The Rosie Factor

With "Investors Business Daily" crowning Rosie O'Donnell with the nickname "Tokyo Rosie" for bad-mouthing America, critical mass has been reached for the acerbic comedian. She has crossed the entertainment Rubicon into the dark land of bitter performers who have allowed personal demons to become their public messengers.

The list of these individuals includes Morton Downey Jr., Michael Richards, and, way back when, Lenny Bruce. Americans will tolerate a lot from eccentric showbiz types, but hate-filled diatribes are almost always rejected, and careers are put at risk if the entertainers continue to spew bile.

A few weeks ago, the Rosie-Trump show was good theatre, and many Americans enjoyed the uncharitable joust. But it was nasty, personal and crude, not descriptions on which to build a resume. However, both Ms. O'Donnell and Mr. Trump did receive major publicity, and while egos were bruised, there was no permanent damage.

But make no mistake, Ms. O'Donnell's snarling demeanor made a lasting impression on many people, a harsh impression. Now her image may be damaged beyond repair.

The problem is that Rosie O'Donnell is accusing her own country of heinous things. She has embraced the insane theory that 9/11 was an "inside job." She has apparently bought into the notion that elements inside the USA killed Americans on that terrible day. This kind of garbage is peddled on the Internet by America haters, and has been debunked step by step by Popular Mechanics magazine, which has actually published a book on the subject.

Ms. O'Donnell then took up Iran's cause. After the 15 British service people were kidnapped by the Iranians, Rosie told her audience on ABC that the British government had set up the situation in conjunction with the USA.

The intent, according to the comedian, was to start a war with Iran. This crackpot analysis is anything but funny.

Armed with propaganda and dangerous with passion, Rosie O'Donnell has turned a morning coffee klatch TV program into Al Jazeera West. Where once "The View" dealt with menopause and shopping tips, the program now routinely assassinates the characters of anyone Ms. O'Donnell finds objectionable. The forum is mean-spirited, foolish and demeaning.

But it is the America-bashing that has done Ms. O'Donnell in. She will tell you it is the Bush administration she loathes, but that distinction is often lost on an audience barraged with her hostile, radical-left rhetoric. It is hard to believe, for example, that a Jewish person in the world is comfortable with O'Donnell's sympathy for Iran.

The Disney Corporation, which owns ABC, has an enormous problem on its hands. If it fires O'Donnell, the left will attack the company on free speech grounds. If Disney allows the morning madness to continue, conservative and traditional Americans may well hold the company and its advertisers responsible.

After the Trump brouhaha, ratings for "The View" declined drastically, although they are still up year to year. But now with the 9/11 conspiracy and sympathy for Iran in play, it may be just a matter of time before the bottom drops out of the program.

Launching personal attacks on Donald Trump is one thing. Accusing your country of trumping up 9/11, and committing war crimes is quite something else. Rosie O'Donnell has cast her fate to an ill wind. Nothing good will come of this.

Veteran TV news anchor Bill O'Reilly is host of the Fox News show "The O'Reilly Factor" and author of the book "Culture Warrior." To find out more about Bill O'Reilly, and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate web page at www.creators.com. This column originates on the Web site www.billoreilly.com.

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