A "Goodbye For Now" to Rosie

As I sit here and watch the last episode of "The Rosie Show", I think back about how excited I was when I first heard Rosie O'Donnell was coming back to television and would be taping in Chicago.  You see, I've been a fan since her first talk show started in 1996 - the hilarious, craft-filled, Broadway-loving, Tom Cruise-gushing, Koosh-ball festival that was the original "Rosie O'Donnell Show".  Rosie seemed like a regular person who understood that she was really blessed in her life and wanted to do something to make it better for others.  Some of her movies are on the list of my all-time favorites (Sleepless in Seattle, A League of Their Own, Beautiful Girls - best monologue EVER).  I loved her documentary "All Aboard! Rosie's Family Cruise" and how it showed gay families are no different than any other families in our society.  I admired how she stood up for causes that she believed in; bringing the arts to everyone, the struggles of children caught in the adoption and foster care systems; families rights.  She was outspoken, ballsy, and owned all of her choices.  I had missed seeing Rosie on television since her time on 'The View" and was really looking forward to being able to experience her energy and perspective on a daily basis again.

Rosie & Game Show Contestants (So Close!)

So, now that you know all of this about me I'm sure it will come as no surprise that I jumped at the opportunity to be part of a "test audience" for the new show when it was announced in September!  I grabbed one of my girlfriends to go with me, and off to Harpo Studios we went.  Prior to the taping day, I was contacted by a member of the audience team for a brief phone interview (based on a questionnaire that I had submitted) and they wanted to speak to me when I arrived about going up on stage and playing a game with Ro!  I was super excited (and nervous) since meeting her is on my bucket list!  I met with three different production people, passed the pop culture trivia test with flying colors, but ultimately didn't get picked for the show.  (Insert sad face here.)  While I was bummed, I was not going to let it ruin my experience!  We loaded in to the studio and I was excited to see familiar faces from "Oprah: Behind The Scenes" - producers and staff that had stayed to work with Ro - who were all surprised they were recognized and gracious to those of us who did and said "Hi".  Our test taping included appearances from Crystal Bowersox from American Idol (who sat in with Katrice and the Boys for the entire show), Joan Cusack and her sister Anne (who was in "A League of Their Own" with Ro), and ArLynn Presser (a woman with agoraphobia that spent an entire year meeting all of her Facebook friends, as chronicled in the documentary "Face to Facebook").  And the game segment, which seemed like lots of fun and definitely something that I wanted to do!  (Just as a side note - several weeks later in a People Magazine article highlighting the kick-off of "The Rosie Show" there included a picture of Ro and the two game show contestants from our test taping!  Seriously??)  The taping lasted over three hours, and there were definitely kinks in the system that they were working through.  But everyone seemed thrilled to be there so we rode the wave!  By the way - it was FREEZING in the studio!  Rosie wasn't lying when she said at the start of the show that she likes to keep the studio cold.  I definitely could have used a Snuggie - or a parka!

JustJen & a Whipsicle - So Yummy!

As an audience participant for the test shows, I was invited to attend another taping once the "real" shows began and was offered tickets in mid-November.  The weekend before my scheduled show, I decided to go to an open casting that "The Rosie Show" held at SideTrack Chicago for "game show" contestants.  I was determined to take advantage of every opportunity available for a chance to get on stage and play a pop culture trivia game with Ro!  I grabbed a friend to go with me and we headed in to Chicago for an afternoon of fun.  By now, the show had hired a dedicated staff that was in charge of actually casting the contestants to play the games with Ro and they were looking for fun, energetic people with lots of pop culture knowledge.  I was the first to have my interview and, while I was nervous, the producer made me feel very comfortable and I had a really great time!  My girlfriend and I made friends with two guys who were trying out (shout out to Rick and Michael from the Chicago Gay Men's Chorus), had a blast with the staff from the show (love you RJ and Nick) and I was introduced to the most amazing cocktail EVER (who wants to join me for a Whipsicle?).  Alas, the game segment for the taping that I was attending in a few days was already cast and I was assured that I would be getting a call back for another show.  Either way it was a great day with fun and interesting people and a new experience.

