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- [00:00]
Sophia Bush
This is an iHeart podcast guaranteed human
- [00:04]
Advertisement Voice
Xolair Omalizumab is proven to significantly reduce allergic reactions if a food allergy accident happens. Xolair 150mg is a prescription medication used to treat food allergy in people 1 year of age and older. To reduce allergic reactions due to accidental exposure to one or more foods while taking Xolair, you should continue to avoid all foods to which you are allergic to. Don't use if you are allergic to Xolair. Xolair may cause a severe life threatening allergic reaction called anaphylaxis. Tell your doctor if you have ever had anaphylaxis. Get help right away if you have trouble breathing or if you have swelling of your throat or tongue. Xolair should not be used for the emergency treatment of allergic reactions including anaphylaxis. Xolair is for maintenance use to reduce allergic reactions including anaphylaxis while avoiding food allergens. Serious side effects such as cancer, fever, fever, muscle aches and rash, parasitic infection or heart and circulation problems have been reported. Please see xolair.com for full prescribing information. Ask an allergist about Xolair. This is an advertisement for Xolair paid for by Genentech and Novartis.
- [01:14]
Sophia Bush
Choices Aren't they great? It's why Plan B made over the counter emergency contraception legal more than 20 years ago because now you have a backup plan and a choice that's freedom to be. Plan B is the number one OBGYN recommended emergency contraception. It is not an abortion pill. Get it immediately at all major retailers in store or delivery. Use Plan B emergency contraception as directed within 72 hours after unprotected sex. The sooner you take it, the better it works. Everyone deserves access to high quality, affordable healthcare no matter what. And that's why millions of people rely on Planned Parenthood health centers for services like cancer screenings, wellness exams, birth control, STI tests, and much more. In fact, one in three women in the US have been to Planned Parenthood for care. So it kind of blows my mind that lawmakers are trying to permanently shut them down. They already passed a law that blocks patients that use Medicaid from getting the affordable preventative care that they need, and now they want to make that law permanent. Guys, nobody benefits when people are getting fewer exams, paying more for care, or just skipping the health care they need altogether. And we know that is happening. Planned Parenthood health centers have reported that fewer patients are getting basic care like breast exams and STI tests since the Trump administration and their backers defunded Planned Parenthood. This is not okay. Patients shouldn't suffer because of their laws. Our communities all deserve better. To get involved, text the word update to 22422. It's summertime and Aleve is here to keep you on the go. Whether it's planes, trains or automobiles, Aleve's got your back. With up to 12 hours of back pain relief. With just one dose, you will get to your destination and be ready for your next adventure. So pack your sunscreen, your shades, and your al matter where your final stop is. A leave will keep you moving from sunup to sundown. A leave's got your back this summer feel Aleve use as directed for minor aches and pains. Hi, everyone, it's Sophia. Welcome to Work in Progress. Welcome back to Work in Progress. Friends. We have a guest that I am just delighted to host today. She is someone I have looked up to for such a long time, a woman who has never fit in a single box. We are joined today by none other than the iconic Rosie o' Donnell from her incredible career in standup daytime television, film, Broadway activism. No, I didn't geek out on her about A League of Their Own, but, you know, I wanted to. She has built a career defined by being undefinable. She has been a courageous leader on the forefron of social goodness. And in recent years, her bravery and her candor, the things that she's lived with for decades in the public eye have only sharpened. She's expanded her life beyond familiar borders. And I mean that geographically, politically and creatively. And this summer, she is launching here in the US In New York City, a new live one woman show called Common Knowledge that is tapping into every everything that she believes is true and more. It's commentary without filter. It's comedy, storytelling, it's richness about human life. And it's something that is uniquely Rosie o'. Donnell. Today, I get to ask her all about her upbringing, the history and events that shaped her and why she thinks comedy cuts through all the noise. Let's dive in with Rosie o'. Don.
- [05:35]
Rosie O'Donnell
Hi, guys.
- [05:36]
Sophia Bush
We got Rosie o' Donnell on the Pod Stones.
- [05:40]
Rosie O'Donnell
Hello. Hi.
- [05:42]
Sophia Bush
I'm so excited that you're here.
- [05:45]
Rosie O'Donnell
Well, you know, I did some reading on you because my daughter said, oh, oh, my God. Sophia Bush. And I was like, is she related to any of the Bush film?
- [05:58]
Sophia Bush
She's an actress from One Tree Hill,
- [06:00]
Rosie O'Donnell
which I didn't watch. And now I feel horrible that I didn't watch it.
- [06:04]
Sophia Bush
You don't need to feel horrible about it.
- [06:06]
Rosie O'Donnell
Well, I would have liked to have, you know, seen your work, but, you know, apparently everyone says you're really killing it on this podcast thing.
- [06:13]
Sophia Bush
Oh, thank you. I just. I love it. You know, it's. I recently went and got to guest host your old show. I went to hang out with all the ladies on the View.
- [06:24]
Rosie O'Donnell
How was that?
