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Celebrity Detox
Sometimes funny, sometimes heartbreaking, and always brutally honest, this is Rosie O'Donnell's surprising account of the pain, regret, and euphoria involved in withdrawing from celebrity life--and the terrifying dangers of relapsing into the spotlight.
CELEBRITY DETOX is Rosie's story of the years after she walked away from her top-rated TV show in 2002, and her reasons for going back on the air in 2006. In it, she takes you inside the world of talk show TV, speaking candidly about the conflicts and challenges she faced as cohost on ABC's The View. Along the way Rosie shows us how fame becomes addiction and explores whether or not it's possible for an addict to safely, and sanely, return to the spotlight.
Chronicling the ups and downs of "the fame game," Rosie O'Donnell illuminates not only what it's like to be a celebrity, but also what it's like to be a mother, a daughter, a leader, a friend, a sister, a wife...in short, a human being.
CELEBRITY DETOX is Rosie's story of the years after she walked away from her top-rated TV show in 2002, and her reasons for going back on the air in 2006. In it, she takes you inside the world of talk show TV, speaking candidly about the conflicts and challenges she faced as cohost on ABC's The View. Along the way Rosie shows us how fame becomes addiction and explores whether or not it's possible for an addict to safely, and sanely, return to the spotlight.
Chronicling the ups and downs of "the fame game," Rosie O'Donnell illuminates not only what it's like to be a celebrity, but also what it's like to be a mother, a daughter, a leader, a friend, a sister, a wife...in short, a human being.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published September 28, 2004
47 people are currently reading
400 people want to read
About the author
Rosie O'Donnell
23 books28 followersRoseann "Rosie" O'Donnell is an eleven-time Emmy Award-winning American comedian, television talk show host, author, and film, television, and stage actress. She has also been magazine editor and continues to be a celebrity blogger, LGBT civil rights activist, television producer and collaborative partner in the LGBT family vacation company R Family Vacations.
Raised Irish Catholic, O'Donnell lost her mother to cancer as a pre-teen and has consistently stressed values of protecting children and supporting families throughout her career. O'Donnell started her comedy career while still a teenager and her big break was on the talent show Star Search. A TV sitcom and a series of movies introduced the comic to a wider audience and in 1996 she started hosting The Rosie O'Donnell Show which won multiple Emmy awards.
During her years on The Rosie O'Donnell Show she wrote her first book, a memoir called Find Me and developed a reputation for being "the queen of nice" as well as a reputation for charitable philanthropy. She used the book's $3 million advance to establish her own For All Kids foundation and promoted numerous other charity schemes and projects encouraging other celebrities on her show to also take part. O'Donnell came out officially as a "dyke" two months before finishing her talk show run, she cited her primary reason was to bring attention to gay adoption issues. O'Donnell is a foster — and adoptive — mother. She has since continued to support many LGBT causes and issues.
In 2006 O'Donnell became the new moderator on The View boosting ratings and attracting controversies with her more liberal views and strong personality arguably dominating many of the conversations. She became a polarizing figure to many conservatives and her strong opinions resulted in several notable controversies including an on-air dispute regarding The Bush administration's policies with the war in Iraq resulting in her pre-maturely ending her contract. In 2007 O'Donnell also released her second memoir, Celebrity Detox, which focuses on her struggles with fame and her time at The View. She continues to do charity work and remains focused on LGBT and family-related issues.
Raised Irish Catholic, O'Donnell lost her mother to cancer as a pre-teen and has consistently stressed values of protecting children and supporting families throughout her career. O'Donnell started her comedy career while still a teenager and her big break was on the talent show Star Search. A TV sitcom and a series of movies introduced the comic to a wider audience and in 1996 she started hosting The Rosie O'Donnell Show which won multiple Emmy awards.
During her years on The Rosie O'Donnell Show she wrote her first book, a memoir called Find Me and developed a reputation for being "the queen of nice" as well as a reputation for charitable philanthropy. She used the book's $3 million advance to establish her own For All Kids foundation and promoted numerous other charity schemes and projects encouraging other celebrities on her show to also take part. O'Donnell came out officially as a "dyke" two months before finishing her talk show run, she cited her primary reason was to bring attention to gay adoption issues. O'Donnell is a foster — and adoptive — mother. She has since continued to support many LGBT causes and issues.
