Rosie O’Donnell Claims ‘The View’ Clash Was Staged by Producers

By Zoe Papadakis | Wednesday, 08 October 2025 12:12 PM EDT
Rosie O’Donnell has alleged that her infamous 2007 on-air confrontation with co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck on “The View” was prearranged by the show’s producers. Speaking on the “Ricki-Lee, Tim and Joel” podcast, O’Donnell claimed the heated exchange, which centered on the Iraq war and aired in May 2007, was deliberately orchestrated. She cited the use of a split-screen format during the segment as evidence of planning.
“Our producer is not an on-the-fly kind of guy,” O’Donnell said, referring to late executive producer Bill Geddie, who died in 2023. “He wasn’t mister like, ‘Let’s go to the split-screen.’ That was prepared.” She added, “So, the whole thing, I think, was a setup.”
The clash occurred when O’Donnell accused Hasselbeck of failing to defend her against media claims that she had called U.S. troops “terrorists.” Hasselbeck responded sharply, stating, “You are an adult and I am certainly not going to be the person for you to explain your thoughts; they’re your thoughts!”
O’Donnell reflected on the incident, describing it as a painful moment that left her feeling isolated. “It felt like I was on a basketball team of five women, and one of them kept tripping me on the way to the hoop,” she said. She also noted the irony of the split-screen setup during the exchange.
The comedian emphasized her belief in a prior friendship with Hasselbeck, recounting shared moments such as visits to her home and mutual childcare arrangements. “I bent over backwards for this woman,” O’Donnell stated.
Both women later left “The View,” with O’Donnell departing in 2007 and 2015, and Hasselbeck in 2013. Their feud persisted publicly, resurfacing when Hasselbeck returned as a guest co-host in 2022. O’Donnell criticized her use of Post-it notes during the broadcast, commenting, “Her little Post-it notes… I don’t know. Listen, it’s strange.”