O'Donnell Alleges The View 2007 Confrontation Was Staged

Rosie O'Donnell said that the explosive on-air confrontation she had with cohost Elisabeth Hasselbeck on The View in May 2007 was staged by the show's producers, alleging on the RickiLee, Tim Joel radio program that the clash was orchestrated rather than spontaneous. The argument, which unfolded live during a debate over U.S. involvement in Iraq and was shown in a now-notable split-screen, ended with O'Donnell leaving the set and later seeking to end her contract with the program.

O'Donnell recounted that the split-screen and production choices were planned, pointing to the show's late producer Bill Geddie as someone who would not have improvised such a move. "Our producer is not an on-the-fly kind of guy. He wasn't Mister like, 'Let's go to the split-screen.' That was prepared," she said. "So, the whole thing, I think, was a setup," she added.

The 2007 exchange became widely remembered for its intensity. During the segment, O'Donnell accused Hasselbeck of failing to defend her when media reports suggested O'Donnell had called U.S. troops terrorists. Hasselbeck responded sharply on air while the program altered its presentation to show the two women side by side. O'Donnell told...