People: Rosie’s in the rear view mirror
Rosie O’Donnell soon will be largely out of sight on “The View.”
The outspoken O’Donnell announced on Wednesday’s show that she’s leaving as a co-host in June after failing to come to terms with ABC on a new contract.
“It just didn’t work,” she said, “and that’s show biz. But it’s not sad because I loved it here and I love you guys and I’m not going away.”
She added that she will appear occasionally next season for such things as a planned one-hour special on autism.
O’Donnell has helped raise the ratings for the daytime chat show after replacing Meredith Vieira last fall, but her caustic comments have caused continual controversy, including a nasty name-calling match with Donald Trump.
As recently as Monday, “View” creator Barbara Walters was playing peacemaker after O’Donnell verbally attacked media magnate Rupert Murdoch at an awards luncheon – an incident that Trump is claiming led to her being fired.
Walters insisted on the air Wednesday: “This is not my doing or my choice.”
Speaking of rear views …
One reason we’ll miss Rosie: her sharp response Monday on “The View” to singer Sheryl Crow‘s suggestion on her Stop Global Warming blog that everyone should use just one sheet of toilet paper at a time.
“Have you seen my (backside)?” she asked.
It explains that drummer
And speaking of global warming, never fear – Spinal Tap is here to save the day!
The mock heavy metal group immortalized in 1984’s “This is Spinal Tap” – guitarist Nigel Tufnel (played by Christopher Guest), singer David St. Hubbins (Michael McKean) and bassist Derek Smalls (Harry Shearer) and various drummers, one of whom spontaneously combusted – will reunite for a performance at London’s Wembley Stadium in London as part of the worldwide Live Earth concerts on July 7.
“They’re not that environmentally conscious, but they’ve heard of global warming,” said Rob Reiner, who directed the original film.
“Nigel thought it was just because he was wearing too much clothing – that if he just took his jacket off it would be cooler.”
Taking it in stride
Finally, speaking of TV exits, in case you’ve been comatose and haven’t heard, Heather Mills made a graceful one when she was eliminated from the competition on Tuesday’s “Dancing With the Stars.”
The estranged Mrs. Paul McCartney was the first contestant with an artificial limb to compete on the ABC dance-off. Mills lost her leg in a motorcycle accident in 1993.
The social activist said her participation “raised a fortune for our charity, and hundreds of thousands of animals’ lives will be saved.”
Mills donated her performance fee to an animal-welfare charity.
The birthday bunch
Actress-comedian Carol Burnett is 74. Guitarist Duane Eddy is 69. Singer Bobby Rydell is 65. Actor Giancarlo Esposito is 49. Actress Joan Chen is 46. Actor Jet Li is 44. Actor Kevin James (“The King of Queens”) is 42. Singer T-Boz (TLC) is 37. Actor Tom Welling (“Smallville”) is 30. Actress Jordana Brewster (“The Fast and The Furious”) is 27.