Elaine Stritch Interview: Rosie O'Donnell Show 2002

[@MaxRyan777]

Ty sooo much! She came into a tiny coffee shop that I worked in on 45th street between shows of "A Delicate Balance" one of the rooms had a bathroom and the door was always broken.... She had given her order and gone into the bathroom and I thought "That lock better work. It's freaking ELAINE STRITCH!" Mind you NO ONE who worked with me knew who she was. I was getting her order together, when all of the sudden I hear this blood curdling shriek: "WHAT THE F?!! I'M TAKING A DUMP IN HERE!!" I almost died! She was EXACTLY as I knew she would be... She came out to get her order and I apologized up one side and down the other and she would hear none of it. She didn't care at all. She had a true heart of gold. She came back a couple more times and we kind of got to know each other. I was a young actor at the time and she couldn't have been more supportive and honest about the "business" with me. She knew how hardcore it really was and warned me over and over that it's the hardest thing in the world and she was right... She got my house seats to see her show and I was just blown away by her work in that show. She told me to meet her after the show and I stood outside with flowers for her. She ran out the door and saw me among all the people wanting an autograph, she pulled me out into the street and to the car waiting for her, she said "I can't with all those people!!" She took the flowers and looked in my eyes and truly asked "What did you think?" ELAINE STRITCH was asking ME what I thought... I almost couldn't speak... I said something like "You were incredible. It was like there was only you on that stage." She got tears in her eyes, hugged me so tight and kissed me right on the mouth. She said "I really wanted to know what you thought..." People started encroaching the car and she kissed me again and said "I gotta get outta here!" She winked, jumped into her car and I never saw here again... One of my fondest memories in my life. Bless her. CLASS ACT all the way. She is missed be so many, but she lives on in our hearts.

[@briankooker2627]

you are the luckiest boy in the world.

[@paddycraig]

Wow beautiful story thanks for sharing your light

[@susanwenner8738]

Such a perfect story. I saw her in each action and had to smile.

[@richarda.vandermeeden6337]

What a great story. Thanks for sharing that.

[@ciaranhagghaggerty326]

Wow!!!!

[@dmaxledock]

R.I.P. to the one and only Elaine Stritch. What a loss. You will be missed.

[@davidandtom8238]

We were lucky enough to see Elaine in "at liberty" and "A delicate balance". amazing!!!!

[@brianeduardo1234]

Saw the show in NYC ... it was one of the best things ever.....

[@tedtamada]

Her one woman show just blew me away. She was spectacular and such a great storyteller.

[@txsailor82]

Rosie is an amazing host, she lets her guests speak. Take notes Jimmy Fallon

[@AdovianDones]

im a Fallon fan and lmfao

[@diggerhoward4078]

What a gorgeous lady inside and out. We were all so lucky she shared her gifts with us. We love you Elaine!

[@XX-gy7ue]

THIS INTERVIEW SHOULD BE PRESERVED IN GOLD ! !

[@ricardobigi5476]

I would love to hug this very special woman and have her as a friend. She is totally brilliant and is so modest about her many talents.

[@TJgeminiguy]

Elaine Stritch is the best AA meeting ever.

[@XX-gy7ue]

Two of my favorite people , and together ! p.s. someone put Rosie back on TV , she's had a fabulously great talk show ! SOMEONE BRING THAT SHOW BACK !

[@bmbutler2]

She alienated half of her audience with her political rants.

[@bryanburns1969]

OH MY GOD,I have been talking about this for YEARS and have been waiting for someone to post it in here. I still remember this when it first aired,when she sings the song from Sail Away,I was in TEARS

[@bryanburns1969]

oh wait,this isn't the clip with Sail Away. I hope you have that one! This was great too!

[@brianeduardo1234]

Nice Bryan... from Brian in Ireland

[@stevegriffiths5866]

Wish she were still here. But a fabulous entertainer and friend.

[@paytonkane2501]

Love you always, Elaine!

[@lenwelch2195]

The audience is not sophisticated enough to appreciate this woman’s message

[@tellmamatellmamaall156]

Oh, shut up, Tony.

