Icon Award
Rosie O’Donnell is one of those people who needs no introduction. Everyone knows and loves her. Except for maybe one person, who we’ll get to in a moment. She’s an inspiration and an icon in every sense of the word.
Since first bursting onto the scene by appearing on Star Search in 1984, Rosie has done just about everything. She’s racked up dozens of film and TV credits, including playing queer-coded Doris Murphy in the 1992 film A League of Their Own and real-life LGBTQ+ rights activist Del Martin in the 2017 TV miniseries When We Rise.
Some of her other notable TV appearances include shows like Will & Grace, Queer as Folk, and The L Word: Generation Q, as well as The View, and, of course, her 10-time Emmy Award-winning daytime talk show The Rosie O’Donnell Show.
She’s written books, recorded albums, produced documentaries, performed stand-up, appeared on Broadway, hosted award shows, and, most recently, launched a podcast. She’s also accumulated a massive following on TikTok. Seriously, if you’re not following her, you need to be. Oh, and she’s shown the world how to stand up to a bully without stooping to their level. She was one of the first to call out a certain orange someone for his abusive behavior way back in 2006, and she continues to hold him accountable to this day.
On top of all that, Rosie has used her platform to promote LGBTQ+ equality, particularly gay parental rights, as well as to support numerous charities, including the American Foundation for AIDS Research, Human Rights Campaign, and True Colors Fund, just to name a few.
And let’s not forget all she’s done for the koosh ball.
She is a truly giving and generous person who inspires us to be the same. She’s someone we look up to, relate to, love, and admire. We’re thrilled to be presenting her with the Icon Award at the 12th annual Queerties Awards.