In 2006 O'Donnell became the new moderator on The View boosting ratings and attracting controversies with her more liberal views and strong personality arguably dominating many of the conversations. She became a polarizing figure to many conservatives and her strong opinions resulted in several notable controversies including an on-air dispute regarding The Bush administration's policies with the war in Iraq resulting in her pre-maturely ending her contract. In 2007 O'Donnell also released her second memoir, Celebrity Detox, which focuses on her struggles with fame and her time at The View. She continues to do charity work and remains focused on LGBT and family-related issues.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 213 reviews
September 28, 2018
Shit guys, this one is absolutely riveting. Someone, make a cool 'lil Hollywood script out of this one, stat!
The book was read in one sitting; it was so enticing that the kids I was "babysitting" actually put them damn selves to bed. Lucky! This thing is amazing... the feud of Rosannie O'Donnell v. The View, Rosie O'Donnell v. the Trump, Ro-Ro O'Dell v. the world--it's one of a kind, folks. The characters are exquisitely portrayed, her views are so valiantly defended. This was a thriller, memoir, psych study... the WORKS. &, for all those hellamegamega rich, the last pages are just one big "F-U"!!! The insight here is truly brilliant. I have a deep respect for her... & for a hater, trust me, that's really truly sayin' something.
The book was read in one sitting; it was so enticing that the kids I was "babysitting" actually put them damn selves to bed. Lucky! This thing is amazing... the feud of Rosannie O'Donnell v. The View, Rosie O'Donnell v. the Trump, Ro-Ro O'Dell v. the world--it's one of a kind, folks. The characters are exquisitely portrayed, her views are so valiantly defended. This was a thriller, memoir, psych study... the WORKS. &, for all those hellamegamega rich, the last pages are just one big "F-U"!!! The insight here is truly brilliant. I have a deep respect for her... & for a hater, trust me, that's really truly sayin' something.
August 9, 2018
I enjoyed this memoir. Rose O'Donnell is hilarious, caring, straightforward, a talented actress, and hostess. I see through uncensored speech, to a warm person with strong emotions. There are varied impressions of what makes a good book and as a writer, I pay attention. Creative, intelligent writing can miss the mark if protagonists or contents don't resonate with you. Conversely, great characters, plots, and settings can be hindered by their writing. It doesn't take fast-paced chases, nor poetic flair, to carry an audience, either. The key is keeping a reader's interest.
Not planning to read this anytime soon, I glanced at the first line. I kept going and found myself unable to help it. That's the mark of a good book. Public opinion is irrelevant, as you learn the perspective of this person. You feel Rosie's bewilderment about the lack of freedom on the show "The View", who wanted on-air hostesses beholden to an ear-piece for receiving directions. She defended true artistry, by declining the ear-piece and 'winging it'; the way live television used to be handled. A professional can take cues about commercial breaks and timing, without feeds from a control room. There is no art in being told what to say.
Rosie was frank about declining $50 million to continue her original talk show, which speaks to her prioritization of motherhood. She shares the awe of celebrity, knowing what it's like to be outside looking in; such as Barbara Walters's swanky apartment. Directly addressing us in this book, it unravels in sequence, harkening back to earlier times to illustrate what these events meant to her. I say three stars because this isn't the most electric content there could be. It is a well-done memoir of a period in the public eye, of some celebrity turmoil that many recall.
Not planning to read this anytime soon, I glanced at the first line. I kept going and found myself unable to help it. That's the mark of a good book. Public opinion is irrelevant, as you learn the perspective of this person. You feel Rosie's bewilderment about the lack of freedom on the show "The View", who wanted on-air hostesses beholden to an ear-piece for receiving directions. She defended true artistry, by declining the ear-piece and 'winging it'; the way live television used to be handled. A professional can take cues about commercial breaks and timing, without feeds from a control room. There is no art in being told what to say.
Rosie was frank about declining $50 million to continue her original talk show, which speaks to her prioritization of motherhood. She shares the awe of celebrity, knowing what it's like to be outside looking in; such as Barbara Walters's swanky apartment. Directly addressing us in this book, it unravels in sequence, harkening back to earlier times to illustrate what these events meant to her. I say three stars because this isn't the most electric content there could be. It is a well-done memoir of a period in the public eye, of some celebrity turmoil that many recall.
