[Sportschosun Reporter Park Aram] Rosie O'Donnell, the 64-year-old American broadcaster and actress, has revealed why she walked away from her hit talk show at the height of her career.
According to Page Six on the 11th local time, O'Donnell recently opened up in an interview about why she stepped down from "The Rosie O'Donnell Show," which she hosted in 2002.
O'Donnell said, "The moment I heard there was $100 million in my bank account, I thought, 'I can stop now.'" She added, "People around me wondered why I would quit the show."
She explained that after reaching her financial goals, she began to value time with her family more deeply.
O'Donnell said, "I felt I had enough money to take care of my family, charity work, and even people in need." She added, "I wanted to be there in person for my children's softball games and school performances."
At the time, "The Rosie O'Donnell Show" was hugely popular in the United States, and Warner Bros. reportedly offered a $100 million deal to keep the program going for two more years.
But O'Donnell turned that offer down as well. She said, "People asked why I refused, but it was because I already had enough money." She added, "If I still thought I needed more, I felt there would be something wrong with my values."
She went on to say, "It is hard to understand the mindset of billionaires." She explained that she believes it is more important to think about what you can do for others than to judge life only by money.
Meanwhile, O'Donnell hosted "The Rosie O'Donnell Show" from 1996 to 2002 and became one of America's best-known talk show hosts. Last year, she said her most memorable guests were Barbra Streisand and Martin Short, and she also recalled that Keanu Reeves was "a nice person, but a bit shy on talk shows."
O'Donnell is currently performing her one-woman show "Common Knowledge" on Broadway. The show reflects on losing her mother as a child and the life experiences she has had while raising five children.
tokkig@sportschosun.com