[@MaleOrderBride]

Look. I agree that Elaine is an amazing storyteller and was trying to impart her wisdom on the audience...but half the audience wouldn't haven't even know who she was! Elaine is acting like the entire audience came to see her...when most DayTime Talk Show audiences don't even get told which celebrities are appearing until the day they arrive. This whole schtick she did woulda been appreciated more at her shows with an audience of die-hard fans. You can't expect Soccer Moms from the Midwest who flew into NYC for one day to see the Rosie O'Donnell Show and were probably expecting someone like Richard Simmons or Charo to be sophisticated enough for this kind of performance.

[@lizzabbott]

They all seemed to love it !

[@brianeduardo1234]

Saw it in 2002 and it was just one of the best things ever.... and I miss her

[@glennfromthebronx]

Rest in Peace, Elaine. I never saw Elaine on stage but between working at Carnegie Hall from 2000-2003, and then working in lower midtown through 2010, I frequently saw her walking the streets of NY (always wearing a hat!)...more recently with a young grandnephew @26th and 7th Avenue. Many older friends of mine who saw her in COMPANY (and even back to SAIL AWAY and CALL ME MADAM/touring company) swear she was amongst the best...not the best voice, not the best acting, but SOMEHOW, you just "felt" her presence and drive and HONESTY. Elaine moved out of the Carlyle Hotel and moved back to Michigan in 2013/last year....she "presence" is missed.

[@brianeduardo1234]

Very interesting Glenn... I was in NYC and went to Elaine Stritch At Liberty in the Village, I always liked her but nothing prepared me for that show... it was terrific... and wonderful woman who please God is heaven continuing to entertain...

[@martinsorenson1055]

Interesting. I showed her performance of Ladies Who Lunch (from that Broadway Divas concert) to a friend who often mocks me about theater stuff (but I mock him about Star Wars so it balances out). i just wanted him to see her, although I was nervous he would think she was awful - especially her singing. A few verses in he said, "She's amazing." And he went on to explain just what you said, "Not the best singing - but there's something about her; her delivery, her expressions..." Her presence.

[@lizzabbott]

“does anyone still wear a hat?”

[@BobSullivanAKABuffy]

And this is prior to 30 Rock! People just LOVE Elaine!

[@Ronizetti]

Beautiful woman, beautiful soul, AMAZING talent!! Miss you, Stritchy!

[@CarmenZynger]

Everything about Elaine Stritch is wonderful!

[@dxmxo9427]

She was such a Amazing character,way ahead of her time. Rest in Forever Peace

[@stephenfermoyle4578]

Such a great lady RIP Miss Stritch

[@TheOracle1814]

Happy birthday Elaine.

[@lenwelch2195]

A jewel of a person who was courageous enough to face heir demons with humor and heart.

[@savage_skirt5386]

wish someone would upload a higher quality version of this... i loved Elaine.

[@AdovianDones]

She's beyond iconic and her role in Monster In Law is complete diamonds

[@scottm9010]

Such an amazing woman, god bless her soul

[@macjman284]

AHHHHHH! THANK YOU VODKA STINGER!!! YOU ARE THE BEST!

[@sparklemotion1013]

+19grinNbearit81 Elaine Stritch was in the original productions of "Bus Stop," (by William Inge) "Company," ( by Stephen Sondheim and George Furth) and "Sail Away" (by Noel Coward, who wrote the lead role for her). You may have "mostly forgotten" those shows, but no one else has. Her one-woman show "Elaine Stritch At Liberty" was a smash on both sides of the Atlantic. It's fine if you don't enjoy her performances (did you ever see her on stage?, I suspect you didn't), but it's absurd to say that Stritch demanded that audiences venerate her. No audiences were forced at gunpoint to give her standing ovations and no critics were blackmailed into giving her rave reviews.

[@citizen1163]

I drove 30 miles, on the spur of the moment, to see her in The Gingerbread Lady in Windsor, England in early 70s Don't remember much about the performance now except I stood up at the back because the theatre was sold out!

[@CitzenVain714]

YESSSS YESSS YEESSSSSSSSS!!! You're the greatest Vod KaStinger!