October 26, 2007
As a watcher of "The View", this was a guilty pleasure. Or at least I thought it would be a pleasure. It was not. Rosie O'Donnell is interested in making us see how her mind works. It is not pretty. Her logic, to me, is meandering and contradictory. She wants us to make sense of the senseless. She doesn't know what she thinks or wants herself, so her pages come off as jibberish written in a journal in order to sort out her thoughts. Most people don't have an audience when they do this. If not for the celebrity she eschews, she would be better off not having an audience for this either. I'm ashamed of myself for wasting my time on this when my to-read list is vast and filled with what I hope are more gratifying books. I've read notes by people on acid that were more lucid. And, really, who cares? Most annoying are the constant diatribes about Barbara Streisand which are beyond wearying. Forget about canonizing Sister Teresa for sainthood when there is Barbara Streisand! Skip it. Really.
January 7, 2008
Rosie does a brilliant job with this book, touching from subject to subject. It flows together so nicely afterward you feel like you just sat down and had a cup of coffee with her and she related these stories to you in conversation. She makes celebritydom a reality, and not just a fantasy. She shows the good and the bad. She expresses things I've wanted to express and never found the words for. I did a lot of highlighting in this book. She is definitely one of the most down-to-earth people who has ever made it to television. Through all the chaos, judgements, media frenzies, she's managed to keep hold of what matters. I adore her in everything she does, and this book only confirmed that for me.
January 18, 2014
I didn't know what to expect from this one. At first, I thought it might be funny but that's not the type of book that this is. Then, she went into the craziness that was her stint on The View interspersed with scenes from her home life now and when she was younger. There was a lot more angst and anger than I thought there was going to be. She also puts in some poetry from her online blog and delves a bit into her, now infamous, feud with Donald Trump (remember that? I'd completely forgotten about it!). Overall, I rather enjoyed it. It seemed to be a cross between Carrie Fisher's Shockaholic (about the pitfalls of fame and addiction) and Whoopie Goldberg's Is it just me or is it nuts out there? (Her opinion on everything under the sun).
October 28, 2007
I so wanted to give Rosie the benefit of the doubt. I used to be a huge fan of hers. This book was simply not well written, or even really readable. There wasn't anything even all that interesting in it. I was expecting more details, more information about her time on The View or her decision to leave . . . more . . . well . . . something . . . .
February 7, 2017
I flew through Rosie O'Donnell's book "Celebrity Detox." I read 90% of it yesterday and finished it today.
She decided to decline fifty million dollars and quit her talk show.
She wanted to spend time with family.
She knew she had enough, and needed balance.
And she even started a business with cruises for gay families.
The book talks a lot about her experiences in a year working for "The View."
I understand very well now why she isn't in the public spotlight.
And hearing her side of her ridiculousness with Donald Trump, makes me wonder even more if he can be an effective president.
To be all up in a tizzy from a six minute segment on the View, which I found through the magic of YouTube is so incredibly sad. I have no idea how someone who gets all riled up from this can deal with the challenges of being President of the United States.
It's a very good book, a super fast read and I am so happy Rosie O'Donnell found balance in her life. May we all learn to have enough.
She decided to decline fifty million dollars and quit her talk show.
She wanted to spend time with family.
She knew she had enough, and needed balance.
And she even started a business with cruises for gay families.
The book talks a lot about her experiences in a year working for "The View."
I understand very well now why she isn't in the public spotlight.
And hearing her side of her ridiculousness with Donald Trump, makes me wonder even more if he can be an effective president.
To be all up in a tizzy from a six minute segment on the View, which I found through the magic of YouTube is so incredibly sad. I have no idea how someone who gets all riled up from this can deal with the challenges of being President of the United States.
It's a very good book, a super fast read and I am so happy Rosie O'Donnell found balance in her life. May we all learn to have enough.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 6, 2018
Did I really think this would be a great read? No. But I have been basically doing everything I can to avoid reading the book I am actually reading Lie Down in Darkness by William Styron. I just can't get into that book. Several people I know LOVE that book and HIGHLY recommend it so I will persevere in reading it albeit with a few short fluff reads in between.
I decided to read this book after catching the Oprah episode where she was interviewing Barbara Walters. Egads. Can Barbara Walters have tanked anymore in my estimation? But that is another book review for another time. But on Oprah...Barbara Walters kept referring to this book written by Rosie shortly after she quit her gig on The View (a show I absolutely loathe). Barbara felt that it was filled with anger toward her and The View.