- [06:25]
Sophia Bush
It was so fun. But I. I said. I said, you know, the View and Oprah, like, your shows raised me. And when I think about being able to watch not just women whose work I loved, you know, professionals who, like, do great comedy and great things, but watching you all sit down and have conversations about what matters, you know, you. You really. You're like one of the original users of a platform for good. So I. I have to thank you for.
- [06:57]
Rosie O'Donnell
Very, very nice. Thank you for saying that. I mean, I. I'll tell you, the God's honest truth is that when I was little and my mother was sick, I thought if Barbra Streisand's mother was sick, she would go on the Tonight show with Johnny Carson and ask everyone to send $10, and everyone would. And they'd get $1,000, and they'd get the mother the medicine that they needed. So I knew there was power in celebrity, and to me, there was only one, and it was Barbra Streisand. Right. So if I wanted to be famous at all, it was because of that. Yeah, I wanted to be in the Justice League. I thought when I achieved a level of success and financial something, we would form a Women's Justice League. And it would be like, you know, Gloria Steinem and Oprah and Diane Sawyer and Katie Couric and Maya Angelou and Adela Shabazz. And, you know, and I would join because I would have my own charity and I would do right, and. And we would solve the problems of children in America. You know, that's. That's what I fantasized was going to happen from fame.
- [08:09]
Sophia Bush
I've never heard anybody else talk about even something adjacent to what I thought as a kid. That's so cool.
- [08:18]
Rosie O'Donnell
Yeah.
- [08:18]
Sophia Bush
And I wonder, too, you know, you. You say it, and it's like we had all those women, those examples, and, you know, as much as I know the role can be reductionist in certain senses, we also grew up watching all these First Ladies do good for kids and families. So you kind of figure, oh, when the women get to the upper echelon, that's what they do. They solve things for the women and the Children.
- [08:44]
Rosie O'Donnell
And, and, and, and that was my belief. Like, not just wish. That was my belief that this would all happen. And, you know, I, I have that belief that there's going to be all the women bonding together, all the powerful women bonding together and saying, you know, we've had enough of this.
- [09:08]
Sophia Bush
Yeah.
- [09:09]
Rosie O'Donnell
And this Epstein situation and this, you know, child abuse and this. Listen. Yeah, you're here, America. We don't have the choice to pretend it's not happening.
- [09:23]
Sophia Bush
Right, right. What a surreal thing, too, when you, when you consider the last couple of decades. You watch, you know, we have, we had the historic midterms, and then we, we began to shift the percentages of power in Congress. And you watched a version of the Justice League. Right. The women launched Time's up and the Legal Defense Fund. And look at the backlash. I mean, you look at these fascists. You look at Pete Hegseth's past NPR yesterday saying they're going to take away women's right to vote.
- [09:51]
Rosie O'Donnell
Look at his tattoo.
- [09:53]
Sophia Bush
I know.
- [09:55]
Rosie O'Donnell
Branded himself with that.
- [09:58]
Sophia Bush
Yes.
- [09:59]
Rosie O'Donnell
Okay, America, no more willful blindness.
- [10:02]
Sophia Bush
I know more.
- [10:04]
Rosie O'Donnell
There's trouble at the gates, ladies and gentlemen. Yeah, at the gates. And we're not the border of Mexico. We're talking about the decency gates. They have a leak in them. We need to solve this crisis. And I don't get really, Sophia, I don't get why so little has happened with so much proof.
- [10:26]
Sophia Bush
I know it. That's the part that's crazy to me, because we know. And the, the willfulness, you know, when you think about all the proof in the files. And I went into the Epstein reading room here in New York, we held the saw that it was a fantastic experience and also absolutely just gut wrenching. But you stand in this space and you go like, this is all evidence. And they don't want to believe it. And yet when women say this happens to us, they say we're lying. Oh, what a false accusation will do. Oh, these women. Oh, they. Oh, they ask for too much. You know, we've had one generation of essential equality. Not even total equality, but essential. Like, I was born into at least an era where I was the first generation that didn't have to have a man co sign on my rent or a mortgage, you know, how old are you, honey? I'm 43, so it would have taken me until I was 6 to be able to get a small business loan. So, like, this is why I say essential equality. But it's all rolling back. And I wonder when you think about it, because the Central tenet for you changed the world for women and children. Central tenant for me and you. You spoke about the aha moment when you were little and your mom was sick. And I wonder, I ask everyone who comes on the show to think about themselves around eight or nine years old and I wonder if that, if you got to encounter that little version of yourself, would she see herself in you? Would you see yourself in her? And how close was it to that age that you had your ah, we have to change the world for other kids moment?
- [12:10]
Rosie O'Donnell
The first moment that I remember being undone by was news footage from the Vietnam War, the fall of Saigon. And there was a plane, it was a locked shot and there was a plane that was pushed like this big in the screen and one of those walk upstairs was pushed on and it was jam packed with people. And the reporter's talking and the people are climbing up and an old woman gets kicked or pushed and she falls out of the screen. And I started crying and my father couldn't console me and my feelings always were a little bit too much and. Yeah. And so highly sensitive people, I think in some ways. Right. I saw Alanis Morissette's documentary on that and I thought, I completely relate to that. You know, why does, why do you care? It's not happening to you. Was the common refrain that I always get. This is not happening to you. I, I know it's not. It's happening to somebody to happen to me in order for me to have feelings about it. I know people like that. I've worked with people like that. When there was a story that related to a group that they didn't think was worthy, there would be little if any interest, you know, but somebody similar to them was the only way in. Someone different than them was a no entry zone.
