A Week of Late-Night Hosting Culminates in a Musical Tribute

Rosie O'Donnell wrapped up her week as guest host of "Jimmy Kimmel Live" on Thursday night with a musical number that continued her long-running public feud with President Donald Trump. As reported by Atlanta Black Star, O'Donnell performed a rendition of the traditional Irish ballad "Danny Boy," which she introduced as "a traditional Irish song dedicated to a very special boy." The song was adapted to target the president directly, opening with the lyrics, "Oh, Donnie boy, it's Rosie, Rosie calling," and advising him to "drop that Big Mac."

The performance, which Atlanta Black Star described as a "presidential performance review with background music," took aim at a wide range of topics, including the president's hair, his ballroom project, Iran, measles, inflation, his late-night posting habits, and reports of him appearing sleepy. The outlet also noted a lyric referencing the White House's reflection pool: "Your reflecting pool is green as Mountain Dew."

This musical turn of events was not O'Donnell's first foray into parodying the president through song. Atlanta Black Star reported that O'Donnell had previously rewritten "If I Only Had a Brain" from "The Wizard of Oz" as a Trump parody but was rejected for being too political. She later performed it on Kara Swisher's podcast, singing lines like, "His approval rate is 30. His diapers always dirty. I think the guy's insane." The televised version, however, included the line, "It's time to use that stable genius brain" and concluded with "Why not resign and make this country great again?"

Social media reactions, as highlighted by Atlanta Black Star, appeared largely positive, with comments such as "spot on" and "tremendous and a perfect ending."

A Feud Decades in the Making

O'Donnell's guest-hosting stint, which filled in for the vacationing Jimmy Kimmel, was framed by the host himself as "a special treat" for Trump, referencing the pair's two-decade rivalry. Variety reported that O'Donnell was "surprised" by the offer, given the "adversarial relationship" she had with Kimmel and the fact that she had never even been a guest on the show. She accepted the role, in part, to support Kimmel's First Amendment fight against Trump's campaign to have his show canceled. "I support [Kimmel] in what he's doing with the First Amendment, and our ability as entertainers and citizens to speak out against our government," O'Donnell told Variety.

The roots of the feud trace back to 2006, when O'Donnell criticized Trump's business record during her time on "The View." Trump, in turn, labeled her a "loser" and a "woman out of control," as reported by Atlanta Black Star.

A Pink Suit and a Direct Address

O'Donnell marked her hosting debut on Monday night in a bright pink suit adorned with flowers, drawing chants of "RO-SIE! RO-SIE!" from the audience. She opened her monologue with a quip about the president's animosity toward the show, saying, "If you thought the president hated 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' when it was hosted by Jimmy Kimmel? Buckle up, people! Buckle up." She also explained her relocation to Ireland, a move she attributed to the president and the conservative policy blueprint Project 2025. "I read that Project 2025 and said, 'Gotta get myself out of here!'", she said, adding that she moved to Ireland where "people are driven to drink regardless of who's running their country." O'Donnell also directly addressed the president during her monologue, stating, "Hi! I know you're watching!"

Throughout the week, O'Donnell's guest line-up included Hannah Waddingham and Ana Gasteyer, and she also paid tribute to the late Hayden Panettiere, who passed away at age 36, remembering her as a favorite guest on her earlier talk show.