Now it was a total fluke that I just happened to catch the infamous political fight between Rosie and Elisabeth Hasslebeck. It annoys me that there is only one conservative on that show and that the one conservative is Elisabeth who although likable is sometime not the most eloquent. She gets flustered, she gets cornered, and then she gives up trying to get a word in edgewise. She reminds me of myself discussing politics or religion with my Uncle Steve. Now the day of this infamous fight she actually was standing up to Rosie and the rest of the ladies (and I use that term loosely) on the View. I was mesmerized. I rejoiced. I cheered her on. The result: Rosie left the show in a huff a few weeks early and didn't renew her contract. No loss there.
Once upon a time I actually liked Rosie O'Donnell. I was a brand new mom at home and wondering what the heck I was doing trying to take care of a baby and the Rosie O'Donnell show at 11 am was a bright spot in my day. Now...I'm no Rosie fan. We differ on too many things..important things. Politics being the biggest.
But I was curious as to what her take was on the whole debacle at The View. This whole book is hyped up to be all about her time on The View and what lead up to the "big fight". So I decided to give it a read.
BORING!! BORING!! BORING!! It was all about her love of Barbra Streisand, her pain of losing her mother at a young age, and her hope that Barbara Walters would take her mother's place, and her feud with Donald Trump (raging loser). The only parts that I felt any kind of connection to were the parts about her mother. Very sad. As a mother and as a woman who has been blessed to grow up with a mother those parts were truly heart-breaking. But the rest. Pure crap.
The whole book seems to be building up to the fight with Elisabeth. Rosie's take on the fight...nothing. She says not one word about the whole incident. Bait and switch.
My View: SKIP IT...It's a dud.
I decided to read this book after catching the Oprah episode where she was interviewing Barbara Walters. Egads. Can Barbara Walters have tanked anymore in my estimation? But that is another book review for another time. But on Oprah...Barbara Walters kept referring to this book written by Rosie shortly after she quit her gig on The View (a show I absolutely loathe). Barbara felt that it was filled with anger toward her and The View.
Now it was a total fluke that I just happened to catch the infamous political fight between Rosie and Elisabeth Hasslebeck. It annoys me that there is only one conservative on that show and that the one conservative is Elisabeth who although likable is sometime not the most eloquent. She gets flustered, she gets cornered, and then she gives up trying to get a word in edgewise. She reminds me of myself discussing politics or religion with my Uncle Steve. Now the day of this infamous fight she actually was standing up to Rosie and the rest of the ladies (and I use that term loosely) on the View. I was mesmerized. I rejoiced. I cheered her on. The result: Rosie left the show in a huff a few weeks early and didn't renew her contract. No loss there.
Once upon a time I actually liked Rosie O'Donnell. I was a brand new mom at home and wondering what the heck I was doing trying to take care of a baby and the Rosie O'Donnell show at 11 am was a bright spot in my day. Now...I'm no Rosie fan. We differ on too many things..important things. Politics being the biggest.
But I was curious as to what her take was on the whole debacle at The View. This whole book is hyped up to be all about her time on The View and what lead up to the "big fight". So I decided to give it a read.
BORING!! BORING!! BORING!! It was all about her love of Barbra Streisand, her pain of losing her mother at a young age, and her hope that Barbara Walters would take her mother's place, and her feud with Donald Trump (raging loser). The only parts that I felt any kind of connection to were the parts about her mother. Very sad. As a mother and as a woman who has been blessed to grow up with a mother those parts were truly heart-breaking. But the rest. Pure crap.
The whole book seems to be building up to the fight with Elisabeth. Rosie's take on the fight...nothing. She says not one word about the whole incident. Bait and switch.
My View: SKIP IT...It's a dud.
January 17, 2016
Can I give a book less than one star? I read this in just under 4 hours. It was a short, poorly written piece of nonsensical blather about essentially 3 main Rosie themes - (a) Rosie continuously thinks and acts like a spoiled 3 year old despite the fact that she is late 30s something mother of 4. As the Psychological community would say, she is "all id". She claims to want to shake up the entertainment industry and make a difference but all she really succeeds in doing is making an ass of herself. God help her kids. We'll be reading their memoirs in 30 years I'm sure. (b) She is so blindly jealous of Barbara Walters' success and poise (I'm not a big BaBa WaWa fan but she comes off as a shining star and taker of the high road in this book) that Rosie routinely embarrasses herself over and over throughout her love/hate "Barbara" diatribes and (c)Barbara Streisand should drop whatever she's doing and run for cover. How twisted and scary is the hero (heroine) worship here? The book read over and over like an homage to the Church of Streisand (of whom I am a big fan and now wish I had not read this book since I had no idea Rosie wanted to drink Bab's bathwater - ick.) Don't bother with this one. It was a huge waste of time.