- [13:46]
Sophia Bush
Yeah, it's an immediate closed door.
- [13:49]
Rosie O'Donnell
And I don't think they know it, you know, but, you know, the point is I knew early on that I had to try to do something to help.
- [14:02]
Sophia Bush
Yeah, right.
- [14:03]
Rosie O'Donnell
I wanted my mother had died, but I wanted my father to adopt a Vietnamese baby because it was a plane full of babies that crashed. This is right after my mother died. I'm like in a turmoil, you know. Of course no one's talking about it. And you know, I dreamed of doing Broadway with Barbra Streis. That was my delusion. That got me kind of, you know, out of the. The stuff, you know.
- [14:35]
Sophia Bush
What an incredible thing though, that as a child who was experiencing grief, you immediately related to the grief of others and thought if I can't solve my own. Maybe my own can make space for someone else to have less grief. Maybe we can welcome someone in to this hole we're living with and do some good with it. And the flip side was, and maybe the big way to solve all of it, maybe the Justice League comes from following the thing that makes me the happiest. I could then maybe fill holes for everybody else. That's pretty profound, Rosie.
- [15:15]
Rosie O'Donnell
You know, it's the way my brain works and it's. It's kind of hard because I don't always understand in some ways why people don't see it. Like it. It's beyond my comprehension because of what I do feel innately. I can't believe that people don't see it. Like, I. I don't know. I don't know what to do. Like, I. And I feel at, with every ounce of my being that the only way to heal is to welcome them back because they were lied to by billionaire corporate executives.
- [15:52]
Sophia Bush
Yes.
- [15:53]
Rosie O'Donnell
Go about a man who is now president. That was pure fiction and they sold it as fact. And you believed it. And he's robbing the country and raping and pillaging people metaphorically and physically.
- [16:09]
Sophia Bush
Literally.
- [16:10]
Rosie O'Donnell
Yeah. Evidence to prove it.
- [16:12]
Sophia Bush
Yes.
- [16:12]
Rosie O'Donnell
And he's hiding it from us.
- [16:15]
Sophia Bush
Yes.
- [16:15]
Rosie O'Donnell
And why doesn't everyone see this?
- [16:18]
Sophia Bush
And now a word from our sponsors who make this show possible. This is for those who experience allergic reactions from food, medicine, insects or other allergy triggers. I want to tell you about Nephi, the only needle free epinephrine nasal spray for those who weigh 33 pounds or more. It's used for the emergency treatment of allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis. And Nefi works as well as a needle injector and delivers the same trusted epinephrine in a nasal spray. It's designed to be safe and easy to use at the first sign of symptoms, so in a high stress moment, your child or someone else can act quickly to treat an allergic reaction, even if you're not there. NEFI is also small, discreet, and easy to carry, including in a backpack or a lunchbox or a sports bag, so your child is prepared anywhere the day takes them. You can pay as little as $0 for at least four Nefi devices, two packs through the copay Savings program with commercial insurance if eligible patients should not pay more than $199 for NEFI. If you have medical conditions or take certain medicines, your condition may worsen. So tell your doctor about nasal heart, thyroid or kidney issues, high blood pressure, Parkinson diabetes. If you're pregnant or breastfeeding and any and all medications. Side effects include nasal discomfort, headache, runny nose, shakiness and throat irritation. Those are not all side effects. If your child needs a new epinephrine prescription or refill, don't wait. Ask your doctor about needle free Nephi today. Visit nephi.com that's n F-F-Y.com or call 1-877-my-NEPHI to learn more. Stay safe out there.
- [18:07]
Advertisement Voice
Xolair Omalizumab is proven to significantly reduce allergic reactions if a food allergy accident happens. Xolair 150mg is a prescription medication used to treat food allergy in people 1 year of age and older to reduce allergic reactions due to accidental exposure to one or more foods while taking Xolair, you should continue to avoid all foods to which you are allergic. Don't use if you are allergic to Xolair. Xolair may cause a severe life threatening allergic reaction called anaphylaxis. Tell your doctor if you have ever had anaphylaxis. Get help right away if you have trouble breathing or if you have swelling of your throat or tongue. Xolair should not be used for the emergency treatment of allergic reactions including anaphylaxis. Xolair is for maintenance use to reduce allergic reactions including anaphylaxis while avoiding food allergens. Serious side effects such as cancer, fever, muscle aches and rash, parasitic infection or heart and circulation problems have been reported. Please see xolair.com for full prescribing information. Ask an allergist about Xolair. This is an advertisement for Xolair paid for by Genentech and Novartis Choices Aren't they great?