[@edglebennett6312]

Love her!!!

[@makeittrue]

She really was outstanding in "At Liberty"! and a pair of legs that she didn't have to worry about in the slightest....they looked amazing!

[@MrCherbear1990]

19grinNbearit81...Elaine did not wear wigs in everyday life. If you watched her documentary "Shoot me" You see her getting her hair cut and set several times. She has never said that she has the most amazing singing voice, she had a voice that you know as soon as you here it. People like Bette Davis, Lucille Ball, Tallulah Bankhead, these people opened their mouths and they were recognised. Her one-woman shows have not been forgotten...They were sell out performances and even won her an Emmy for At Liberty. She is a Broadway legend and will be missed by many.

[@brianeduardo1234]

Wonderful...... woman

[@paulatrahon3360]

i miss rosie. and i love elaine.

[@EddieGoing]

"So humble"

[@PhilAlumb]

Elaine..is honest about "chewing the scenery" and attempting to "steal scenes" from other performers.

[@brianeduardo1234]

Her interpretation of any song is pure gold... She says Judy Garland was the best female talent of the 20th century but I think Ms. Stritch gives a close run for her money....

[@henrybucholtz8430]

Henrybuch0ltz 😂❤❤❤is a good place ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@robertdelisle5384]

I miss her NOW!

[@glennfromthebronx]

Elaine sings WHY HIM? from the Broadway show CARMELINA...written by Burton Lane and Alan Jay Lerner, who also wrote ON A CLEAR DAY (you can see forever)/barbra's 1st show..

[@richardmayora1289]

Barbra was not in the stage version of On A Clear Day.

[@johnpickford4222]

@@richardmayora1289 The reference was to BARBARA HARRIS, not Streisand. You got Babs on the mind.

[@henrybucholtz8430]

Henrybuch0ltz 12345345henry ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@craigprice3414]

there are 2 Broadway legends Carol Channing and Elaine Stritch.

[@machoman1016]

RIP to the both of them

[@matthewcooper3535]

What about merman ?

[@richardmayora1289]

@@matthewcooper3535 Merman always ranks first. It is obscene that there is not a theater named after the undisputed star of Broadway.

[@matthewcooper3535]

@@richardmayora1289 indeed MERMAN was 40 years #1 BW leading lady . I actually knew Miss. Stritch in NYC peripheraly. ( who didn't? Boy she got around and was so chatty ) loved her. But miss Elaine sadly never was a huge bway star on the level of the Merm . It was nice Elaine finally got her Tony for her last effort .

[@yngguy4u]

Elaine is amazing! Although not so sure rosie practiced the no secrets at this point in her career

[@peterdurkin8980]

This is the covid song I'm still here

[@msscott73]

did Elaine say, "sh**" and the cut it out.

[@RaymondHng]

Yep. They cut her mike.

[@stza16]

6:08 Well done Rosie.

[@mggentry]

Ohhhhh 😉🏳️‍🌈

[@maszlagma]

So good! Did she go back for a second interview?

[@glennfromthebronx]

....i don't believe so.

[@bmbutler2]

This is when Rosie was great. Good interviews and very funny. Too bad she had to go so political and alienate many in her audience.

[@wotan10950]

I’ve always had mixed feelings about Elaine - she’s just so over the top. But I saw her in an otherwise forgettable Woody Allen picture, and she walked away with the whole movie! She was like a bottle of champagne. The movie died when she was offscreen.

[@holdyourhats]

One of God's best!!!

[@maximilian2974]

She's hammered here

[@tannawannavannabittannawan7138]

❤️ Miss Stritch! Not big on the other thing next to her.

[@johnpickford4222]

Not big wherever you are bit**

[@scotnick59]

She was always so "on" and full of life: did she suffer from insomnia, I wonder = LOL

[@markwhitehead2448]

Forgot how obnoxious Rosie is with that loud annoying voice. Screams and yells, instead of talking.

[@rocantenrocanten4150]

лучше бы она говорила, а не пела.

[@rjnuzzi1648]

Can't sing... bring on Patti

[@henrybucholtz8430]

Henrybuch0ltz 12345345henry ❤❤❤❤