Rosie O'Donnell Compares Donald Trump to Willy Wonka Character as Ex-'View' Host Sarcastically Thanks Prez for Sparking TV Comeback
Rosie O'Donnell took another fresh swipe at Donald Trump during her second night hosting 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!'
Aug. 19 2026, Published 2:18 p.m. ET
Rosie O’Donnell brutally mocked Donald Trump during her second night hosting Jimmy Kimmel Live! by comparing the president to an Oompa Loompa.
RadarOnline.com can reveal the 64-year-old comedian opened Tuesday night's show expressing how odd it is for her to be back in the news cycle again, admitting: "This has become a strange experience for me because all of a sudden I'm re-famous."
Poking Fun at Donald Trump's Appearance
O'Donnell compared the president to an Oompa Loompa, characters from 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.'
Guest host mocks Trump.
O'Donnell credited her nemesis Trump, 80, for making her relevant again thanks to their longstanding feud.
"I'm back in the spotlight all thanks to President Oompa J. Loompa, who is watching us this evening from inside a catering cart," she quipped.
The joke referenced Trump allegedly hiding in a catering cart after switching planes amid a threat from Iran.
O'Donnell later remarked that she "couldn't have" become "re-famous" without Trump, adding: "You brought me back. Just like you did with fascism and the measles."
The former View host also had a nickname for Trump during her opening monologue while guest-hosting Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Monday, August 17.
Rosie O'Donnell Made 'Mango Mussolini' Jab at Donald Trump
O'Donnell says her feud with Trump has stretched back 20 years.
O'Donnell also explained why she fled from America to Ireland after Trump was re-elected for a second term in 2024, saying she had been "living in Ireland for the past two years because of Mango Mussolini."
"I read that Project 2025 and said, 'Got to get myself out of here, you know.' And I decided to go to Ireland, a place where people are driven to drink regardless of who's running their country," she added.
Later in the monologue, she smugly waved to the camera, indirectly sending a message to Trump as she said: "Hi, I know you're watching."
O'Donnell and Trump have had a beef dating back to 2006, with the comedian recently stating Trump hadn't "shut up about her for 20 years."
Rosie O'Donnell Addresses Feud With Donald Trump
The ex-'View' dubbed Trump a 'bloviating idiot' in a new interview.
O'Donnell explained to People: "It used to be when our president would say things about me, it would be like, whoa. First of all, if you had written this as a movie, a stand-up comic makes fun of a reality show host who is a bloviating idiot, and he ends up being the president, and then he doesn't shut up about her for 20 years, it would be unbelievable – and the fact that it's my life is very trippy."
O’Donnell was a surprise choice as one of Kimmel’s guest hosts while he’s on a summer break. Even the veteran actress was shocked about getting the call, admitting she barely knows the 58-year-old host.
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O'Donnell was surprised to be asked to fill in for Jimmy Kimmel.
She told Variety: "When my publicist called and said, 'Do you want to guest-host Kimmel for a week?' I said, 'I haven't ever even been a guest!'"
O'Donnell said she accepted the opportunity partly because she wanted to stand behind Kimmel as he faced continued pressure over his political commentary.
"I support (Kimmel) in what he's doing with the First Amendment, and our ability as entertainers and citizens to speak out against our government," she said."And I wish that Stephen Colbert had the same kind of support when it happened to him, because he shouldn't be gone either."
