Former talk show host Rosie O‘Donnell began her guest-hosting duties on ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” on August 17. Recently, while reacting to the news, fellow comedian Kathy Griffin opened up about why she has mixed emotions about O’Donnell’s TV gig, revealing that she’d previously hoped her longtime friend would include her.
Griffin took to her official YouTube channel on August 18 to discuss O’Donnell’s return to television via filling in for Jimmy Kimmel while he’s on summer vacation. However, instead of strictly congratulating the former host of “The View,” Griffin revealed that she felt a bit left out. Notably, she titled the full episode “If Rosie would have called, I would have jumped.”
She began, “I’m just gonna come out and say it. Are you ready? It’s embarrassing to say, but I have to tell you guys because we’re friends.” After that, the Bravo alum stated, “My feelings are really hurt that I was not invited to go on Rosie’s week of ‘The Jimmy Kimmel Show.’”
After that, she admitted that O’Donnell “may have no say in it,” before stating that many of her friends had reached out, wondering if she’d be a guest on the hit late-night show.
Kathy Griffin Says She Allowed Herself To Get Excited About Possibly Going On ‘Kimmel’
Griffin continued her line of conversation by noting how, partly due to mutual friends of hers and O’Donnell, she’d allowed herself to believe she’d be asked to appear on “Jimmy Kimmel Live.” According to her, “I admit, I was kind of getting excited, like yeah, this could be a really cool moment.”
She continued, “Then that moment passed and kept passing.” After that, she highlighted O’Donnell, saying, “She’s doing a great job and will continue to. If I have one call to action, it’s that you guys watch the show and support her.”
Regarding her wishes to be included, Griffin claimed, “I just think it’s a tricky situation because I’m having all kinds [of] feels.” At the end of the clip, the comedian stated that she would “watch every night and cheer her on.”
Kathy Remains On Good Terms With Kimmel Despite Being ‘Banned’ From Late Night
Griffin has been open throughout her decades-long career about being banned from certain shows and even from late-night television in general. This includes her years-long feud with ABC’s hit daytime talk show “The View.” However, Kimmel has remained a notable exception, with her even appearing on the show in 2025.
However, regarding late-night, Griffin revealed in June 2026 that Jimmy Fallon had banned her. The comedian said in a clip from her YouTube, “I have not done the Jimmy Fallon show since it was on at 12:30 Eastern and Pacific, so I guess I’m banned from the Fallon show, or inappropriate, or too controversial.”
She continued, “I don’t even know. When you’re banned from a show — and if you guys know me, I’m banned from most of them. You’re welcome, America and Indonesia. They don’t usually tell you you’re banned. They just can’t seem to find room for you.” Still, she admitted that Fallon had always been “super nice” to her despite not having her on his show.
Kathy Griffin Supported Jimmy Kimmel Amid His Show’s Suspension
Kimmel’s show was suspended for a week in September 2025 following his comments about the death of podcaster Charlie Kirk. Then, in October, Griffin opened up to PEOPLE about why Kimmel’s suspension reminded her of the 2017 situation in which she was canceled over the controversial Donald Trump photo.
She told the outlet, “It’s been really triggering for me because Jimmy was the only one who would have me on his show during all those years I was canceled. I know what it’s like to have the bigwigs and head honchos say, ‘She’s too dangerous.’”
Regarding her support for Kimmel, Griffin says she reached out to him “day one.”
Griffin first launched the “New Face, New Tour’ in November 2025 with dates extending until May 2026. More recently, the comedian has announced a fall leg of the tour, set to begin on September 11 in Tacoma, Washington.
Per her official website, this new leg of the tour will run until March 2027, ending in Palm Springs, California.
