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Must See Rosie TV

October 20, 2006

Okay I'll admit it: In my TiVo priority scale I watch "Rosie O'Donnell and Friends" -- er, "The View" -- before even "Lost" and "Studio 60."

It's the guiltiest of pleasures. Rosie on "The View" is riveting. Sure others watch to see if she and Elisabeth will play Point/Counterpoint or if Barbra will sit in the audience now with Bill Geddie, just to get off the tension of the couch. But for me, it's all about Rosie. Strangely, I'm fascinated by all her comments -- a strange blend of the resurrected Queen of Nice persona with a heavy layer of the crafty, blog-writing, politically outspoken authentic version.

She has, dare I say, a little of Johnny Carson's style, enlivening and hamming up a tired demonstration of new household gadgets by mocking Elisabeth during it.

You believe her when she plays "earth mother" and tells Jessica Simpson and America Ferrara that she's proud of them.

Of course I don't TiVo through her crazy moments either. There was the time that she snapped at Elisabeth claiming that she used an angry tone of voice during a gun control debate. Or when she awkwardly blows a "Hot Topics" segment by blurting aloud that she was up all night dealing with a sick son. Or when she and Joy tangled and she said she missed having Star Jones on the couch.

It's the most fun TV couch since the fallout on "The Today Show" couch after Bryant Gumbel's co-star backstabbing email was leaked to the press. Remember that?