- [19:19]
Sophia Bush
It's why Plan B made over the counter emergency contraception legal more than 20 years ago because now you have a backup plan and a choice that's freedom to be. Plan B is the number one ob gyn recommended emergency contraception. It is not an abortion pill. Get it immediately at all major retailers in store or delivery. Use Plan B emergency contraception as directed within 72 hours after unprotected sex. The sooner you take it, the better it works. It's that time of year friends. If you didn't get around to a spring cleaning but you are in the midst of a summer clean out. You are refreshing your house, refreshing your pantry, refreshing your beauty goods. Well, you and me both. I am all about changing up routine in the summer and sometimes a refresh can be as simple as amplifying your look with clean beauty from Thrive cosmetics. Every product is 100% vegan, cruelty free, and made with clean ingredients that work with your skin, not against it. And when we use Thrive cosmetics, we're helping others shine too. With over $150 million in product and cash donations to more than 600 giving partners, every purchase fuels real impact. And that is beauty with purpose. One of my summertime go to Thrive products is the Empower matte precision lipstick crayon. It comes in 18 long lasting matte shades so I can go natural, bright or bold. And it always leaves lips looking luscious and fuller. Another staple is the brilliant eye brightener. It's a waterproof eyeshadow highlighter stick that really keeps you looking refreshed. So amplify your everyday. Go to thrivecosmetics.com progress for an exclusive offer of 20 off your first order. That's Thrive Cosmetics. C-A U S E M E T I C S.com progress. Do you think because it's just so obvious and the, the sort of shame that comes with admitting you've been duped is so big that people are doubling down because they can't bear the pain of what they assisted.
- [21:45]
Rosie O'Donnell
Listen, I think we all have to come to that point in some way or another in our own lives, and we can all name that moment right, right now when I, you know, tricked into thinking something was different than it actually was and what was the damage done to it? You know, what's the damage done to our country? There are many metrics which we can look at. None of them are good.
- [22:13]
Sophia Bush
Yeah.
- [22:14]
Rosie O'Donnell
And it's now or never. I feel like, you know, Paul Revere and the, and the boy who cried wolf all at the same time. I know I'm like you people are you not know, you know, when I, when, when I'm doing, I'm doing this one woman show in New York and when, when I rehearse the lines, just sitting by myself at night, my kid in the other room, 13 years old, goes, that's a lie, Mom. I never said that. That is absolutely untrue. You're exaggerating again. I go, I'm just rehearsing. Let me do it. I don't like that you do this show. I don't think you should do it. And I tried to explain, here's how mommy makes a life as an artist. I take the true things that happen and I make something beautiful out of them.
- [23:04]
Sophia Bush
Yeah.
- [23:05]
Rosie O'Donnell
And so what's happened to me in the last dozen years is you. It's been you for a dozen years. Yeah, that's what I've been doing. And so this is about you and me.
- [23:20]
Sophia Bush
Wow.
- [23:20]
Rosie O'Donnell
A good team, kid. But I understand. My other children said the same thing. You know, I told her that. I said your siblings felt the same thing.
- [23:29]
Sophia Bush
Yes.
- [23:29]
Rosie O'Donnell
And it's not like I don't care. I do care. And I don't think it's easy to have a famous mother, especially one who feels the need to tell everyone everything.
- [23:36]
Sophia Bush
Right. But there's something really interesting in that, too. You know, comedy. Comedy cuts through noise and polarity and manages to get everybody in the same room in a way that I don't think anything else does.
- [23:54]
Rosie O'Donnell
I think you're right.
- [23:56]
Sophia Bush
I'm wondering, like, it also takes a certain courage, you know, I can't wait to come see the show, by the way. We'll get. We'll get to the show. But I'm thinking about it, like, you know, I'm a big emotional puddle all the time, and I have a. I have a sense of humor. And when I really get fired up about something, especially politics, people are like, why don't you do comedy? And I'm like, I think I would. I would die. But I can write, you know, very emotional observations. And I'm. I'm coming near the. To the end of writing my first book. And I think about this thing that you're kid is talking about, like, what are you doing? Telling the stories. But when you tell the stories with humor, I don't know, it. It takes all the tension out of the room. Do you think comedy became part of your identity? Because in a big Irish Catholic family, you know, I know because I have them. Like, it's a. It's a noisy household. You got to figure out how to be heard. Or. Or did you find it as a. As a language to sort of give yourself the mic in a world that didn't really want to listen to women, let alone queer women, let alone smart women. God forbid, you're smart and politically opinionated. You know, like, how. How did you find it to get to this point now?
- [25:16]
Rosie O'Donnell
You know, I had so many. You know, I was born in 1962, so I remember Vietnam.
- [25:24]
Sophia Bush
Yeah.
- [25:25]
Rosie O'Donnell
I remember the neighbor, Charlie Kossick, coming back with a hole in his helmet and showing us. Because my mother put a big twin sheet that she wrote welcome Home, Charlie in red paint on, and she hung it from our windows of our bedroom, and we walked over and I'm young. You know, I'm young in this story. And we give Charlie Kasich the steak. Now, we didn't rarely have steak a lot because it was expensive, but we made, my mother made a special dinner and she wasn't a particularly good cook. Very Irish meat and potatoes, not a lot of seasoning, but she brought that over there. So I remember that. I remember the women's movement. I remember getting our bodies ourselves in seventh grade from a math teacher who was a feminist. And you know, I would go to women's bookstores, I would read Gloria Steinem, Ms. Magazine. I subscribed right away to Ms. Magazine. I thought Ms. Was the greatest thing in the world. And you know, when Trump attacked me, I thought, well, watch what happens when the National Organization of Women hears what he just did. And guess what happened. Nothing.
