Rosie O'Donnell
From Philosopedia
Rosie O'Donnell (21 March 1962 - )
Roseann Teresa O'Donnell, who became a noted television personality, actor, and comedian, was born in Commack, Long Island, New York.
The middle of five children (Eddie, Danny, Maureen, Timmy), she is estranged from her Belfast, Ireland-born father, Edward O'Donnell, a spy-camera engineer or a defense corporation. Her monther, also named Roseann, died of cancer in 1972.
Graduating with the Commack High School Class of '80, O'Donnell was elected Homecoming Queen, Senior Class President, and Student Council Member. In addition to playing on the school's sports teams, she played drums in a rock band.
Dropping out of Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, and also after a year from Boston University, at the age of she started a career of being an entertainer.
O'Donnell's career as a comedian took off when she landed a role alongside Madonna and Tom Hanks in the 1992 baseball movie A League of Their Own.
The Emmy-winning comedian has appeared in numerous shows and won numerous awards.
On 26 February 2004 in a much-publicized wedding, O'Donnell married her longtime partner, Kelli Carpenter, in San Francisco after that city began approving gay marriages. They have four children: Parker Jaren (adopted, born 25 May 1995), Chelsea Belle (adopted, born 20 September 1997), Blake Christopher (adopted, 5 December 1999), and Vivienne Rose (Kelli's daughter, born 29 November 2002).
As she became more open about her political opinions, O'Donnell became a high-profile advocate for gay rights and gun control, making her a target for criticism from conservative pundits such as Rush Limbaugh and Pat Buchanan. In 2006 she joined the hosting cast of The View (with Barbara Walters), and in no time was making headlines again with political comments (she is a harsh critic of George W. Bush) and, most famously, a public spat with Donald Trump. Unable to reach an agreement with ABC in 2007, O'Donnell announced she would leave the show.
An atheist, she has said on television that "Radical Christianity is just as threatening as radical Islam in a country like America."
