"The Rosie O'Donnell Show" (1996) TV series 1996-2002

Directors:

Anthony Caleca
Stan Lathan

Writers:

Larry Amoros (writer)
Janette Barber (head writer) (1998-2001)

Seasons:

unknown

Release Date:

10 June 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Talk-Show

Plot Keywords:

Spoof | Audience Participation | Non Fiction | Character Name In Title

Awards:

27 wins & 35 nominations

Cast

Rosie O'Donnell

...

Herself (1,193 episodes, 1996-2002)

Runtime:

60 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Filming Locations:

Rockefeller Center, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Kid-Ro Productions

Trivia:

There was only one show which did not air. It was referred to, by Rosie, as "The Scary Show", featuring guest Christopher Walken

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire: (#4.7)" (2009/I)

Couch Potato Central

Not that there are many other daytime talk shows worth watching, but the Rosie O'Donnell Show is definitely one to avoid. Arguably the highlight of Rosie's entertainment value (over that of any person off the street) is her ability to sing the theme song of nearly all of the TV series that have ever been broadcast.

The best that she can do in the way of entertainment is show off a skill that one can only gain through rigorous, almost religious TV viewing over an entire lifetime. Do we really need to spend our time watching someone's TV show, who is so entrenched in a television centered world view? It seems like a dangerous reinforcement of the repulsive contention that it is acceptable for people to sit in front of the TV as their sole pastime.

No one should subject themselves to any demonstration of such a deeply ingrained acceptance of the idea that a normal lifetime is one that's spent largely parked in front of a box that displays moving pictures on its screen, as the Rosie O'Donnell Show seems to openly advocate.

In engaging in such trivialization of a seriously mentally and physically debilitating lifestyle for Americans, the Show subtly glorifies a lifestyle that does not merit glorification.

From a TV producer's standpoint, it makes perfect sense for the host of a show to openly advocate such television worship.

Other shows, such as the Oprah Winfrey Show are more justifiable, as they advocate things such as reading books, exercising, and other concerns that are not so directly connected with television and the entertainment industry. True, there is marketing that's mixed in with the advocacy of almost anything, but almost anything is preferable to what amounts to advocacy of Couch Potatohood. Other daytime talk shows more actively advocate activities other than watching television.