November 5, 2007
I liked Rosie from The View. I wanted to really like the book. It made her seem really nutty. I think it reflects on her poorly- like she really needs a lot of therapy. But, it is a good insight as to what went on behind the scenes at The View. I watch the show every day, so I liked that aspect of the book.
March 31, 2012
review to come...
May 7, 2023
Oh my God this is the biggest piece of crap I have ever read. "Oh no! I am just tTOO famous"! Boo hoo! This is a terrible book!
April 18, 2022
A pleasant surprise.
I remember when this book first came out. I almost bought it, but since I do not have much in common with the author (I'm a man, never saw her own show, never saw 'The View', don't like Broadway, don't like Barbra Streisand, etc.), I never did. This book kept popping up on my NOOK, so I finally downloaded it. A really great book. The author says a lot with (sometimes) not saying too much at all. I totally picked up about "the man climbing the tree", as well as other things she said in somewhat opaque terms. I'm glad she struck gold meeting Barbra Steisand, but the old saying " Never meet your idols" is prob true more often that it isn't and I think this is what happened when she met Barbara Walters. The author also calls out her own hypocrisy in regards to fame and money. She's 1000 percent honest. Five *****'s. 😁
I remember when this book first came out. I almost bought it, but since I do not have much in common with the author (I'm a man, never saw her own show, never saw 'The View', don't like Broadway, don't like Barbra Streisand, etc.), I never did. This book kept popping up on my NOOK, so I finally downloaded it. A really great book. The author says a lot with (sometimes) not saying too much at all. I totally picked up about "the man climbing the tree", as well as other things she said in somewhat opaque terms. I'm glad she struck gold meeting Barbra Steisand, but the old saying " Never meet your idols" is prob true more often that it isn't and I think this is what happened when she met Barbara Walters. The author also calls out her own hypocrisy in regards to fame and money. She's 1000 percent honest. Five *****'s. 😁
May 14, 2020
Rosie in all her glory
If you love Rosie, you’ll enjoy this book. If not, then you’ll hate it. I’ve always been fascinated with Rosie. I think a lot of it, is because I can relate to her. I lost my mom at seven. I’m a gay man. I have my insecurities and can be a fire ball. This is all Rosie 100% and speaks about where she was in her life. Her adoration for Barbara is very much like mine for Mariah Carey. I loved how real Rosie is, and despite her fame and success, she still is grounded and a wonderful person. I have memories of watching her show with my mother, and seeing her on tv all the time. I wish she’d come back to live tv.
If you love Rosie, you’ll enjoy this book. If not, then you’ll hate it. I’ve always been fascinated with Rosie. I think a lot of it, is because I can relate to her. I lost my mom at seven. I’m a gay man. I have my insecurities and can be a fire ball. This is all Rosie 100% and speaks about where she was in her life. Her adoration for Barbara is very much like mine for Mariah Carey. I loved how real Rosie is, and despite her fame and success, she still is grounded and a wonderful person. I have memories of watching her show with my mother, and seeing her on tv all the time. I wish she’d come back to live tv.
November 16, 2020
I was a fan of the Rosie O'Donnell show back in the day. I'm talking 90's-00's era. I loved what voice acting in animations that I've seen of hers, and I loved her acting that I've seen her do. This book was about her time on the View and I was a bit lost because I've never watched the View. That didn't stop me from enjoying the experiance of the read though. No, this wasn't formatted like a "normal" memoir, but that's what I love about it. It was a sort of conversation rather than a telling. Formal memoirs are hard for me to get into, which is why I love ones like this.
May 22, 2017
I like that Rosie is a tell it like it is kinda girl & she genuinely cares about people and the important things in life (wars, global warming, and family). Although there was entirely too much emphasis on Barbara Streisand's influence throughout Rosie's life. Would have probably given it a higher rating if the blog posts were omitted and there were more content about Rosie and less Streisand.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 21, 2021
I have always admired Rosie and this book is a slice of her life. I appreciate her willingness to share a little of her celebrity life with the rest of us and was sad to hear how fame affects people. Her time on the view was interesting and knowing what was going on behind the scenes makes it more so. I wish Rosie nothing but the best as she moves on with her regular life.
April 4, 2019
Right From the Gut!
