Rosie O’Donnell’s talk show reboot raised $500,000 for The Actors Fund on Sunday (22.03.20).
The 57-year-old presenter reprised her eponymous programme for the first time in almost 18 years as a livestream on Broadway.com to help raise money for those affected by Broadway’s shutdown due to the coronavirus pandemic and she was thrilled with the support her star-studded special received.
She tweeted afterwards: "1/2 a million dollars for the actors fund – thank u everyone #TROS (sic)"
The sum included $100,000 given by Rosie herself.
One of the highlights of the three-and-a-half hour broadcast was when Gloria Estefan performed ‘Always Tomorrow’.
The singer explained how the track: "Celebrates the hero in each of us and the fact that there’s always hope, there’s always another day."
She added: "There’s a lot of things we can do to make this world a better place and hopefully we do that when this is over and not just keep going like nothing is happening… We’re going to come out of the dark soon."
Neil Patrick Harris’ two children, nine-year-old twins Gideon and Harper – who he has with husband David Burka – joined him during his segment and insisted they hadn’t been studying particularly hard while at home due to school closures.
Asked how it is going at home, they said: ""Lot of screens, lots of ’em."
Their dad said: "They don’t watch screens, no. We’re doing lots of schoolwork and we’re doing lots of… projects?"
But Gideon shook his head and quipped: "Don’t listen to him."
Idina Menzel admitted homeschooling her 10-year-old son Walker – who she has with ex-husband Taye Diggs – wasn’t going too well for her and husband Aaron Lohr either, in particular when it came to maths lessons about fractions.
She laughed: "He gets angry and then thinks we’re just so stupid."
Sarah Jessica Parker and her husband Matthew Broderick – who have three children together – have been trying to keep life as normal as possible while self-isolating.
Sarah explained: "We’re doing a lot of cooking and laundry."
Barry Manilow closed the show with a selection of his hits.
He said at the end: "Thanks for inviting me on your show. I hope you’ll do it again."
Other stars who appeared on the special included the likes of Lin-Manuel Miranda, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Kristen Chenoweth, Billy Porter and Cynthia Erivo.
Rosie O’Donnell raises 500k with special
