Brian Damage
06-10-2007, 06:16 PM
NBC's new entertainment chief wants Rosie O'Donnell on his network- most likely for a prime-time gig.
Ben Silverman, who replaced Kevin Reilly last month, "will do anything" to get O'Donnell onto NBC now that she's a free agent after leaving "The View," foxnews.com reported yesterday.
One scenario has O'Donnell hosting a daytime show on NBC-owned stations - perhaps one pitting her against her old "View" compadres.
But it's more likely O'Donnell would end up on the network's prime-time schedule, where Silverman has more clout, insiders say.
"Ben loves Rosie and is pursuing her but [he] doesn't have any daytime conversations because he doesn't control syndication," says one insider.
Silverman's recent track record in prime time is impressive; his production company, Reveille, developed "The Office" and "Ugly Betty." Their popularity led to Silverman landing the NBC gig.
And while there's been talk of O'Donnell hosting a prime-time game show a la Howie Mandel and "Deal or No Deal," insiders say that's only one option for her.
"There are multiple things Rosie could do in prime time," says one source.
O'Donnell's value rose significantly when she joined "The View" last September - and quickly became a lightning-rod with her outspoken opinions and her frequent on-air tussles with co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck.
O'Donnell's fiery presence helped transform "The View" into daytime's hottest ticket, and its ratings spiked.
But there was trouble in river city between O'Donnell and "View" den mother Barbara Walters as they wrestled for control of the show.
The Post reported exclusively last January that O'Donnell was already shopping a version of her popular syndicated talk show, "The Rosie O'Donnell Show," which aired from 1997-2002.
O'Donnell quit "The View" last month after a vicious on-air argument with Hasselbeck.
"Rosie is fielding a lot of options and has to decide what she wants to do," O'Donnell's publicist, Cindi Berger, said yesterday.
NBC officials had no comment.
Ben Silverman, who replaced Kevin Reilly last month, "will do anything" to get O'Donnell onto NBC now that she's a free agent after leaving "The View," foxnews.com reported yesterday.
One scenario has O'Donnell hosting a daytime show on NBC-owned stations - perhaps one pitting her against her old "View" compadres.
But it's more likely O'Donnell would end up on the network's prime-time schedule, where Silverman has more clout, insiders say.
"Ben loves Rosie and is pursuing her but [he] doesn't have any daytime conversations because he doesn't control syndication," says one insider.
Silverman's recent track record in prime time is impressive; his production company, Reveille, developed "The Office" and "Ugly Betty." Their popularity led to Silverman landing the NBC gig.
And while there's been talk of O'Donnell hosting a prime-time game show a la Howie Mandel and "Deal or No Deal," insiders say that's only one option for her.
"There are multiple things Rosie could do in prime time," says one source.
O'Donnell's value rose significantly when she joined "The View" last September - and quickly became a lightning-rod with her outspoken opinions and her frequent on-air tussles with co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck.
O'Donnell's fiery presence helped transform "The View" into daytime's hottest ticket, and its ratings spiked.
But there was trouble in river city between O'Donnell and "View" den mother Barbara Walters as they wrestled for control of the show.
The Post reported exclusively last January that O'Donnell was already shopping a version of her popular syndicated talk show, "The Rosie O'Donnell Show," which aired from 1997-2002.
O'Donnell quit "The View" last month after a vicious on-air argument with Hasselbeck.
"Rosie is fielding a lot of options and has to decide what she wants to do," O'Donnell's publicist, Cindi Berger, said yesterday.
NBC officials had no comment.