Elisabeth Hasselbeck says it’s ‘offensive’ Rosie O’Donnell had crush on her
Elisabeth Hasselbeck spoke out about her former The View panellist’s crush
Elisabeth Hasselbeck has claimed it is “offensive” for her former The View co-host Rosie O’Donnell to admit she had a crush on her.
The conservative pundit appeared alongside Rosie O’Donnell on ABC talk show The View between 2006 and 2007, with the pair famously feuding after clashing on political issues.
Rosie O’Donnell said she had ‘a little bit of a crush’ on Elisabeth Hasselbeck
Speaking to the author of book Ladies Who Punch: The Explosive Inside Story of The View, O’Donnell admitted: “There was a little bit of a crush. But not that I wanted to kiss her. I wanted to support, raise, elevate her, like she was the freshman star shortstop and I was the captain of the team.”
O’Donnell quipped that “there were underlying lesbian undertones on both parts,” alluding to Hasselbeck’s past as a softball player.
“There are not many, in my life, girls with such athletic talent on sports teams that are traditionally male that aren’t at least a little bit gay,” she said.
Elisabeth Hasselbeck and Rosie O’Donnell in 2006 (Amy Sussman/Getty)
In an appearance on Fox & Friends, Hasselbeck responded to the comments, saying: “It was disturbing to read those things and it was offensive to me.”
Hasselbeck said that her immediate reaction was prayer, explaining: “I read it and I immediately started praying (…) by God’s grace, I just started praying, and I pray the Holy Spirit gives me the words to articulate this.”
Elisabeth Hasselbeck: Rosie O’Donnell’s comments ‘disturbing and wrong’
Hasselback went on to say that if the comments had come from a man they would be seen as “objectification of women in the workplace,” though the pair have not worked together for more than a decade.
She added: “That is disturbing and it’s wrong. And whether you’re a man or whether you’re a woman, and you’re objectifying women in the workplace, it’s wrong.”
She continued: “I totally forgive you, Rosie. I really hope that we can be at peace and that we can both hold our beliefs in one hand and hold each other’s hand in the other and still have a relationship that’s at peace.
“Whether you’re a man or whether you’re a woman, and you’re objectifying women in the workplace, it’s wrong.”
—Elisabeth Hasselbeck
“But, more than that, just like I would pray for my friends, I hope that she has the peace of God.
“Because Rosie O’Donnell is still seen and known and loved by God, and I hope that she feels that and I hope that she can find, ultimately, the peace.
“Even more than I want to be at peace with her, I hope she finds that peace because God wants that for her too.”
In a tweet, O’Donnell responded: “hey eh – my crush on u was not sexual – sorry u got scared – ❤️surely u recall b4 it all went wrong – i never objectified u – i did find u fantastic – broadway shows – my pool -we were friends once ❤️ god love ya kid – i always did.”
