Rosie O'Donnell's return to late-night television received significant approval from one of her lifelong idols: Barbra Streisand. During O'Donnell's appearance as guest host on Jimmy Kimmel Live! this week, Streisand sent her a brief but deeply emotional message to celebrate the comedian's return to television. O'Donnell shared a screenshot via Instagram on Thursday, 20 August, showing her audience the unexpected note.
"From Barbra — It's good to see you back on television! Welcome home! xxxx Barbra," the message read. O'Donnell wrote alongside the screenshot: "Keep calm my heart — she is class — what a way to end my week at Kimmel!!!" adding the hashtags "#love" and "#barbra".
Streisand's message carries greater weight considering how much O'Donnell has admired the singer over the years. The two share a memorable history dating back to the days when O'Donnell hosted The Rosie O'Donnell Show, when Streisand was a guest. O'Donnell has previously spoken about how significant that interview was for her, which makes the singer's encouragement all the more special now.
O'Donnell spent this past week behind the desk at Jimmy Kimmel Live! while Kimmel took a break, serving as guest host from Monday through Thursday. Her stint included appearances by stars such as Hannah Waddingham, Jean Smart, Richard Gadd, Charlie Day and Janelle James, with O'Donnell putting her own distinctive touch on the typical late-night television format.
"Welcome home" is a fitting nod considering O'Donnell's television history. She became one of the biggest personalities in television through The Rosie O'Donnell Show, which positioned her as a fixture in daytime television in the nineteen-nineties and early two-thousands.
