Kathy Griffin Says She Was Hurt After Rosie O’Donnell Didn’t Invite Her to ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live’

Kathy Griffin has opened up about hurt feelings after she was not invited to appear during Rosie O’Donnell’s week as guest host of “Jimmy Kimmel Live.”

Griffin addressed the situation in an Instagram Reel on Wednesday, saying she felt embarrassed to bring it up publicly but wanted to be honest because she and O’Donnell have been friends for decades.

“My feelings are really hurt that I was not invited to Rosie’s week of ‘Jimmy Kimmel,’” Griffin said.

The comedian acknowledged that O’Donnell might not have control over which guests appear on the show. Still, Griffin said she became excited after friends and acquaintances began asking whether she would make a surprise appearance or perform a sketch with O’Donnell.

“I started getting more correspondence and just friends calling me that know me and know the two of us to be friends,” Griffin explained. “Then that moment passed — and kept passing.”

Griffin said she continues to support O’Donnell and encouraged her followers to watch the show. However, she admitted that the situation left her with “all kinds of the feels.”

Griffin also discussed the issue on her “Talk Your Head Off” podcast. She said she recently had a chance to speak with O’Donnell during a flight to Los Angeles and told her that she would love to be a guest on the show.

O’Donnell later responded directly to Griffin’s Instagram post, appearing to confirm that the guest list was not her decision.

“Kathy- shoulda called me honey – I didn’t choose the guests …” O’Donnell wrote.

The exchange quickly drew reactions from social media users, many of whom said Griffin should have discussed her feelings privately with O’Donnell rather than bringing the matter online.

Some commenters described the public callout as unnecessary, while others said the situation appeared to be a misunderstanding between two longtime friends.

Griffin defended the relationship, saying the pair are “like sisters” and that disagreements are normal between close friends.

“We’re like sisters, and everybody knows sisters fight,” she said. “And we’re not even fighting.”

The episode highlights the complicated dynamics that can arise when a personal friendship overlaps with the highly public world of television. For now, both comedians appear to remain supportive of each other despite the awkward moment.