Rosie O'Donnell is returning to television as host of a variety show revival from NBC.

NBC will air "Rosie's Variety Show" as an hourlong live special the night before Thanksgiving, with an eye toward expansion to a full series order should viewers embrace the project.

The special will feature celebrity guests, musical acts, comedy skits and a prize giveaway for the show's in-studio and home audiences. David Friedman ("Last Call With Carson Daly") has been tapped to executive produce along with O'Donnell.

The show's Nov. 26 premiere date manages to trump Fox's upcoming Osbourne family variety show, which is expected to debut in the winter or spring.

For NBC, the project's live aspect is of particular interest, both as a way of distinguishing the product from competitors and to discourage viewers from time-shifting the show. NBC has aired "America's Got Talent" results shows live this year and plans a quartet of "Saturday Night Live" primetime specials.

"This will reinvent the idea of what a variety show is for 2008," NBC vp alternative Craig Plestis said. "There's very few performers willing to put themselves out there live. It makes it more TiVo-proof, and it's something none of the cable networks can do."

Such classic variety titles as "The Carol Burnett Show" and "The Ed Sullivan Show" were massive primetime hits. Producers and networks have been trying to figure out how to revive the variety show for decades. In 2004, ABC drew viewers with "The Nick and Jessica Variety Hour," though follow-up editions were less successful.

The closest modern variation of the variety show that has drawn significant viewers has been NBC's "America's Got Talent."

"This is a genre that everybody is anticipating is going to come back," the CAA-repped Friedman said. "Rosie sort of invented the daytime variety show. Without question, Rosie is the right person to bring this back."

The project raises the prospect of a new regular TV gig for O'Donnell. Her "Rosie O'Donnell Show" was a daytime syndicated hit for five years until it left the air in 2001. Since then, O'Donnell has appeared in recurring roles on FX's "Nip/Tuck" and was featured on Showtime's "Queer as Folk." She also starred in the CBS telefilm "Riding the Bus With My Sister" and drew raves moderating the 10th season of ABC's "The View."

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/television/news/e3ie5049b4ff6cb52316fe734019f992434

I think Rosie's got her mind in the right place, but I just can't see this doing well for her. Rosie is someone that not only conservatives hate, but so do most liberals. Even a lot of gays cringe that she is one of them (I knew someone who decided to pass over going to True Colors Tour because Rosie was there). I like the idea of bringing variety shows back but I think this is going to be a bust because Rosie just isn't a popular person.

I honestly don't see this lasting more than 2 episodes!!!! :eek:

There is no way I'm watching this show, not one bit. After Rosie made a fool of herself on "The View," I despised this woman! :mad: Why did Barbara Walters have to hire her to replace Meredith Vieira? Better yet, why has "The View" been on for ten years now? Thank goodness Rosie got fired when she did. Oh, and for what it's worth, The Rosie O'Donnell Show actually lasted SIX seasons, ending in 2002.

NBC will air "Rosie's Variety Show" as an hourlong live special the night before Thanksgiving, with an eye toward expansion to a full series order should viewers embrace the project.

I wanted to barf when I saw the words "Embrace the project" and "Rosie's Variety Show" in the same sentence.

I wanted to barf when I saw the words "Embrace the project" and "Rosie's Variety Show" in the same sentence.
:rofl:

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e211/zoneboy/ScreenHunter_02Oct031205.gif

^ :rofl: Perfect!!

she should do more acting... her performance in Riding The Bus With My Sister was pure comic gold

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erFaoqLwod0

actually, I found her performance to be offensive to the mentally challenged but if you suspend the offensiveness, she's hysterical in it. It's funny because you know she was aiming for an Emmy when she did it but instead it wound up a really bad comedy because of her performance.

Of all networks to give Rosie O'Donnel a show, it's NBC - what a shocker there :lol: They'd think a show about breathing would be a hit.

I think Rosie's got her mind in the right place, but I just can't see this doing well for her. Rosie is someone that not only conservatives hate, but so do most liberals. Even a lot of gays cringe that she is one of them (I knew someone who decided to pass over going to True Colors Tour because Rosie was there). I like the idea of bringing variety shows back but I think this is going to be a bust because Rosie just isn't a popular person.
it's why I'm glad she wound up leaving The View. She was so obnoxious on that. I'm not a huge fan of her anymore these days, but I can imagine myself eventually being in the group of folks just downright hating her now if she were still on.

I don't agree with Rosie on her conspiracy theories but I do enjoy her.Rosie's got a lot of fans who will watch everything she does.I'll probably watch her Thanksgiving special which will decide if it's becomes a series.She says she won't discuss politics and it will be a fun show with comedy,singing,dancing, and interviews.I am excited about it I loved to watch the Sonny and Cher show in reruns.:)

PS:Rosie was never fired from The View.