Blyreply: I admired the depth of this very well-written book and the gut-wrenching openness of the author in writing it. Five stars for letting us so intimately share her experiences and, as a result, hope to hear so much more from her in the future.
Blyreply: I admired the depth of this very well-written book and the gut-wrenching openness of the author in writing it. Five stars for letting us so intimately share her experiences and, as a result, hope to hear so much more from her in the future.
October 3, 2018
Ok, not what I expected.
March 22, 2019
This bio covers her thoughts during so much of what we consider her scandalous past. It’s good and feels honest.
June 19, 2024
It's just the ramblings,incoherent, disjointed thoughts of a woman.
Rosie O'Donnell comes across as an ingrate person who was given a great job opportunity,was hired to do her job and she didn't.
Rosie O'Donnell comes across as an ingrate person who was given a great job opportunity,was hired to do her job and she didn't.
July 8, 2024
Wanted More!
I loved the book but I expected to read about all the controversy behind the scenes. Including the ones with Elizabeth which aren’t mentioned.
I loved the book but I expected to read about all the controversy behind the scenes. Including the ones with Elizabeth which aren’t mentioned.
March 29, 2025
This book was all over the place. Made me feel like I was in Rosie’s mental spiral.
April 11, 2021
Her job at "The View". Remembering when there was a "view" and not just some ladies screaming their hatred of anyone not aligned with their view.
Not bad. Rosie and Barbara will never be of the same world.
Why did I read this twice: 2012 and 2007?
Not bad. Rosie and Barbara will never be of the same world.
Why did I read this twice: 2012 and 2007?
August 28, 2023
This was depressing and I have no idea why.
June 25, 2014
I really want to like Rosie O’Donnell. She’s an outspoken, intelligent woman who doesn’t seem to care what others think, and I admire those traits. However, after reading this book, I’m not really sure what to make of her, or her sanity.
“Celebrity Detox: The Fame Game” is Rosie’s first-hand account of her life between when she quit her own talk show to just after she finished her one-year contract doing Barbara Walters’ talk show “The View.”
At times incoherent, always jumping from thought to thought, Rosie loosely follows a timeline that begins with one of her childhood idols, Barbara Walters inviting her to her home and asking her to co-host “The View” and ends with having just wrapped up her last show with Walters and the rest of “The View” ladies.
Rosie talks about how her mother dying at such an early age has shaped her life, making Rosie believe that if she had celebrity she would be loved, and also making her search for surrogate mothers even in adulthood. Rosie talks about how Walters was her surrogate mother for a while, yet it’s difficult to tell if at the end of the book Rosie still worships Barbara, or hates her. What a fine line it seems to be with Rosie.
Rosie also talks about her relationship with her other childhood idol, Barbra Streisand, and the documentary Rosie was making about Streisand, and a few of the personal experiences she’s had with Streisand.
Yellow is Rosie’s utopia. If life is perfect, she is yellow. When she’s stressed out, she can’t find her yellow. Rosie had her yellow by meeting Barbara Walters, but by the time she wrapped her year-long stint with “The View” Rosie couldn’t find her yellow anywhere.
Yellow includes spending time with her four children, her partner Kelli, painting, crafting and reading; but not celebrity and the fame it brings, according to Rosie. She says she would give it all back in a heartbeat, then in the next breath says that’s not true, because while she has all the money anyone could ever need, she knows that if she didn’t have it she would not be able to have the luxury to chase her yellow.
Blog entries are interspersed among the story telling, making it even more difficult to discern the story at times. Rosie’s blog and her free flowing thoughts and impressions have all gotten her into trouble at times.
Rosie talks about a few issues where she was in hot water due to something she said or did while on “The View” and this book almost seems like a vehicle for her to defend herself in these situations.
Overall, I get the idea that Rosie wants to be a stay-at-home mom who is able to drop off and pick up her kids at school. During the day she would hole up in her crafts room and create. At night, she would spend dinnertime, then storytime and bedtime with her family. She would never turn on a television. She would travel more. She wouldn’t want to be recognized out and about, wouldn’t care if no one noticed her ever again.
However, this is not the path she has chosen to take.
Written with a bitterness that she may regret years from now, she both loves and hates the people she worked with on “The View” and feels the same about her own celebrity.
And she apparently has a very difficult time organizing her thoughts, although she has no difficulty with expressing them.
