Rosie O’Donnell draws high ratings while guest-hosting Jimmy Kimmel Live

Rosie O’Donnell has achieved high ratings during her guest-hosting stint on ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ while Jimmy Kimmel is on summer hiatus. Her debut episode drew 1.87 million viewers, marking a summer high for the program and outperforming competitors in the 18-49 demographic.

O’Donnell’s monologues have focused heavily on her long-standing feud with Donald Trump, utilizing nicknames such as ‘Mango Mussolini’ and ‘President Oompa J. Loompa.’ She also directed sharp remarks toward Trump’s aide, Natalie Harp, referencing recent media speculation regarding Harp’s relationship with the president.

The hosting run has also sparked a minor celebrity dispute, as comedian Kathy Griffin expressed being ‘really hurt’ by her exclusion from the guest list. Griffin noted that she and O’Donnell are close friends and had hoped to appear on the show to discuss their shared political history with Trump. O’Donnell responded by suggesting Griffin should have reached out directly to discuss bookings.