- [26:37]
Sophia Bush
Yeah.
- [26:38]
Rosie O'Donnell
And I was like, no. Are you serious?
- [26:41]
Sophia Bush
Yeah, serious.
- [26:42]
Rosie O'Donnell
This, this joke of a human. You're gonna let him do this to me? Everybody else, like, I, I was like. And he went on shows with, you know, other entertainers, comedians.
- [26:53]
Sophia Bush
Yeah.
- [26:54]
Rosie O'Donnell
He went on those shows and talked to them and you know, haha, isn't that funny? Isn't that funny for 20 years?
- [27:02]
Sophia Bush
It's so crazy to me, Rosie, he's so obsessed with you. Like, he's a theory. I have a theory.
- [27:09]
Rosie O'Donnell
We both grew up in Long Island. He grew up in Queens. I grew up in Comac. I'm, you know, 20 years younger than him. Right. He's 80, I'm 60. I'm 64. He's 80. Whatever he is.
- [27:22]
Sophia Bush
Yeah.
- [27:23]
Rosie O'Donnell
So he grew up with girls like me. Tough, probably gay Irish girls who didn't take from no stupid rich boy wannabe.
- [27:32]
Sophia Bush
Right.
- [27:33]
Rosie O'Donnell
Liar, megalomaniac. No social skills, no empathy, no compassion. I would have told him to his face in third, fourth, fifth grade. And I think when I did it to him, quote unquote on the View, he couldn't believe that I had the balls to attack him.
- [27:51]
Sophia Bush
Yeah.
- [27:51]
Rosie O'Donnell
Because he thinks he is heralded and held up and belongs on Mount Rushmore and, you know, solved 108 wars and is the number one person on Tic Tac. And, you know, Dom has be at the end in it. This is the President of the United States of America. Doesn't understand that he's being tested for dementia. When he brags about acing his cognitive
- [28:16]
Sophia Bush
tests, isn't it crazy?
- [28:18]
Rosie O'Donnell
It's absolutely unbelievable.
- [28:20]
Sophia Bush
It's also wild to me how just childish. He is like my favorite thing, the thing I say now. My, my Trump too. Like, well, there we go. Is constantly like. And another one for he is not smarter than a Fifth grader. Like, he couldn't beat a fifth grader on that game show. And he acts like a kid. He. He's like. He is like the cranky little rich kid in Willy Wonka who can't share his toys.
- [28:43]
Rosie O'Donnell
Exactly.
- [28:44]
Sophia Bush
Even. Even with the Kennedy center, like, they made him take off. I keep. I. I was saying online that, you know, he put his, like, press on name up there, like, press on nails, and they ripped it off. And he's so angry that he put a tarp over the Kennedy Center. And like, I retweet one of the articles I talked about about this man all day, every day. It's what I do.
- [29:00]
Rosie O'Donnell
Here's a question. Why is it still up?
- [29:03]
Sophia Bush
I know.
- [29:04]
Rosie O'Donnell
Are you telling me no person could go and figure out how to take it down? On what authority?
- [29:10]
Sophia Bush
I know.
- [29:11]
Rosie O'Donnell
Block the name of the JFK Performing Arts Center. We can't allow him to call FIFA and change the soccer score. You don't think he thinks he's all powerful now? You FIFA man, you really. What, you gave him that peace award because he didn't get the Nobel? You're, like, as corrupt as he is.
- [29:33]
Sophia Bush
I know. The.
- [29:34]
Rosie O'Donnell
You change and let our guy go in. The best guy in a game where he's supposed to sit out. And you think that's fair and that's not news in America. How shameful it is. And that that man didn't stand up and say, I refuse.
- [29:48]
Sophia Bush
Yeah, I refuse.
- [29:49]
Rosie O'Donnell
Refused to play today because I was given a red card. And those are the rules of the game that I love and I've given my life to.
- [29:56]
Sophia Bush
Yeah, it's pretty crazy. And even the fact that, you know, I did. I did hear. I don't know if I believe it. I don't know what to believe anymore. The news is insane.
- [30:04]
Rosie O'Donnell
That's so true.
- [30:05]
Sophia Bush
But, like, you know, the one of the guys from FIFA got up and was like, listen, first of all, the president can call whoever he wants. It's a completely independent board that reviews this. I have nothing to do with it. I had nothing to do with this. Yada, yada. All the refs made the decision. You know, they said something like, messy, did the same thing. Didn't even get a foul, let alone a red card. Whatever. I don't know. I don't care. What makes me crazy is even the suggestion that he would a. If he's powerless and just wants to take credit. He's, again, he's a petty little boy, which is what I called him on the Internet. And Bright Burke got Very upset with me. And I was like, that's the seventh nicest thing I've called him this week. Like, what are you talking about?
- [30:44]
Rosie O'Donnell
Exactly. Are you kidding me? With all of the things that you could say about this man that I know? That's like a gift.
