Rosie Live

Last updated
Rosie Live
Genre Variety show
Developed by Rosie O'Donnell
Written by
Directed by Richard Jay-Alexander
Starring
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
Production
Executive producers
  • David Friedman
  • Rosie O'Donnell
Producers
  • Liza Persky
  • Alison Sandler
Camera setup Single-camera
Running time60 minutes
Production companies
Release
Original network NBC
Picture format NTSC
Audio format Stereo
Original releaseNovember 26, 2008 (2008-11-26)
Related

Rosie Live is a variety show starring Rosie O'Donnell that aired November 26, 2008 live from New York's Little Shubert Theatre on NBC. It contained singing, dancing, comedy routines and specialty acts. However, poor critical response and ratings doomed the project, and it was unofficially canceled.

Contents

Production

The show was produced by Universal Media Studios in association with O'Donnell's KidRo Productions. Rosie O'Donnell and David Friedman were the co-executive producers. [1] [2] The show was broadcast live in accordance with O'Donnell's preference for live programming instead of tape. [3]

Guests

Ne-Yo and Alanis Morissette were the featured singers. Liza Minnelli and Gloria Estefan performed duets with O'Donnell. The Lombard Twins tap danced. Anti-Gravity performed a spinning act. The special also included performances by Rosie's Broadway Kids and guest appearances by Kathy Griffin, Conan O'Brien, Jane Krakowski, Harry Connick, Jr., Clay Aiken, Rachael Ray and Alec Baldwin.

Jennifer Cody appeared in a skit featuring O'Donnell as "Officer Lockstock" and Cody as "Little Sally", a reference to the off-Broadway show Urinetown . (Cody's husband, Hunter Foster, was in the original cast of Urinetown and was on the writing staff for Rosie Live.)

Reception

Critical response

The show received almost universally negative reviews from critics. The Los Angeles Times critic Mary McNamara wrote, "For those of us who are, and remain, Rosie fans, who think The View will never quite recover from her departure, who think her desire to resurrect the variety show was, and is, a great idea, disappointment does not even begin to describe it." [4] TV Guide critic Matt Roush panned the show as "dead on arrival," [5] while Variety wrote "If Rosie O'Donnell and company were consciously determined to strangle the rebirth of variety shows in the crib, they couldn't have done a better job of it than this pre-holiday turkey." [6]

Ratings

The program finished in third place in its time slot, ahead of ABC and The CW but behind Fox and CBS. [7]

Episode NumberEpisodeRatingShare Rating/Share
(18-49)		Viewers
(millions)		Rank
(Night)		Rank
(Overall)
1"Special/Pilot"3.561.2/45.25#3#11

Cancellation

Initial plans were to, if the show had been successful, use the special as a pilot episode for a series of new Rosie Live episodes beginning January 2009, which would have made it the first traditional variety show to air as a regular series in the United States since The Wayne Brady Show in 2001, and the first on NBC since Marie and the infamous Pink Lady and Jeff in 1980. However, Rosie Live did not return due to poor ratings. [8] [9] [10] [11]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jay Leno</span> American television host and comedian (born 1950)

James Douglas Muir Leno is an American television host and comedian. After doing stand-up comedy for years, he became the host of NBC's The Tonight Show from 1992 until 2009 when Conan O'Brien took over as host. Beginning in September 2009, Leno started a primetime talk show, The Jay Leno Show, which aired weeknights at 10:00 p.m. ET, also on NBC. When O'Brien turned down NBC's offer to have Leno host a half hour monologue show before The Tonight Show to boost ratings amid reported viewership diminishing, Leno returned to hosting the show on March 1, 2010. He hosted his last episode of his second tenure on February 6, 2014. That year, he was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame. From 2014 to 2022, he has hosted Jay Leno's Garage, and since 2021, has hosted the revival of You Bet Your Life.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rosie O'Donnell</span> American comedian

Roseann O'Donnell is an American comedian, television producer, actress, author, and television personality. She began her comedy career as a teenager and received her breakthrough on the television series Star Search in 1984. After a series of television and film roles that introduced her to a larger national audience, O'Donnell hosted her own syndicated daytime talk show, The Rosie O'Donnell Show, between 1996 and 2002, which won several Daytime Emmy Awards. During this period, she developed the nickname "Queen of Nice", as well as a reputation for philanthropic efforts.

<i>Bye Bye Birdie</i> 1960 musical

Bye Bye Birdie is a stage musical with music by Charles Strouse and lyrics by Lee Adams, based upon a book by Michael Stewart.

<i>The View</i> (talk show) American talk show

The View is an American talk show created by broadcast journalist Barbara Walters. Currently in its 26th season, the show has aired on ABC as part of the network's daytime programming block since August 11, 1997. It features a multi-generational panel of women, who discuss the day's "Hot Topics", such as sociopolitical and entertainment news. In addition to the conversation segments, the panel also conducts interviews with prominent figures, such as celebrities and politicians. Production of the show was originally held in ABC Television Studio 23 in New York City. In 2014, it relocated to ABC Broadcast Center, also in New York City.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rosie Perez</span> American actress

Rosie Perez is an American actress, choreographer, dancer, and activist. Her breakthrough came with her portrayal of Tina in the film Do the Right Thing (1989), followed by White Men Can't Jump (1992). Perez's performance in Fearless (1993) earned her a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, among other accolades. Her starring film roles since include It Could Happen to You (1994), The Road to El Dorado (2000), Pineapple Express (2008), and Birds of Prey (2020).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hunter Foster</span> American actor

Hunter Foster is an American musical theatre actor, singer, librettist, playwright and director.

