Rosie O'Donnell Speaks Out on Why She Skipped Barbara Walters Tribute

Rosie O'Donnell has spoken out about her reasons for choosing not to be a part of the Barbara Walters tribute that aired on The View on Tuesday.

Legendary journalist Walters died at the age of 93 on December 30. Her career spanned over 60 years and included presenting multiple primetime news shows and specials, as well as hosting the daytime talk show The View, which she also created.

Walters' publicist said in a statement that she had "passed away peacefully in her home surrounded by loved ones." The rep added that Walters "lived her life with no regrets," while praising her as "a trailblazer not only for female journalists, but for all women."

When The View returned for its first installment following Walters' death, co-hosts Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, Sunny Hostin, Sara Haines, and Alyssa Farah Griffin paid tribute to the groundbreaking journalist.

They were also joined by a number of former co-hosts, including Meredith Vieira, Debbie Matenopoulos, Star Jones, Lisa Ling, Sherri Shepherd, and Elisabeth Hasselbeck in person and via live video links and the telephone.

However, O'Donnell, who served as a panelist on the ABC show for two stints, was absent among the lineup—a decision she explained on social media late Tuesday.

When one of O'Donnell's TikTok followers mentioned that they were looking out for the comedian on the show's special episode, she responded via video: "They invited me but I wasn't able to make it.

"And I didn't want to be in a big group of people," she added. "I don't know, I was worried I would get upset and I didn't want to do that. So, there you go."

Shortly after the tribute to Walters had aired, a spokesperson for O'Donnell told Page Six that the TV personality "was flying back and unable" to make an appearance on the show.

Following Walters' death, O'Donnell had taken to TikTok to share a heartfelt tribute.

"What a long and eventful legendary life she had," O'Donnell said. "Spoke to every prominent world leader in memory. Interviewed everyone who was anyone.

"I was lucky enough to be in her orbit for a good many years, and we saw a lot of Broadway shows together," she went on. "May she rest in peace and may everyone remember just what barriers she broke down for women. She really did. She was the first and will always be remembered."

Walters was remembered as "the woman who changed the way the world watches daytime TV" during a montage at the start of Tuesday's episode of The View.

"It's her vision, her passion, her show, and today, The View remembers Barbara Walters," the intro continued, before the co-hosts stepped out onto the stage.

"She very much defied sexism and defied ageism," Behar said of Walters. "She went right into the jaws of the lion... She started The View when she was 68 years old—very few people start a brand-new career at 68."

"The industry had to respect her," Oscar-winning Ghost star Goldberg said as she agreed with Behar's statement. "She did not allow them not to respect her."

Hasselbeck, who joined the panel via Zoom, said that she and Walters "had a layered relationship. She was my TV mom, my mentor... for 10 years I had the privilege of sitting next to Barbara Walters and getting my masters in broadcasting, I like to say."

O'Donnell often sparred with Hasselbeck during the eight months she first appeared on The View's 2006-2007 season. Their spirited discussions on-air concluded with a showdown in May 2007 over the war in Iraq.

So furious was their spat that producers put them on a split screen and reportedly chose not to cut to commercial. While Behar and then-guest host Shepherd attempted to ease the tension with comical quips, the verbal bout raged on.

Following the memorable episode, O'Donnell quit—weeks before she had planned to exit the show—explaining that the handling of the showdown prompted her decision.

"When I saw the split screen, I knew it was over," she said in a video shared on her website, adding of Hasselbeck that she hadn't "spoken to her and I probably won't, and I think it's just as well."

Despite her declaration, the pair continued to have much to say about one another.

When O'Donnell returned to the show for season 18 in 2014, Hasselbeck left no doubts about whether or not she approved of the move.

While co-hosting Fox & Friends, Hasselbeck charged that O'Donnell "spit in the face of our military, spit in the face of her own network and really in the face of a person who stood by her and had civilized debates for the time that she was there."

The bad blood between the two bubbled to the surface once again in 2019, when O'Donnell said that she had "a little bit of a crush" on Hasselbeck during their time as colleagues on the show.

Sharing her thoughts in Ramin Setoodeh's tell-all book, Ladies Who Punch: The Explosive Inside Story of The View, O'Donnell joked that there were "underlying lesbian tones on both parts," while clarifying that her crush was not sexual.

Hasselbeck quickly reacted to O'Donnell's comments about her, calling them "disturbing," and adding that she "immediately started praying" on learning what was said.

Unsurprisingly, O'Donnell responded, saying of Hasselbeck on Instagram Live: "It's crazy. She was so afraid of the concept of a lesbian having a crush on her that she had to go directly to Jesus, do not pass go, do not collect $200."