- [30:51]
Sophia Bush
Exactly. I was like, he is. He can't share. You don't think this is petty? He's. The President of the United States is putting a tarp over the Kennedy Center. Like, what are we doing? But so it's like the thing for me with FIFA is if he's just saying, oh, I did it, and he knows he didn't. He's a child. And if he's saying, I did it and he tried to do it, he's a criminal. Like the fact that we're tolerating, you know, this is. This is the office of Jimmy Carter.
- [31:17]
Rosie O'Donnell
Exactly. Peanut farm. Peanut farm. But go ahead and make a couple billion dollars for you and your corrupt children who stole from a cancer charity. So you don't have the right to have a charity in New York anymore or anyone in your family. How about that President of the United States of America?
- [31:35]
Sophia Bush
They can't operate a charity, but they're launching the meme coins. I mean, it is so, so crazy to me.
- [31:42]
Rosie O'Donnell
Yeah, but why is. Why isn't anyone doing anything? I know, Sophia. Seriously, why?
- [31:48]
Sophia Bush
And that's something I really appreciated about the. The thing Larry David just released. You know, this sort of spoof, talking about, well, don't worry. Even if the guy. Even if somebody like this did get into office, the Congress would do their job. And it's like. But they're not.
- [32:02]
Rosie O'Donnell
But they're not.
- [32:03]
Sophia Bush
You know, they're not.
- [32:04]
Rosie O'Donnell
And history is recording all of it. History is recording all of it. All of you people who stood by him, all of you fans who okayed all of his racist, bigoted, unfair, criminal, crooked behavior, you're all going to go down with him.
- [32:20]
Sophia Bush
Yeah.
- [32:21]
Rosie O'Donnell
And you deserve to.
- [32:23]
Sophia Bush
And now a word from our sponsors. This is for those who experience allergic reactions from food, medicine, insects or other allergy triggers. I want to tell you about Nefi, the only needle free epinephrine nasal spray for those who weigh 33 pounds or more. It's used for the emergency treatment of allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis. And Nefi works as well as a needle injector and delivers the same trusted epinephrine in a nasal spray. It's designed to be safe and easy to use at the first sign of symptoms. So in a high stress moment, your child or someone else can act quickly to treat an allergic reaction even if you're not there. NEFI is also small, discreet and easy to carry, including in a backpack or a lunchbox or a sports bag, so your child is prepared anywhere the day takes them. You can pay as little as $0 for at least four Nefi devices, two packs through the copay Savings Program with commercial insurance if eligible. Patients should not pay more than $199 for NEFI. If you have medical conditions or take certain medicines, your condition may worsen, so tell your doctor about nasal, heart, thyroid or kidney issues, high blood pressure, Parkinson's, diabetes if you're pregnant or breastfeeding and any and all medications. Side effects include nasal discomfort, headache, runny nose, shakiness and throat irritation. Those are not all side effects. If your child needs a new epinephrine prescription or refill, don't wait. Ask your doctor about needle free NEFE today. Visit nefy.com that's n e f-f y.com or call 1-877-my-NEPHIE to learn more. Stay safe out there.
- [34:09]
Advertisement Voice
Xolair Omalizumab is proven to significantly reduce allergic reactions if a food allergy accident happens. Xolair 150mg is a prescription medication used to treat food allergy in people 1 year of age and older to reduce allergic reactions due to accidental exposure to one or more foods. While taking Xolair, you should continue to avoid all foods to which you are allergic. Don't use if you are allergic to Xolair. Xolair may cause a severe, life threatening allergic reaction called anaphylaxis. Tell your doctor if you have ever had anaphylaxis. Get help right away if you have trouble breathing or if you have swelling of your throat or tongue. Xolair should not be used for the emergency treatment of allergic reactions including anaphylaxis. Xolair is for maintenance use to reduce allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, while avoiding food allergens. Serious side effects such as cancer, fever, muscle aches and rash, parasitic infection or heart and circulation problems have been reported. Please see xolair.com for full prescribing information. Ask an allergist about Xolair. This is an advertisement for Xolair paid for by Genentech and Novartis.
- [35:19]
Sophia Bush
Choices Aren't they great? It's why Plan B made over the counter emergency contraception legal more than 20 years ago because now you have a backup plan and a choice. That's freedom to be Plan B is the number one OB GYN recommended emergency contraception. It is not an abortion pill. Get it immediately at all major retailers in store or delivery. Use Plan B emergency contraception as directed within 72 hours after unprotected sex. The sooner you take it, the better it works. Everyone deserves access to high quality, affordable health care no matter what. And that's why millions of people rely on Planned Parenthood health centers for services like cancer screenings, wellness exams, birth control, STI tests, and much more. In fact, one in three women in the US have been to Planned Parenthood for care. So it kind of blows my mind that lawmakers are trying to permanently shut them down. They already passed a law that blocks patients that use Medicaid from getting the affordable preventative care that they need, and now they want to make that law permanent. Guys, nobody benefits when people are getting fewer exams, paying more for care, or just skipping the health care they need altogether. And we know that is happening. Planned Parenthood health centers have reported that fewer patients are getting basic care like breast exams and STI tests since the Trump administration and their backers defunded Planned Parenthood. This is not okay. Patients shouldn't suffer because of their laws. Our communities all deserve better. To get involved, text the word update to 22422. You know what I think makes me crazy is when you consider, you know, put them. Put the morals in column A and go into column B, go into the math. When you think about the way America has grown, has innovated, has boomed with scientific innovation, technological innovation, with, you know, entrepreneurship. When you look at the schism in the economy that began when they started changing all the tax laws for the ultra wealthy and this wealth gap that has widened in our country, the idea that anybody can get ahead here now is a ruse. It's a fallacy. And you see, like, the ultra rich getting so, so rich and people at the bottom remaining there. The cost of living, you know, has increased by 30 to 50% depending on where you live, but minimum wage has not gone up. And. And they're telling you it's because of your neighbor, not because of the ultra wealthy that are literally hoarding the money from everyone else. And that's what's hard for taxes. I know. And that's what's hard for me.
