Rosie's Legacy

Now that Rosie O'Donnell has announced that she will not be renewing her contract with The View, I must admit: I am going to miss her. Which is surprising because I'm not a fan of Rosie O'Donnell. I find her obnoxious, egocentric and overbearing; she reminds me of the bullies who teased me (and intimidated me) in elementary school.

And yet I admire her greatly.

Although Rosie is never hesitant to express her views (much to the chagrin I'm sure of The View's executive producer Barbra Walters), I admire the fact that Rosie rarely apologizes for what she says.

Think about it: in an era where Janet Jackson's boobs cause a scandal, and the sight of Madonna appearing on a cross has to be superimposed with images of starving children (that's you, NBC!), a show which allows women to express their views freely seems almost taboo. Rosie talks about everything from women's reproductive rights to gay marriage to Paris Hilton with minimal censure. She just lets loose, leaving the damage control to Barbra.

And Rosie doesn't cave in and give the obligatory "it-was-taken-out-of-context" spin that most celebrities latch onto when a hint of what they really feel makes it into the press. Rosie stands by what she says, and reminds us that we shouldn't feel bad or sorry about what we think.

Sure, Rosie was overbearing as ever on The View. But who didn't feel a sense of satisfaction when she would criticize President Bush? Or when she instigated her much-publicized feud with the pompous Donald Trump?

Now that she's leaving, The View, and television, will not be the same. For one year, The View actually had a point of view. When the show came on in 1997, it was supposed to be about opposing opinions, but the show always seemed to hold back. The women never seemed to get their hands dirty until Rosie came along. She gave the show a spark it never had and never will have again. Fluffy discussions were dropped in favour of fiery debates. Rosie's presence encouraged the other women, particularly Elizabeth, to project their voices and come toe-to-toe with
the ever-dominant O'Donnell.

By hiring O'Donnell, Walters delivered on the show's original promise, even if for a short time. I don't know what the future will bring for The View, but Rosie's one-year stint has already become the legacy for this ten-year-old show.