<i>The Rosie ODonnell Show</i> Television series

The Rosie O'Donnell Show is an American daytime variety television talk show created, hosted, and produced by actress and comedian Rosie O'Donnell. It premiered on June 10, 1996, and concluded after six seasons on May 22, 2002.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">54th Tony Awards</span> 2000 awards ceremony

The 54th Annual Tony Awards was held at Radio City Music Hall on June 4, 2000 and broadcast by CBS. "The First Ten" awards ceremony was telecast on PBS television. The event was hosted, for the 3rd time since 1997, by Rosie O'Donnell, with special guest Nathan Lane.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lawrence Leritz</span> American ballet dancer and choreographer

Lawrence Leritz is an American actor, dancer, singer, producer, director, fitness expert and choreographer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NeNe Leakes</span> American television personality, actress and presenter

Linnethia Monique "NeNe" Leakes is an American television personality, actress, presenter, businesswoman, author, and fashion designer. She first rose to prominence after becoming the breakout star on Bravo's reality television series, The Real Housewives of Atlanta.

Bobby Pearce is a Tony Award nominated American costume designer for stage, film and television. He lives in New York City.

Jennifer Cody is an American actress and dancer.

<i>Nip/Tuck</i> (season 4) 2006 season of American tv series

The fourth season of Nip/Tuck premiered on September 5, 2006 and concluded on December 12, 2006. It consisted of 15 episodes.

<i>Nip/Tuck</i> (season 5) 2007–2009 season of American tv series

The fifth season of Nip/Tuck premiered on October 30, 2007 and concluded on March 3, 2009. The unusually lengthy interval, for this season, was a direct result of the 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike. The season consisted of 22 episodes.

<i>The Rosie Show</i> Television series

The Rosie Show is an American evening television talk show starring and produced by Rosie O'Donnell, airing on OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network. The first episode premiered on October 10, 2011, on the stage that was formerly home to The Oprah Winfrey Show at Harpo Studios in Chicago. It was announced on March 6, 2012 that the show would be moving to New York in the near future. On March 16, 2012, OWN announced that The Rosie Show would be canceled after only one season and ninety-four episodes due to low ratings, with the final episode airing on Thursday March 29, 2012.

<i>Peter Pan Live!</i> 2014 American musical television special

Peter Pan Live! is an American television special that was broadcast by NBC on December 4, 2014. The special featured a live production of the 1954 musical adaptation of Peter Pan, televised from Grumman Studios in Bethpage, New York, starring Allison Williams in the title role and Christopher Walken as Captain Hook.

<i>Hairspray Live!</i> American TV series or program

Hairspray Live! is an American television special that aired live on the American television network NBC on December 7, 2016. Produced by Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, and hosted by Darren Criss, it is a performance of a new adaptation of the 2002 Broadway musical Hairspray.

<i>Saturday Night Live</i> (season 42) Season of television series

The forty-second season of the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live premiered on October 1, 2016, during the 2016–2017 television season, with host Margot Robbie and musical guest The Weeknd, and concluded on May 20, 2017, with host Dwayne Johnson and musical guest Katy Perry. The season removed two commercial breaks per episode in order to increase programming time. Episode 18 on April 15, 2017, was the first episode ever to be broadcast live in all four time zones within the contiguous United States. Until this episode, the show aired live only in the Eastern and Central time zones, and was tape-delayed in the Mountain and Pacific time zones.

The forty-third season of the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live premiered on September 30, 2017, during the 2017–2018 television season with host Ryan Gosling and musical guest Jay-Z, and concluded on May 19, 2018, with host Tina Fey and musical guest Nicki Minaj. Like the final four episodes of season 42, season 43 was broadcast live in all four time zones within the contiguous United States, with the exception of the Natalie Portman/Dua Lipa episode due to the network's commitment to the NFL.

References

  1. ↑ Varley, Eddie (November 18, 2008). "BWW TV: Rosie 'Heats it Up' for NBC Variety Show Promo & How to Win Tickets". BroadwayWorld TV.
  2. ↑ "Happy Holidays - NBC Site". www.nbc.com. Archived from the original on December 5, 2008.
  3. ↑ Oldenburg, Ann (October 10, 2011). "Rosie O'Donnell's back in the talk game". Associated Press. Archived from the original on 10 October 2011 – via USA Today.
  4. ↑ McNamara, Mary (November 26, 2008). "Rosie O'Donnell's 'Rosie Live': What was she thinking?". Los Angeles Times .
  5. ↑ Matt, Roush (November 27, 2008). "Roush Dispatch: Rosie Live, Dead on Arrival". TV Guide. Archived from the original on December 4, 2008.
  6. ↑ Buckman, Adam (November 29, 2008). "Rosie Bomb Blast". New York Post.
  7. ↑ "TV Ratings: 'Criminal Minds' Steals Wednesday for CBS". Zap2it.com. November 27, 2008. Archived from the original on December 3, 2008.
  8. ↑ US Magazine (November 29, 2008). "Rosie: There Will Be 'No More' Variety Shows". omg.yahoo.com. Archived from the original on December 3, 2008 – via Us Weekly.
  9. ↑ "CNN Video". CNN. Retrieved May 22, 2010.
  10. ↑ Bauder, David (December 3, 2008). "Rosie's dreams of TV variety comeback are dashed". Associated Press . Archived from the original on December 6, 2008 – via Forbes.
  11. ↑ de Moraes, Lisa (December 3, 2008). "'Dancing' Sweeps Away Thanksgiving Week". The Washington Post .
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.