>> outrageous and very very funny. >> i'm going to crawl over the table and try to seduce you in a few minutes. >> tonight, rosie o'donnell tells all. >> i think i have an image of me being like a bossy tiger, soprano, you get over here and you don't say anything. no, i'm a little cuddly hug me love me. >> proper lin love. >> i've been properly in love, i'd say three times. >> donald trump. >> i made fun of him and it seemed to upset him in a very very intense way. >> rosie or don't for the hour. this is the piers morgan interview and it will be outrageou outrageous. >> for the last year, i've waged a relentless twitter war with o rosie o'donnell. she always vowed never to come on this show because she said if she ever did, i would stare her in the eye and say what i always say, how many times have you been properly in love? she has, like most women, finally succumbed to my advances and here tonight. i suppose the most obvious opening question, how many times have you been properly in love? >> only with you and like chels sea handler and kathy griffin, i will crawl over and try to seduce you in a few minutes. >> why have you succumbed to coming here? >> when you banned madonna, i felt like it was a misuse of your power, now, i will ban you. now, here i am because everybody comes around. >> what changed your mind? >> i watched your show since day one and been admiring it. at the beginning, i was quite annoyed when you asked that horrible question to everyone as if you just thought of it. it was bad enough you asked it of every one. >> now, they want me to ask, how many times have you been properly in love? >> i've been properly in love three times. fascinating? >> who with? >> the one i'd like to talk about, my fiance, i'm actually engaged. >> your ex-wife would be the second. who would the third be? >> someone when i was much younger. she knows who she is. you have one relationship in your life that's kind of crazy and out of control a little bit that usually doesn't last very long but takes you into the deep water, into the rough waves. >> the first time your heart really breaks. you remember it? >> well. i almost have remote control in my brain and hit the dvr and hit play and remember the feeling. >> who broke whose heart? >> i was always the heart -- the first one, got it my heartbroken badly. it was the first time. that allows the light in, right? when you crack something, the light can get in. you have an idealism when you're a kid what romance and family and forever means. at 28, 29 years old, you're ready to step into a mature kind of love. that's what got me there was having a broken heart at 28. >> what did getting your heartbroken at 28 do to you? how did it change you emotionally? >> first of all, it opened me up. i was not as afraid as i was before, falling in love. i realized i was capable of risk taking, which -- people have thought that i had a wild kind of personal life and that i was out there with -- tomcatting around, not really. i could count on both hands all of the relationships i've had in my life. >> isn't the reality -- you've been such a huge iconic star on television for many different reasons, isn't the reality when you scale those different height s however fun a lot of it is, it can be a lonely existence? >> totally. you climb to the top of mt. everest, when you plant your flag, you come back down. there's no air up there when you're by yourself. you climb and be entertainer and passion and art and be accepted and love and have success and you get there and this is nothing like i thought it would be. it's also hard to explain to the audience, they, too, believe there is some utopia you arrive at, some destination of success and stardom that will fill you up emotionally and it doesn't. that was a shocking revelation for me. >> present company acce excepte have you ever been in love with a man? yes. >> who? >> his name is mike and i've been in love with him two years. >> you didn't cite him as proper lin love. >> i loved him very much and he was very helpful in my life. when i was with him a lot of stuff about my childhood was revealed. he was quite helpful in kind of mending my -- a lot of wounds from my childhood. he's a guy that i have very close feelings about inside but i don't know, i think i knew i was gay my whole life. there was a brief period i fell in love with him, i thought maybe i'm not gay. i hadn't had a lot of relationships before i'd met him. i'd only had two. i met him, okay, this was it. there was something really glorious about being in a relationship at the supermarket with your partner getting stuff for the football game on sunday and having the cashier say, how long have you guys been dating. when you're there with a woman, your same sex partner, no one asks, no one assume, it may be different today, in the '80s, when i was in my 20s, there was something very intoxicating about -- >> conventional relationships? >> about the societal approval that you got to have just by virtue of the fact that it was a heterosexual relationship. >> even now, is having a lesbian relationship, is it -- does it lead to constant conflict on a daily basis? do you always -- are you always aware of an element disapproving of you? do you feel defensive more than you would normally? >> not for me, i don't think. when i see the presidential candidates using it as a platform, i am kind of stunned. that hurts in a way i think that the politicians don't really realize. i don't feel it personally because many people in the country probably all the people in the country know that i'm gay. when i came out, it was in such a large way, it's not as though ever people are surprised. >> it is a weird thing. you mentioned politics there. in britain, my home country overseas, no politician right or left would ever come out with anti-gay comments. >> right. >> here in this election race, quite a few of the republicans at various stages have been transpare transparently anti-homosexuals. >> yes. the three top ones are no longer in the race, right? >> interesting to me they're not. i was quite shocked by the kind of virulence of their rhetoric, that today that can happen in a country i guess they're doing it because they believe a lot of their core conservative vote would want them to say that. i was quite taken aback. there aren't many countries actually, certainly not in europe where a politician can say those kind of things and get away with it. >> we're a backward nation in many ways. that's one of the ways most evident nowadays especially with the election. to think you can turn on the presidential debate and you can have people actually say they think being gay is wrong is shocking in 2012. it's shocking to me. >> what do you make of the gop race generally? >> you know, it's a sad lot of contenders. it's not the republican ra race -- the republican party that, you know, i grew up believing was one of the two viable ways to lead the nation in america. it just seems to be almost too much entertainment and no one qualified. that's the saddest thing. there doesn't seem to be any qualified. i wish that there would be a real contender so there could be real issues brought up and not everyone sidetracked with these absurd anti-gay rhetoric or whether or not evolution is real. >> let's play a clip from your show on oprah's own network, about politics. >> nobody would choose to be gay. you get ostracized. presidential