Rosie Changes Her Mind About Gay Marriage

(New York City) Rosie O'Donnell says the much-publicized lawsuit against her by Gruner & Jahr changed her mind on the issue of same-sex marriage.

O'Donnell says the the case pointed up the inequities between gay couples and heterosexuals.

“I have a partner, a wife, which is strange word for me to use. I never really used it until I got sued. And you want to know why? If you are a heterosexual talk show host and you’re sued by a major corporation, anything you have said to your husband is privileged information. But if you are a homosexual talk show host and you’re sued by a corporation, anything you have ever said and/or written to your spouse, partner, or wife is allowed to be entered into the record. It is totally unfair. And never in my wildest dreams -- if you said to me you’re going to become an advocate for gay marriage, I’d say you’re on crack.”

She made the comments on “The Michelangelo Signorile Show” on Sirius OutQ -- the 24/7 gay and lesbian talk channel on Sirius Satellite Radio. The interview will be broadcast Thursday December 11 between 1-4 p.m. ET.

In the interview Signorile, who also writes a regular column for 365Gay.com, asked O'Donnell about what made her become politically involved in the LGBT community.

“[My wife] Kelli and I went to P-town for the first time after the [TV] show ended. And I was amazed at the place, because I didn’t expect the feeling of community or family that was there. I was stunned…I was overwhelmed, literally. It’s a little gay enclave on the ocean…And the feeling is love and peacefulness and acceptance. I got this feeling of community from the gay community that I’d hadn’t really felt ever, because I really didn’t get to do what normal people do when they come out. …I feel like I missed something in that way. I do think that my pleasure in being involved in the gay community now is, it’s huge.”

The interview also touched on the now famous feud between Signorile and O'Donnell. Prior to her officially coming out in an interview with ABC's Diane Sawyer, Signorile had chided her for not going public. At the time, Rosie accused Signorile of being a "moron".

“You started it, as we used to say on my block on Rhonda Lane," she told him in the interview.

"You started it! [laughing]. While I was on the show I would take frequent barbs or attacks or accusations or challenges, whatever way you want to perceive them, from some members of the gay community - yourself included - who felt as though I wasn’t quite gay enough. And so, we exchanged e-mail, I met you…and here we are…You know what? You’ve been a very interesting guy to get to know and I want to thank you very much. Because, truthfully, you’re very intelligent, and I’ve read all your books and I think you’re a good guy.

"Just remember this: A lot of gay boys don’t play on sports teams, so they don’t know that when somebody’s sitting on the bench, in uniform, they’re still on your team, even though they’re not scoring the points. So don’t hurt them.”

O'Donnell was also asked about the 2004 presidentia1 election.

A lot of [Democrats] have called and asked [who I am supporting], and what I have said to everyone is, when there is a candidate, that is who I will support.

"But if I were the head of the DNC, I would say, ‘Here’s our ticket, it’s Gephardt-Dean and we are pulling an emergency clause.’ Listen to why: the country was really taken over. It was a coup. This man was not elected, he sits in the White House and he’s declaring war. That’s a coup d’etat. America should be in the streets picketing. And our boys and our girls, our teenagers and 20-year-olds, are off there killing people. And war begets war…You know, I don’t believe George Bush is a bad man, but I do think he is dangerous for this nation and the world. I don’t believe he is the best we can elect.”

On Taboo, the Broadway show she is producing and which was panned by most critics, O'Donnell says it isn't the critics that count, but she adds the timing just wasn't right.

“It’s getting standing ovations every single performance…I think that it was bad timing for me. If you’re going to get sued for 100 million dollars, try not to open a Broadway show the next day. I had suffered, in my opinion, at least a year of aggressive slander on my name, my reputation, on who I am as a person [by Gruner and Jahr, which sued for 100 million dollars regarding the fall of Rosie magazine]… Then -- coincidentally, or not, depending on what you think - the trial was the exact same time as the show. And I didn’t really feel like I could push the show back, because we had Liz McCartney, number one, who plays Big Sue, and she’s so amazingly gifted. When I heard her sing, I started to cry at the audition. Well, she was eight months pregnant. She rehearsed this show pregnant. If we pushed the show because of the trial, we would have missed her performance.”

O'Donnell also denies reports she'll step into McCartney's role when she leaves to have a baby.

“No, let me tell you why. If I could sing it I would do it. But Michael, I cannot sing it….[Liz McCartney’s] so good and the understudy is so good that it wouldn’t be right for me to be in this show…. I’m working on a show for next season with Cindy Lauper called Find Me, based on the book I wrote last year, so I’m not abandoning Broadway.”

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