- [38:29]
Rosie O'Donnell
Government subsidies and. Yeah, it's a billionaire Ponzi scheme.
- [38:34]
Sophia Bush
Yeah.
- [38:35]
Rosie O'Donnell
And that's what they're doing.
- [38:36]
Sophia Bush
And Dr. King called that out.
- [38:39]
Rosie O'Donnell
Yes.
- [38:40]
Sophia Bush
You know, we've been talking about this since the 60s.
- [38:43]
Rosie O'Donnell
He was never a successful businessman. They Never could quantify his wealth in order to put him on the Forbes list. And every year he called and complained to them, but they had to, like, announce, well, there's no way to quantify what he says his wealth is.
- [38:58]
Sophia Bush
Yeah, we can't prove it, Grifter.
- [39:00]
Rosie O'Donnell
And, you know, like I said on the View all those years ago, he's like, you know, a snake oil salesman on Little House on the Prairie.
- [39:08]
Sophia Bush
Yeah, that's right.
- [39:10]
Rosie O'Donnell
And it's very hard for people to realize that they fell for it. But it's not your fault. You were fed this lie for 10 years from the Celebrity Apprentice when there was video of who he really is and saying the way things says about minorities. And he hid that, too. Look what he does. Look what he says. Look who he is.
- [39:32]
Sophia Bush
Yeah.
- [39:32]
Rosie O'Donnell
This is the best the United States has to offer.
- [39:35]
Sophia Bush
Does it ever. Because, look, you. You strike me as a person. Well, I know this about you as at least an observer who's always looked up to you and the way you use your platform. But I also know what it's like to be a woman who uses her platform and what comes with it. Have there ever been moments where you are afraid to say something? Or do you think your commitment to telling it like you see it to the truth is bigger than the sum of all your parts?
- [40:08]
Rosie O'Donnell
Totally bigger. Because I was afraid at the Million Mom March, they made me wear a metal vest, a gun vest, whatever. Bulletproof vest. I was scared there.
- [40:21]
Sophia Bush
Yeah.
- [40:23]
Rosie O'Donnell
Where Martin Luther King spoke. I was the host of that. After Columbine. I couldn't believe children were being shot in schools in America.
- [40:33]
Sophia Bush
Yeah.
- [40:33]
Rosie O'Donnell
It was when I had to go on medication. I was having dreams at night that people were in my house with guns and shooting my children, and I would wake up in a cold sweat. And, yeah, I was on my show still and trying to, like, pretend like everything was okay, but I was not okay. And.
- [40:52]
Sophia Bush
Wow.
- [40:53]
Rosie O'Donnell
And then I got medicated. And, you know, I thank God I was medicated when 9, 11 happened. Thank God. And then when Katrina happened.
- [41:03]
Sophia Bush
Yeah.
- [41:04]
Rosie O'Donnell
You know, and world events have a strong undertow for me, one that I'm only learning how to resist because, you know, everyone is just one person. And you may think that this is the right way to do it, but other people have their own way of being in the world. And who am I to say, you have to do it my way? You know, you have to find your tribe, the people who want to do, and inspire you to be better. Like, for me, Mark Ruffalo, I was lucky Enough to work with Mark Ruffalo on an HBO series that we did. And I love him very much, and I'm so proud of him and his advocacy and his using his platform and his voice. And I look up to him tremendously, you know, and Cynthia Nixon, like, there. There are people that I have met and know and love that are the same.
- [42:06]
Sophia Bush
Yeah.
- [42:07]
Rosie O'Donnell
Whether or not you think that's good or bad, that's for you to decide. But to me, it's your responsibility if you've been given so much by this country.
- [42:17]
Sophia Bush
Yeah.
- [42:18]
Rosie O'Donnell
Just stand up and use your voice to say, hold on, people, because we are on a scary slope. And it's not like fascists are at the door. They're in the Supreme Court.
- [42:30]
Sophia Bush
Yeah. They're everywhere.
- [42:31]
Rosie O'Donnell
Okay.
- [42:32]
Sophia Bush
Yeah.
- [42:33]
Rosie O'Donnell
Time to wake up. In case of emergency, break glass. Break the glass. Pull the alarm. It's now. It's now. It's right now. You know, and artists have to do their best to keep creating, to keep being funny, to keep being brave.
