Behar. “Donald Trump. He’s on a ledge right now, saying, “How am I going to resuscitate ‘The Apprentice’ now?”
Walters said, “we have not thought about a replacement” but added “we’re going to take a look.”
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