Personal Brand Comeback: Rosie's Return

Love her or hate her, Rosie O’Donnell just will not go away. The former daytime talk star is preparing a return to television, and her brand of outspokenness will once again be on display.
 
O’Donnell has formed a company with two former Warner Brothers executives who intend to independently distribute a show next year, a source told the New York Times. There is speculation that it will be a daytime TV show to air in the fall of 2011, when Oprah plans to leave her show.
 
The former happy, Tom Cruise obsessed, host of “The Rosie O’Donnell Show” has encountered a bumpy road over the past few years. A nine-month co-host stint on “The View” was a whirlwind of politics and opinions in 2007. Then a variety show on NBC, “Rosie Live,” bit the dust attracting 5 million viewers in its last Wednesday night airing in 2008. She now hosts “Rosie Radio,” a late-morning show on Sirius XM.
 
Being an outspoken brand can win both friends and enemies. People have strong opinions about O’Donnell that span wildly in each direction; check out the ‘I Hate Rosie O’Donnell’ Facebook group, for instance. Regardless, she keeps coming back for more and she will keep people watching. It makes for good television... and fat TV executive wallets.