Lawrence O’Donnell and Rosie O’Donnell share the same last name, but no familial connection exists.
MSNBC host Lawrence O’Donnell revealed on Wednesday, March 12, 2025, that he is taking a short break from covering President Donald Trump.
Highlights
- Lawrence O’Donnell announced that he is taking a break from covering President Donald Trump.
- He was born to his father, Lawrence Francis O’Donnell, Sr., and his mother, Frances Marie Buckley.
- Lawrence O’Donnell and Rosie O’Donnell are not related by blood.
O’Donnell told colleague Rachel Maddow that he’s taking next week off while Maddow was closing out her show and bringing in O’Donnell for The Last Word.
Lawrence said he was “exhausted” and felt as though day 52 of Trump’s administration was actually “day 92.” He told Maddow,
“I’m exhausted at day 52, and so I’m going to take next week off. And I’m telling you that now because I know you don’t like it when I just drift away. I’m just taking next week off, then I’m going to come back and go with you all the way to the 100 days,”
After O’Donnell said he was taking his much-needed break, he launched into a rant about Trump in which he claimed the president’s “brain does not work.”
O’Donnell called out Republicans for not condemning Trump, saying on Wednesday at the White House that Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) is “not Jewish anymore.”
The president referred to Schumer as “Palestinian” amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.
O’Donnell argued that any other president making such a statement would be “rushed to the hospital for a neurological examination.”
Lawrence O’Donnell Is Related To Rosie O’Donnell By Profession And Surname But Doesn’t Have Any Familial Connection
Lawrence O’Donnell and Rosie O’Donnell share the same last name and have built successful careers in television, but they are not related by blood or family ties.
On December 14, 2011, Donald J. Trump shared a video titled “From The Desk Of Donald Trump: Lawrence O’Donnell and Rosie O’Donnell,” relating Lawrence and Rosie on his Official Facebook handle.
Trump said they share the same last name and have the same bad ratings. He wrote,
Lawrence O’Donnell and Rosie O’Donnell- same last name, same bad ratings.
Rosie is a comedian, actress, and talk show host. Born in 1962 in Commach, New York, she gained fame through stand-up comedy, acting, and hosting The Rosie O’Donnell Show.
Rosie O’Donnell moved to #Ireland This is a HUGE WIN for America. Good riddance be gone and stay gone. We don’t ever want you back here in America. You’re Irelands problem now! #RosieODonnell #goodbye #goodriddance #begone #staygone #dontevercomeback #hugewin #America #maga pic.twitter.com/JrwbAh9aYC
— Joseph Larsen Drums (@JoeLarsenDrums) March 12, 2025
Later, she became a co-host on The View and is known for her activism on LGBTQ+ and children’s issues.
On the other hand, Lawrence O’Donnell is a political commentator, journalist, and television host known for The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell on MSNBC.
Born in 1951 in Boston, Massachusetts, he has worked in politics, television writing, and news analysis.
His work as a writer and producer for The West Wing and his experience as a Senate aide has shaped his reputation as a respected political analyst.
Though Lawrence and Rosie serve in different areas of television, political versus entertainment, they are both famous personalities in media.
However, their shared last name is coincidental, with no known familial connection.
Lawrence O’Donnell Comes From A Well-Educated Family Background
Lawrence O’Donnell, 73, was born on November 7, 1951, in Boston, MA, United States, to his father, Lawrence Francis O’Donnell, Sr., and his mother, Frances Marie Buckley.
His parents were well-educated. Lawrence’s father was an attorney and member of the Supreme Court Bar, and his mother was an office manager.
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Frances Marie Buckley was born in North Cambridge and worked for 15 years as the front desk clerk at the Coonamessett Inn, welcoming hotel and dinner guests.
She served twice a week as a hospice visitor in the Falmouth community. Sadly, she passed away at her East Falmouth home on Sunday, August 14, 2011, at 93.
Lawrence grew up with her sister, Mary Frances Downey, and three brothers, Michael, Kevin, and William R. O’Donnell.
Additional Information
- In 2007, Lawrence O’Donnell criticized Mitt Romney’s speech on religion, stating: “Romney comes from a religion that was founded by a criminal who was anti-American, pro-slavery, and a rapist.
- O’Donnell also received criticism for an October 2010 interview with Congressman Ron Paul, in which Paul accused him of breaking an agreement not to ask him about other political candidates.
- On February 14, 1994, Lawrence married Kathryn Harrold but divorced in 2013. They have one child, Elizabeth Buckley Harrold O’Donnell.
- Rosie O’Donnell, Longtime Foe Of Donald Trump, Relocated To Ireland After His 2024 Victory.
