Rosie O'Donnell

Underneath Susan Boyle's frumpy frock and frizzy curls, Rosie O'Donnell sees a giant green ogre — "Shrek comes to life," in the words of the actress and former talk-show host.

Don't start with the pot-calling-the-kettle-black comments yet. The outspoken comedienne ...
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Ro wrote in her blog, "there will b no more," responding to one fan's inquiry as to the possibility of follow-up variety shows in 2009. Alluding to "no ratings" and "bad reviews" ... read more 51 Comments

Herewith is the ratings recap for Wednesday. (In a nutshell: Lotsa people were busy cooking.)

8 pm/ET
Bones topped the hour with 9.76 million total viewers (down nine percent week-to-week). Placing second, Old Christine (7.6 mil) and Gary Unmarried (7.72 mil) each dipped about 500 thousand.

Rosie O'Donnell's variety special — which by several accounts was disappointing/excruciating — drummed up just 5.04 mil, effectively giving Ro's arch rival, Barbara Walters, bragging rights for the night (see: 10 pm). It also goes to prove that little good ever came from trumpeting, "Ladies and gentleman, Gloria Estefan... and Rachael Ray!" Pushing Daisies dropped another eight percent, to hit 4.45 mil.

9 pm
Criminal Minds (14 million viewers) and Private Practice (6.22 mil, and yes, Grant Show will be back) each fell 13 percent.

10 pm
CSI: NY (12.16 mil) edged out Barbara Walters' non-dirty, non-sexy sit-down with the Obamas (11.65 mil). Law & Order was a distant third, with 6.26 mil.

There will be no ratings report for Thursday night. Many apologies to those who woke up this morning anxious to know if Click beat this week's second broadcast of A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving.

If the TV variety format weren't already dead, the ghastly ego trip of NBC's Thanksgiving-eve turkey Rosie Live would surely have killed it. Like the pie Alec Baldwin predictably pushed into Conan O'Brien's face that fell to the floor without sticking, the entire hour landed with a sickening, sad, ill-conceived thud. It felt like an off night at America's Got Talent, bookended by wobbly appearances from Liza Minnelli and Gloria Estefan, each forced to perform with the caterwauling host, Rosie O'Donnell.

The low point? There were so many ... read more 106 Comments