Walters Makes It Official During Emmys: O'Donnell New Co-Host of ABC's 'The View'

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At about 9:40pm EDT during ABC's live broadcast of the Daytime Emmy Awards from the Kodak Theater in Los Angeles, Rosie O'Donnell strode on stage to join Barbara Walters who had come out a bit earlier to present an award. When the applause died down, Walters asked O'Donnell: “What's doing?” O'Donnell joked about Internet rumors and then Walters announced to loud cheering from the audience: “Starting September you are going to join The View as co-host." O'Donnell oozed, "Let me tell you Barbara Walters: From the bottom of my heart, thank you for asking me. I'd be honored to do it." Then, with one hand on O'Donnell's shoulder and her other hand on O'Donnell's arm, Walters trumpeted: "We were amazed when she said yes and we were thrilled. So let me do it now very formally. Ladies and gentlemen, starting in September, the newest co-host of The View, and we're so lucky to have her: Miss Rosie O'Donnell!" (Transcript follows, as well as links to O'Donnell quotes and video.)

Video clip (1:05): Real (2 MB) or Windows Media (2.3 MB), plus MP3 audio (400 KB)

Tim Graham's Thursday night NewsBusters item about how O'Donnell would replace Meredith Vieira who is moving over to NBC's Today, recited some of O'Donnell's more obnoxious left-wing outbursts ("This President invaded a sovereign nation in defiance of the UN. He is basically a war criminal. Honestly. He should be tried at The Hague.") and featured links to some audio/video clips. A Friday MRC CyberAlert item contains the same quotes and links, as well as a downloadable Real clip (though of low quality) of O'Donnell's infamous 1999 confrontation with Tom Selleck.

A transcript of the choreographed on-stage banter between Barbara Walters and Rosie O'Donnell, starting when the applause died down after O'Donnell walked out onto the stage of the Daytime Emmys carried live on ABC in the EDT and CDT zones:

Barbara Walters: “What's doing?”

Rosie O'Donnell: “I don't know, something about you and me on the Internet and working?.”

Walters: “Oh that, yeah you mean the fact that starting September you are going to join The View as co-host?” (audience cheers)

O'Donnell, in mock surprise: “Me? Well thank God because it was either that or Celebrity Fit Club.”

Walters: “Well, it was a very close call.”

O'Donnell: “Yes, well let me tell you Barbara Walters: From the bottom of my heart, thank you for asking me. I'd be honored to do it.”

Walters, with one arm on O'Donnell's shoulder and her hand on O'Donnell's arm: “We were amazed when she said yes and we were thrilled. So let me do it now very formally. Ladies and gentlemen, starting in September, the newest co-host of The View, and we're so lucky to have her: Miss Rosie O'Donnell!” (audience applause)

The two kissed and walked off the stage together as ABC went to a commercial break.