- [42:48]
Sophia Bush
Yeah.
- [42:49]
Rosie O'Donnell
Artists, you know, have something to say that people follow and.
- [42:54]
Sophia Bush
Yeah, but you've been brave a long time. I mean, you.
- [42:58]
Rosie O'Donnell
Thank you. Sorry.
- [42:59]
Sophia Bush
It's okay. Even when I think, you know, about the personal. The personal courage, not just using your voice to talk about what's going on in the world, you know, for other people, for community, but with yourself. I mean, you. You spoke. I think the first time you spoke publicly about being gay was 2002. Right. It was in a set.
- [43:21]
Rosie O'Donnell
Yes, it was Diane Sawyer.
- [43:23]
Sophia Bush
Yeah.
- [43:24]
Rosie O'Donnell
It was after 911 is what I remember. And any. Everything changed after 9 11. I was very lucky that 911 happened. And then six months later, I was off. Now, they had asked me at the beginning of the season to resign, but I wouldn't. But they kept making it more and more money, and it was crazy money. Wow. Crazy. And I knew I wanted to go to my kids plays at school, and I knew I wanted to be a participatory mother in a way that my mother didn't get to be. So I said, no, you know, but that was right near where I was driving off the exit, you know, of celebrity dumb. I was like, okay, I'm gonna take a right turn here. You know, I'm gonna see how I can do. And you know, because make no mistake, it's a drug. You know, fame is a drug. And I'm a little bit refamous now. It's weird. That's what my kids are calling it. Mom, you're refamous. And true. Because the times and the perception has changed in the country and I, I can feel it. Yeah, there's a shift. There's been a shift and people are waking up and seeing and now it's just in the doing. So what do we do? Are you telling me that we don't have as many smart, brilliant people on the side of truth that are going to say, this is how you fix this problem? Because this is a problem for America.
- [44:59]
Sophia Bush
I just want to pick Rosie's brain forever. So join us for part two. We'll see you back here soon. Choices. Aren't they great? It's why Plan B made over the counter emergency contraception legal more than 20 years ago because now you have a backup plan and a choice. That's freedom to be. Plan B is the number one OBGYN recommended emergency contraception. It is not an abortion pill. Get it immediately at all major retailers in store or delivery. Use Plan B emergency contraception as directed within 72 hours after unprotected sex. The sooner you take it, the better it works.
- [45:54]
Advertisement Voice
Xolair Omalizumab is proven to significantly reduce allergic reactions if a food allergy accident happens. Xolair, 150mg is a prescription medication used to treat food allergy in people 1 year of age and older to reduce allergic reactions due to accidental exposure to one or more foods. While taking Xolair, you should continue to avoid all foods to which you are allergic. Don't use if you are allergic to Xolair. Xolair may cause a severe, life threatening allergic reaction called anaphylaxis. Tell your doctor if you have ever had anaphylaxis. Get help right away if you have trouble breathing or if you have swelling of your throat or tongue. Xolair should not be used for the emergency treatment of allergic reactions including anaphylaxis. Xolair is for maintenance use to reduce allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, while avoiding food allergens. Serious side effects such as cancer, fever, muscle aches and rash, parasitic infection, or heart and circulation problems have been reported. Please see xolair.com for full prescribing information. Ask an allergist about Xolair. This is an advertisement for Xolair paid for by Genentech and Novartis.
- [47:04]
Sophia Bush
Everyone deserves access to high quality, affordable healthcare, no matter what. And that's why millions of people rely on Planned Parenthood health centers for services like cancer screenings, wellness exams, birth control, STI tests, and much more. In fact, one in three women in the US have been to Planned Parenthood for Care. So it kind of blows my mind that lawmakers are trying to permanently shut them down. They already passed a law that blocks patients that use Medicaid from getting the affordable preventative care that they need, and now they want to make that law permanent. Guys, nobody benefits when people are getting fewer exams, paying more for care, or just skipping the health care they need altogether. And we know that is happening. Planned Parenthood health centers have reported that fewer patients are getting basic care like breast exams and STI tests since the Trump administration and their backers defunded Planned Parenthood. This is not okay. Patients shouldn't suffer because of their loss. Our communities all deserve better to get involved Text the word update to 22422
- [48:21]
Rosie O'Donnell
he's dribbling the ball with everything on the line. He's driving down the pitch. He's facing price hikes and cuts past him. Carrier contracts tries to block him.
- [48:27]
Sophia Bush
Oh, he leaves him in the dust.
- [48:28]
Rosie O'Donnell
He's at the edge of the box. He cuts past the non stop group chat trash talk. He clears on goal. He shoots. Go unlimited data for $25 a month forever.
- [48:39]
Sophia Bush
Visit your local Boost Mobile store today to get unlimited data with a price that never changes. Boost mobile after 30gb, customers may experience lower speeds. Customers will pay $25 a month as
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Rosie O'Donnell
long as they remain active on the Boost $25 Unlimited plan. This is an iHeart podcast.
- [48:54]
Sophia Bush
Guaranteed human.