Rosie O'Donnell Calls Out Fox News Host Jesse Watters as She Shuts Down Interview Request — 'I Have No Interest in You'
Rosie O'Donnell called out Jesse Watters for sending a team of 'screaming' producers to confront her in New York.
Aug. 6 2026, Published 7:40 p.m. ET
Rosie O'Donnell tore into Fox News primetime host Jesse Watters, claiming she was ambushed by a crew of his "screaming" producers outside of her New York City theater, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
The comedian is currently performing in the off-Broadway show Common Knowledge at Union Square's Daryl Roth Theater when O'Donnell claimed Watters' team tried to get her on his show.
Rosie O'Donnell Tells Jesse Watters to 'Go the F--- Away'
O'Donnell claimed she was confronted by a crew from 'Jesse Watters Primetime' outside her theater.'
"Today, a Fox crew was waiting for me to exit the car – they ran in mass, screaming, 'JESSE WATTERS WANTS TO TALK TO U' – so what? I have no desire to talk to him or Fox (we lie to Americans) 'news' so say what u need and go the f--- away," O'Donnell captioned her August 5 TikTok video.
It appears Watters' crew was making a last attempt to talk to O'Donnell before her show wraps up on August 8. The Flintstones star moved to Ireland following Donald Trump's second presidential win in 2024, but is staying on in the U.S. after her NYC summer, heading to Los Angeles for a guest-host stint on Jimmy Kimmel Live! for four nights starting on August 17.
'I've Never Watched Jesse Watters, And I Don't Care To'
O'Donnell called out Watters in a TikTok video.
"So here's what I want to say to Jesse Watters and his gang of unruly reporter yellers at the theater today: no, I don't want to speak or answer a question from Jessie Watters," O'Donnell declared.
She continued, "I've never watched Jesse Watters, and I don't care to, OK? I've read enough about what he's said about women and who he is and how his career began on Bill O'Reilly's show, of all places," as the Philadelphia native once served as the longtime Fox News host's booker and producer before getting on-air segments on The O'Reilly Factor.
Mixed Reactions to Rosie O'Donnell's Video
O'Donnell's response to Watters drew mixed responses.
The former The View panelist then began to taunt Watters, telling him, "Ok Jesse, you do what you do. Stay out of my orbit. If you want to interview me, call my publicist. That's how it works. Don't you know that yet?"
O'Donnell ended her rant telling the Fox star, "I'm not afraid of you. I just have no interest in you in any capacity."
Social media users were mixed about the tirade by the Sleepless in Seattle star.
"Love you Rosie! He’s scared to death of strong women," one fan wrote in the comments of the TikTok post.
A second cheered, "They messed with the wrong person!! Good for you, Rosie!"
However, when O'Donnell's video was shared by a conservative X poster, the mood was far different.
"Oh yeah, NOT BOTHERED at all. I am certain Jesse and his staff had a raucous time watching this," one user commented.
"She's literally shaking with anger while trying to claim that she wasn't bothered by it!" a second person observed.
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Jesse Watters Confrtonted Rosie O'Donnell When Bill O'Reilly's Producer
Watters worked his way up from Bill O'Reilly's producer to primetime host.
O'Donnell and Watters had an in-person encounter in 2007/
While the author of Celebrity Detox was signing books at a Long Island bookstore, O'Reilly's then-field producer showed up with a cameraman and began peppering O'Donnell with questions.
"This is for Bill O’Reilly. He wants to know if you regret saying 9/11 was an inside job," Watters asked O'Donnell, Page Six reported at the time.
He then hit O'Donnell with questions about why she refused to appear on The O'Reilly Factor, with the comic keeping her cool and refusing to explode on camera as the Fox team seemingly hoped.
"He knows how to find me. If Bill wants me, he should phone me himself," O'Donnell calmly told Watters. "He's a big boy."
