Rosie O’Donnell kicked off a week-long stint filling in as guest host of Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Monday night, marking her return to the talk-show format for the first time in nearly 30 years.
“If you thought the president hated Jimmy Kimmel Live! when it was hosted by Jimmy Kimmel… buckle up, people. Buckle up,” the longtime Donald Trump adversary joked as she launched into her opening monologue, in which she then proceeded to explain her recent move to Ireland.
“You know, I’ve been living in Ireland for the past two years because of ‘Mango Mussolini.’ I read that Project 2025 and said, ‘Got to get myself out of here, you know.’ And I decided to go to Ireland, a place where people are driven to drink regardless of who’s running their country,” she explained.
“I decided to move, and I took my little, then-11-year-old kid with me. And I just said, ‘Whatever you do, don’t tell anyone because we don’t want a lot of press and a lot of paparazzi. So, please don’t tell anyone.’ And they’re a pretty smart kid, you know. They got it. They said, ‘Don’t worry, I won’t.’ And then they went to school and proceeded to tell their entire class, ‘I’m very sorry. I won’t be able to graduate sixth grade with you. I’m being forced to move to another country because the president of the United States hates my mother. But in all fairness, I believe my mother hates him more.'”
O’Donnell then gave a shout-out to a special viewer based in Washington, DC, who she presumed was tuning in: “Hi! I know you’re watching,” she said with a smile and a wave.
The rest of O’Donnell’s monologue centered on stories from her time living in Ireland. Watch it in full below.
O’Donnell will continue hosting Jimmy Kimmel Live! through the rest of the week while Kimmel is away on his annual summer vacation.