Rosie, Hollee, Chaz, Rachel & game show contestants

The next Monday, I headed back to Harpo Studios to attend my second "Rosie Show".  The taping included Chaz Bono and Rachel Ray, two very interesting and diverse people.  Rosie looked amazing, she was light hearted and joking with the audience both during the opening and commercial breaks.  The show flowed much better than it had during the test taping - clearly all of the bugs had been worked out.  And with the addition of the fabulous Hollee as the announcer, the show had an extra sparkle!  We were given Snuggies to combat the cold in the studio - a rich red velvet in anticipation of the holidays - but the temperature seemed more regulated and we dressed better this time!  By this point, the show ran like a well-oiled machine and our taping was finished in just over an hour and a half.  Both guest were very interesting, and Ro was her usual warm and inviting self.  She stayed around after the taping was finished to take pictures with any kids in the audience and genuinely seemed to be having a good time.  Once again, I left the show with a happy feeling, and I was delighted with my experience.

In January, I was lucky enough to get tickets for another show taping.  My sweetie was very excited to go with me this time.  Unfortunately, the day of our taping coincided with the format / studio change that the show made and there wasn't enough room for the 200+ audience members that were originally given tickets.  You guessed it, we were cut. By now, there were rumbles that the show wasn't doing well; the rating weren't what the network hoped it would be, yada yada yada.  I still loved the show, loved seeing Ro every weeknight and hearing what she had to say.  While bummed that there was no longer an audience and a game show segment, I really enjoyed the new one-on-one format.  Rosie had some amazing conversations with people and we saw a different side of them than had previously been shown.  Chelsea Handler, Kathy Griffin, and Tabatha Coffey were just a few of my favorites.  I liked hearing antidotes about Ro's family and her relationship with Michelle; I enjoyed seeing that she was happy and healthy and really embracing this time in her life.  

Apparently, there weren't enough of us that felt the same way or had access to the OWN Network to watch it because by mid-March it was announced that "The Rosie Show" would be cancelled after just six months on the air.  I was disappointed when I heard this, but not surprised.  I think overall there was an expectation that this show would be a nighttime version of the same show she did 15 years ago.  This "new version" didn't meet that expectation and the ratings reflected it.  It certainly tried hard in the beginning but clearly it didn't FEEL right to Rosie, which is why she made the format changes.  Haven't we all tried at some point to recreate a time in our lives that was positive and "worked" for us??  Was it successful for you or did you ultimately remember that you weren't the same person now so you need to adjust?  Have you ever been at a place in your life where you grew and evolved but people around you are resistant to it because it means a change in the "normal" that they are used to from you?  I think that's what happened with "The Rosie Show".  Watching Rosie these last six months has reminded me that life is a journey towards something, not backwards.  We have to continue to step forward and challenge ourselves, be open to new experiences, and do things that scare the hell out of us.  It's called living.  Reflect and certainly learn from the lessons and experiences in the past.  But our time here is short.  I believe no one knows this more than a child who has lost a parent or a parent who has lost a child.  Every day that you don't strive to be the best YOU that you want to be, be as honest with yourself as possible, and embrace every day like it may be the last is a day that you have wasted.  Rosie has always wanted better for herself and others, and wasn't afraid to take whatever path she felt was right to get to her end result.  She reminds me of these things that I feel in my heart to be my truths. I will miss hearing her wisdom, seeing her smiling face, and feeling her compassion and honesty in my home on a nightly basis through.  Who knows what tomorrow will bring.  Maybe one day, I will get the chance to meet her in person so that I can give her a hug and tell her what an inspiration she has been to me.  Until then, I can't wait to see where the next step in her journey takes her and wish nothing but the best for her!

You can find the following people on Twitter:  Rosie (@Rosie), SideTrack Chicago (@sidetrackbar), Chicago Gay Men's Chorus (@ChicagoGMC), Kathy Griffin (@kathygriffin), Chelsea Handler (@chelseahandler), and Tabatha Coffey (@tabathacoffey) 


Photo credit top:  People Magazine
Photo credit center & bottom:  JustJen