Rosie O'Donnell Says Whoopi Goldberg Was Meanest Person on 'The View'

Rosie O'Donnell says Whoopi Goldberg was the meanest person she's ever worked with on live television.

In Ramin Setoodeh's new book "Ladies Who Punch: The Explosive Inside Story of The View," O'Donnell claims working with the "Sister Act" star on "The View" was a "painful" experience.

"Whoopi Goldberg was as mean as anyone has ever been on television to me, personally -- while I was sitting there," O'Donnell told Setoodeh in the book, according to People. "Worse than Fox News. The worst experience I've ever had on live television was interacting with her."

However, the feud continued off-screen in 2009 when O'Donnell disagreed with Goldberg's controversial remarks about director Roman Polanski when she claimed he hadn't committed "rape rape," despite having pled guilty to statutory rape. According to the tell-all, Goldberg apparently sent O'Donnell an "angry letter" in response, but O'Donnell said she responded "diplomatically."

"I'm sorry if that hurt your feelings," O'Donnell wrote back to Goldberg, per the book."I have different feelings about it than you. And I stand up for what I believe, but I'll never bet against you, Whoopi Goldberg."

Although O'Donnell starred on two seasons of the ABC talk show -- during the years 2006-2007 and 2014-2015 -- it was her second return to the show that purportedly caused the most tension between O'Donnell and Goldberg, as the "A League of Their Own" star contributed new ideas including starting the morning meeting earlier and covering the Bill Cosby rape allegations on the show. However, as the book claims, the "Ghost" actress shut down all of O'Donnell's ideas.

"Some people would say, 'What's going on with you and Whoopi?'" O'Donnell recalled in "Ladies Who Punch." "I was like, 'Are you watching the show? It's pretty much right there.' I have no desire for a public feud."

The book also reported that "The View" staff members noticed O'Donnell was more "on edge" during her second stint on the daytime talk show. Apparently, she would "complain" about Goldberg to celebrity guests.

However, O'Donnell admitted in the book that she "revered" Goldberg before working with her and although their experience together wasn't great, O'Donnell said she will always respect Goldberg.

"She's a minority, feminist, smart, funny, groundbreaking legend who is black in America," she said. "I'm never going to not have respect for Whoopi Goldberg. But that was a painful experience, personally and professionally."

"Ladies Who Punch: The Explosive Inside Story of The View" will be released April 2, 2019. You can preorder it here.

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