Rosie O'Donnell latest adventure comes in the form of a variety hour – complete with a wide range of guests, a big time television network backing her up and a larger than life host. The television variety show, called Rosie Live is set to air November 26th from New York's Little Shubert Theatre and already has a packed premiere, including Kathy Griffin, 30 Rock's Jane Krakowski, hip hop artist Ne-Yo, pop artist Alanis Morissette and Tony, Grammy, Oscar and Emmy Award winner Liza Minnelli.
The new variety hour will be a big step for television network, who hasn't seen a successful variety hour since “The Carol Bernett Show” or perhaps even “The Johnny Carson Show.” But enough NBC execs had confidence in the eccentric actress to give her a show where she'll dance, sing and essentially skip her way into talk show history, or at least try. If you're all for the come-back, then hop, skip and jump your way onto http://www.stubhub.com/rosie-odonnell-tickets now for your very own Rosie O'Donnell tickets.
The hour will strike a chord with retired television patrons who are familiar with those original variety shows. In an interview with Television Week, O'Donnell said, “It's the standard old format of “Carol” meets “Ed.” We have production numbers, we have big musical guests. We have variety entertainment in the vein of Cirque du Soleil with this wonderful New York group called Antigravity. And we have comedy sketches and celebrity surprises.” Comparing her dreams of a variety format to a Broadway play, the actress has commercially struggled these past few years with a reinvigoration of The View followed by a subsequent firing, to struggle with her sexuality (in 2004 she married partner Kelli Carpenter). And while the former talk show host had been dreaming of variety heaven since her final Rosie O'Donnell Show aired, it took six years and a little faith from NBC Entertainment's co-chairman Ben Silverman to get things moving. “Variety is a format that's not on the air right now, and doing this show live feels so relevant in the age of the DVR,” Silverman told Television Week. “Whether you love her or not, you're interested in seeing what's going to happen when she's on TV. She's just a great live performer.” Though those familiar with NBC's variety show attempts may recall the “Newlyweds” special featuring then-married couple Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey, this is the networks first attempt since the ‘80s to premiere a full variety show format.
The talk show host who rose to fame as a stand-up comedian before starring in such films as A League of Their Own, Sleepless in Seattle, The Flintstones and Exit to Eden became a house hold name when her talk show The Rosie O'Donnell Show first appeared in 1996. Though she has made guest appearances on several televisions shows over the past few years and briefly became a host for the morning talk show The View, O'Donnell remained a prominent Broadway act. Her first performance on Broadway was in 1994 as Rizzo in the Grease! revival, and has continued to enjoy the stage life in performances with Seussical, Fiddler on the Roof and Boy George's Taboo over the years.