“Celebrity Detox: The Fame Game” is Rosie’s first-hand account of her life between when she quit her own talk show to just after she finished her one-year contract doing Barbara Walters’ talk show “The View.”
At times incoherent, always jumping from thought to thought, Rosie loosely follows a timeline that begins with one of her childhood idols, Barbara Walters inviting her to her home and asking her to co-host “The View” and ends with having just wrapped up her last show with Walters and the rest of “The View” ladies.
Rosie talks about how her mother dying at such an early age has shaped her life, making Rosie believe that if she had celebrity she would be loved, and also making her search for surrogate mothers even in adulthood. Rosie talks about how Walters was her surrogate mother for a while, yet it’s difficult to tell if at the end of the book Rosie still worships Barbara, or hates her. What a fine line it seems to be with Rosie.
Rosie also talks about her relationship with her other childhood idol, Barbra Streisand, and the documentary Rosie was making about Streisand, and a few of the personal experiences she’s had with Streisand.
Yellow is Rosie’s utopia. If life is perfect, she is yellow. When she’s stressed out, she can’t find her yellow. Rosie had her yellow by meeting Barbara Walters, but by the time she wrapped her year-long stint with “The View” Rosie couldn’t find her yellow anywhere.
Yellow includes spending time with her four children, her partner Kelli, painting, crafting and reading; but not celebrity and the fame it brings, according to Rosie. She says she would give it all back in a heartbeat, then in the next breath says that’s not true, because while she has all the money anyone could ever need, she knows that if she didn’t have it she would not be able to have the luxury to chase her yellow.
Blog entries are interspersed among the story telling, making it even more difficult to discern the story at times. Rosie’s blog and her free flowing thoughts and impressions have all gotten her into trouble at times.
Rosie talks about a few issues where she was in hot water due to something she said or did while on “The View” and this book almost seems like a vehicle for her to defend herself in these situations.
Overall, I get the idea that Rosie wants to be a stay-at-home mom who is able to drop off and pick up her kids at school. During the day she would hole up in her crafts room and create. At night, she would spend dinnertime, then storytime and bedtime with her family. She would never turn on a television. She would travel more. She wouldn’t want to be recognized out and about, wouldn’t care if no one noticed her ever again.
However, this is not the path she has chosen to take.
Written with a bitterness that she may regret years from now, she both loves and hates the people she worked with on “The View” and feels the same about her own celebrity.
And she apparently has a very difficult time organizing her thoughts, although she has no difficulty with expressing them.
April 10, 2009
From dust jacket:
"That's the thing about fame. If you live like a famous person, you will pay the price. And it's a high price, and a dangerous game, because fame, the drug, can sneak up on you in increments. You don't notice the increments, that they're increasing, until you're so far away from ever making eye contact with another human being and being 'real' that you don't even know you're not 'real' anymore.
When Rosie O'Donnell's mother was diagnosed with cancer in 1973, ten-year-old Rosie believed that fame could cure her. Though she was still a kid, she had already grasped the cultural connection between talent and money. If she could become famous, the funds would pour in - and buy her Mom the miracle cure that could save her life.
Rosie's mother died, but the bond in her daughter's mind between stardom and hope survived, propelling O'Donnell into a career as a talk show host and passionate philanthropist.
At times funny, at others heartbreaking, but always intensely honest, CELEBRITY DETOX is Rosie's story of the years after she walked away from her top-rated TV show in 2002, and her reasons for going back on the air in 2006. In it, she takes you inside the world of talk show TV, speaking candidly about the conflicts and challenges she faced as cohost on ABC's 'The View'.
Along the way Rosie shows us how fame becomes addiction and explores whether or not it's possible for an addict to safely, and sanely, return to the spotlight. She reveals her everyday interactions with her family, and the pressures of being both an ordinary mom and a 'personality'. She tells of the lifelong admiration she has had for an entertainment icon and of her complicated friendships with her TV colleagues...and talks openly about some dark passages from her own past.
Chronicling the ups and downs of 'the fame game', Rosie O'Donnell illuminates not only what it's like to be a celebrity, but also what it's like to be a mother, a daughter, a leader, a friend, a sister, a wife...in short, a human being."
"That's the thing about fame. If you live like a famous person, you will pay the price. And it's a high price, and a dangerous game, because fame, the drug, can sneak up on you in increments. You don't notice the increments, that they're increasing, until you're so far away from ever making eye contact with another human being and being 'real' that you don't even know you're not 'real' anymore.
