Despite all the controversies surrounding Rosie O'Donnell's return to The View, it seems the talk show host is making a serious effort to make things run smoothly, even reaching out to co-host Whoopi Goldberg so that they start off on the right foot.
"Rosie is very proactive. She told Whoopi, 'I'm not coming in to steamroll the place. Everything will be fantastic, we are friends. Together we'll be unstoppable," a source tells the New York Daily News.
"Both are liberal ladies, both have been around the block and have tons of friends in the business. This isn't an Elisabeth Hasselbeck sequel. Rosie has a lot of respect for Whoopi and vice versa. They are trying to start the new season with good hearts."
Another source from the ABC network says that executives believe that the O'Donnell-Goldberg tandem will be "dynamic" together and will draw more viewers than the show has ever seen.
Meanwhile, Goldberg doesn't seem to be too concerned with O'Donnell's comeback, and that the two's conversation through phone, which was confirmed by O'Donnell's camp, reflects that the both are on the same page.
"They know they have the same views for the most part," says the source. "They are both liberal Democrats, and Rosie knows Whoopi isn't going to attack her on anything out of the blue. They may disagree from time to time, but the overall beliefs run parallel. The opposing attitudes on the panel will be the problem."
Apart from Rosie, the New York Daily News reports that ABC is looking to fill out The View's hosting lineup with an "Asian woman" and a "strong-willed Republican" to ensure interesting bouts of discussion.
But O'Donnell, who has recently caused headlines for going head-to-head with Hasselbeck after ABC's announcement of her return, promises to shake things up and will no doubt make viewers tune in to the daytime talk show.
"They [network executives] love that Rosie love to play with danger, and the show in its heyday made news talking about politics," says a friend of O'Donnell's to the New York Daily News. "During Rosie's time on 'The View' the ratings were huge and her interaction with Elisabeth and Joy [Behar] was unstoppable. We're approaching an election season and after that, if things combust, that's fine, is the thinking right now. Rosie's the best way to draw heat."
