ROSIE O'DONNELL HOST, NICKELODEON'S 16TH ANNUAL KIDS' CHOICE AWARDS
Beloved daytime personality Rosie O'Donnell will take center stage as the host of Nickelodeon's 16th Annual Kids' Choice Awards. This will be O'Donnell's seventh consecutive year of involvement with the Kids' Choice Awards -- the only awards show where kids vote for their favorite actors, musicians, and athletes.
O'Donnell, who's best known to viewers for hosting and executive producing her award-winning, nationally syndicated talk/variety series 'The Rosie O'Donnell Show,' is no stranger to awards shows, having hosted both the Grammys and the Tony Awards twice.
Since 1997, O'Donnell, a three-time Kids Choice Award winner and Hall of Famer, has participated in the Kids' Choice Awards. This year's show will air live from the Barker Hanger in Santa Monica, Calif., on Saturday, April 12.
A tireless crusader for children, O'Donnell established the For All Kids Foundation, which distributes money to children's charities across the country. A best-selling collection of Rosie's favorite kid jokes, Kids Are Punny, was published by Warner Books in April 1997 and all proceeds went to the Foundation.
Rosie is known around the world from her success as a stand-up comedienne, television and film star. Rosie enjoyed extraordinary success as a stand-up favorite who toured the country innumerable times playing clubs, concerts and major showrooms. In 1995, she received an Emmy nomination for her HBO Comedy Hour special.
Her early television work includes starring in the Fox comedy "Stand By Your Man" and a recurring role on the long-running hit "Gimme A Break." As much at home in front of the camera as she is in front of the TV set, self-confessed television savant O'Donnell has made guest appearances on a number of television series including "All My Children" (her favorite daytime drama), "Suddenly Susan," "Spin City," "Sesame Street," "The Nanny," "Bless This House," "Living Single," "Ally McBeal" and "The Larry Sanders Show" (for which she received an Emmy nomination) and most recently, 'Will & Grace.' Rosie was first able to hone her hosting and executive producing skills back in 1988 on the top-rated cable show "Stand Up Spotlight" on VH1.
While she was increasing her popularity among the television audience, O'Donnell was also making a name for herself in movies. One of Hollywood's top comedic actresses, she made her motion picture debut in Penny Marshall's 1992 smash comedy film "A League of Their Own" starring opposite Tom Hanks, Geena Davis and Madonna. O'Donnell recalls that she got the role because she was the only actress in Hollywood who could "throw a baseball from third to first base."
She has since gone on to star on the big screen in Nora Ephron's "Sleepless in Seattle" (earning her an American Comedy Award nomination); "Another Stakeout" (for which she received another American Comedy Award nomination); "The Flintstones" (her portrayal of Betty Rubble won her a Nickelodeon Kid's Choice Award for Favorite Movie Actress); Gary Marshall's "Exit To Eden"; "Now and Then"; "Beautiful Girls"; "Harriet the Spy" (a second Kid's Choice Award for Favorite Movie Actress); and "Wide Awake."
Following her heart to the stage, the multi-talented O'Donnell added Broadway to her repertoire in 1994, when she starred as Rizzo in Tommy Tune's revival of "Grease." In 2001, Rosie did a five week stint in the Broadway musical "Seussical," where she played the 'The Cat In The Hat.' She is currently producing Boy George's musical, "Taboo," and bringing it to Broadway in Fall 2003. "Taboo" is currently playing in London's west end theatre district
When critics claimed that Broadway was on the decline and the network threatened to stop broadcasting the Tony Awards, Rosie, an ardent fan of the theater, came to the rescue. Not only did she agree to host the 51st Annual Tony Awards (1997) from Radio City Music Hall, but she also did a week-long tribute to the Great White Way on her show leading up to the event. The Tony's earned its highest ratings in 10 years with much of the credit given to O'Donnell.
When it debuted in June 1996, "Rosie" was immediately embraced by both the audience (scoring the highest debut ratings of any talk show in the 1990s) and critics, and the affection continues. "The Rosie O'Donnell Show" has won the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Talk Show four years in a row (1997, 1998,1999, 2000) and Rosie has been honored with an Emmy for Best Talk Show Host each of the six seasons she was on the air (1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001). The show has been honored with three Gracie Allen Awards (1998, 1999 and 2001) and Rosie won the Gracie Allen Award for Best Talk Show Host in 2000 and 2001. "The Rosie O'Donnell Show" was also honored with the annual TV Guide Award for Best Daytime Talk Show three years running (1999, 2000 and 2001). Rosie has graced the cover of Newsweek magazine (being dubbed the "Queen of Nice"); was cited as one of TIME magazine's 25 Most Influential People in America (1997); received New York Women in Communication's Matrix Award; an American Comedy Award (January 1997) for Funniest Female Performer in a Television Series; and in March 1997, Ladies' Home Journal honored her with the "One Smart Lady" Award. She was also named one of Ladies Home Journal's Fascinating Women of the Year (1996), one of Barbara Walter's 10 Most Fascinating People of 1996, and Entertainment Weekly named her 1996's Entertainer of the Year.
In April 2001, Rosie made her media debut as the Editorial Director of Rosie, the magazine published by G & J USA publishing, in partnership with her own KidRo Productions. The magazine was a celebration of humanity with humor and heart. Rosie's last issue with Richard Gere appearing on the cover was December 2002.
Rosie spent her childhood staring at posters of Barbra Streisand and Bette Midler, dreaming of "being them" -- her ideals of the all-around performer. Since her show debuted, Rosie is well on her way to living that dream.