When Rosie O'Donnell's mother was diagnosed with cancer in 1973, ten-year-old Rosie believed that fame could cure her. Though she was still a kid, she had already grasped the cultural connection between talent and money. If she could become famous, the funds would pour in - and buy her Mom the miracle cure that could save her life.
Rosie's mother died, but the bond in her daughter's mind between stardom and hope survived, propelling O'Donnell into a career as a talk show host and passionate philanthropist.
At times funny, at others heartbreaking, but always intensely honest, CELEBRITY DETOX is Rosie's story of the years after she walked away from her top-rated TV show in 2002, and her reasons for going back on the air in 2006. In it, she takes you inside the world of talk show TV, speaking candidly about the conflicts and challenges she faced as cohost on ABC's 'The View'.
Along the way Rosie shows us how fame becomes addiction and explores whether or not it's possible for an addict to safely, and sanely, return to the spotlight. She reveals her everyday interactions with her family, and the pressures of being both an ordinary mom and a 'personality'. She tells of the lifelong admiration she has had for an entertainment icon and of her complicated friendships with her TV colleagues...and talks openly about some dark passages from her own past.
Chronicling the ups and downs of 'the fame game', Rosie O'Donnell illuminates not only what it's like to be a celebrity, but also what it's like to be a mother, a daughter, a leader, a friend, a sister, a wife...in short, a human being."
March 16, 2012
I love Rosie. Her other book, "Find Me," is one of my favorites of all time. No one was more surprised than me to find out that a book by Rosie O'Donnell was a favorite of mine! She lays out her wounds in that book in a way that made me feel my own pains and verbalize them like I had never encountered before. This book was written afte Rosie's infamous stint at The View. She lays bare her castmates this time, which is definitely juicy to read. For instance, she says Barbara Walters has no ability to deal with emotions and interpersonal relations. But, despite the backstage betrayals, Rosie remains loyal. She still roots for the women of The View. She talks a lot about losing her mother at a young age and out of the blue, somewhat. I think Rosie is always looking for family members and a mother figure especially since then. She looks up to Barbara, who double crosses her in the whole Trump incident. They fight it out (Barbara almost devoid of emotion.) But in that sassy way Rosie has, she writes about how a really good fight can further a relationship. She e-mails Barbara and says "I love you and I forgive you, and I hope you forgive me" (paraphrasing there). She describes a hardcore fight as hurling yourself at another so hard that your armors break off, and you are left bare facing the other person without your armor. You may never be the same, but you have that shared experience and that rawness together. (As a lawyer, I can appreciate the poetry in that twisted description.) Rosie's stories have a resonant quality. But this book suffers from some disorganization. It needed some tightening up, some filling in of the gaps, and, for that reason, it is not as strong a read for me as "Find Me." but I think Rosie was distraught from the experience of "celebrity" when she wrote it. (She makes "celebrity" sound like a million little creatures nipping at your every surface.) Her love for her kids and her belief in sisterhood is sweet and touching.
September 17, 2016
I like Rosie O'Donnell. She seems like someone who would be both an unwaveringly loyal and perhaps at times exhausting friend-- a good person to have in your circle. The things I liked about her book were similar- her honest and heartfelt voice came through loud and clear, as did her personal vulnerability, despite her professional success and accumulation of wealth. What also came through was that there is at times an inability to fully empathize- she is full of sympathy, of love, but her perceptions of the world, and her expectations of others-- these aspects of her personality also came through and though they most definitely make her more human/flawed, they also make her writing a bit abrasive and off-putting at times. This is an interesting book- her take on fame, on how it affects being real and true and present in life. Because most of us have never been and will never be as famous as she, as professionally successful, it makes a woman who should be very easy to relate to more difficult to relate to. I think that is the crux of this book, and perhaps an area of life where Rosie still seems to struggle. This isn't a book anyone who dislikes O'Donnell would enjoy, but for people who are fans, or who are interested in a very different type of celebrity, it has moments of great insight, even if it isn't the most well-written memoir ever. Her poetry, though raw, that is speckled throughout the book-- it's honest, easy to understand, but lacking in imagery or beauty, which kind of makes it reminiscent of something found in a high school literary magazine- I didn't particularly like it (and I don't think she would care if people like it, which is kind of a theme of the book- she doesn't need to care). Writing isn't necessarily her forte, but it is her reality, her honesty, her voice. A good, but not great, memoir. Three stars.
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