hopefuls tell you they're not worthy, in their ads. can you imagine that? can you imagine, people who want to be the president saying how da dare you want to marry the person you love. >> from the rosie show, great to have you back doing that. >> thank you. >> i think a lot of people missed it. before the show started, you were like, i don't really want go political on this show and then you did because you felt this pressing need to do so. >> yeah. >> because you felt so affronted by what the politicians were saying. >> especially the rick perry ad. that was the day after the rick perry ad and i remember being at home and announced we were engaged and being in chicago and getting overwhelming support from everyone and watching this ad saying i don't believe you people have the same rights as other people in this country. that's not what america was founded on. it was hurtful and shocking. in the wake of teen suicides and gay bullying, i don't understand why politicians or anybody thinks they can get away with that. >> despite the rhetoric of some politicians, since i've been in america, new york has now sanctioned same sex marriage and joining a number of other sta states, these are big big moments for america in the same way barack obama became the first black president. >> when you think where we have come in 20 years as a nati nation -- even when my show started in '96, no one even asked me if i was gay. there was no internet perez hilton, no tmz, a whole different culture and homosexuality was something you didn't talk about. people knew you were gay in show business and you knew they were gay and it wasn't spoken of. to see we have come from here where celebrities are starring in sitcoms. when ellen did that, her show crashed and burned and she knocked down the door for many people, including me and hosting number one show, it's changed a lot. we have to catch up as a society really to how quickly rights for gay people have come into fashion in america. >> there's still a lot of big stars who are in the closet and everybody knows that. why do you feel there's still this fear of being open about sexuality in modern america? >> i don't know. i think that there aren't any -- a lot of people have said to me, you know so-and-so, you know so-and-so, are they gay? i personally don't know a star who i have come to know intimately friendly with in my life who is living a false -- i don't. i really don't. >> really? >> i don't. >> i'm surprised by that. >> people say to me all the time tom cruise is gay. i've been around tom cruise a lot. tom cruise drives race cars, i have never thought tom cruise is gay. >> he drive as race car. >> who he is in his life is not -- >> do you think mythology building up about certainly celebrities? >> i do. i don't know. i haven't seen it is all i can say. i know there are some people in my life who are not famous who have a very hard time dealing with their sexuality internally, whether or not that's religion they were raised in would choose have a life not "inside politics" consistent with their feelings they feel would be easier with the feelings from the catholic church from some elements of society to tell you you are less worthy, that's hard thing to take on. >> let's take a break. let's talk about family. we have something in common, our fathers both born in southern ireland and both raised as catholics and both impossibly good looking. óómógwgó what makes the sleep number store different? 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when we got written up in a review in london. they have an annoying habit of shooting harry rubber bands at her audience members. if you're here in the u.s., it's a foosball. >> they are rubber bands. that's a terrible english accent you had. >> i thought it was pretty good. i tried to get on harry potter with that. >> i can do my rosie accent. >> sometimes you hear a british person speak no matter what they say, you're actually moved because there is something eloquent about your phraseology. >> tell me about your oprah network. she gave me a massive break. i know about the pressure of launching a new network. that was a completely different pressure into the unknown. nobody knew where this network would go. you've taken flak and gotten blahh plaudits. what's your overview now that you've been in there a few months. >> any new cable start-up takes 5 to 10 years to make it. including cnn. when oprah said she was going to do it. my initial deal was nbc and i said, please call and let them know i was interested. i didn't know she would want me and didn't want to assume she would want me. i gave a call and came over and i signed the deal and thrilled to be there. >> when you came over, titans of american television, trailblazer, what has the relationship like between you? >> i feel like she's the smarter prettier older sister you want to be like. she's intimidating to be around her. the most powerful woman in our lifetime, most successful woman in the history of media. >> why? >> she has a reach unbelievable. she has a satellite everyone receives and her authenticity and truthfulness is unparalleled. >> i found her completely real. i was stunned how nice she was to me, had no reason to be. it's my variananniversary week week, you're a great guest to have. oprah didn't just give me an interview, went out and sold the interview and told people it was great. i thought, why are you doing this? i couldn't do anything for her, really, but i appreciated it. >> gayle is a big supporter of yours, big fan and they're very good friends. she said, do him a favor. that's how it went down. she's a nice person. to be on her team and have her say, i choose you in the kickball at the school is a big thing. i wasn't sure i could do it again. i'm going to be 50 in march. i don't know. i don't have the hunger i had at 33 and had a newborn baby. let me do this so i can stay home. i don't have that hunger or i don't have it the way did. or at least it's switched in a different way. >> are you enjoying it? >> a lot. it's been a challenge. i want to succeed for myself and her and everyone. i really want to do well for her. >> when the heat is on, as it has been, a lot of stake for her reputation and for you indeed, what is she like under pressure? that's always a test of people when their leader is under pressure. >> i've never seen her under pressure. she has said from the beginning follow your instinct. you know what to do, go do it. >> ur ever expanding family. four children. >> yes. >> parker, chelsea sea, blake, vivian. how are they all? >> they're good. teenage years is much different than i expected. you have teenagers, i know. you have boys i think are easier than girls. >> my brother has four girls and my sister has three, definitely true. a much simpler thing. you basically talk about sport, all you have to do. >> which for you works well. >> my 18-year-old and 14 message me all day long about football, i know you love because you follow me on twitter. >> i unfollow you when the games are on because you're so annoying. you get so upset. how about when you threaten to kill yourself, will jump out this window. >> i threatened to throw myself off sanita monica pier. it was more shocking the number of people encouraging me to do that. >> don't listen to those people. >> do you like twitter? >> i do. i think it's a great way to interact with friends and fans. >> let's talk about you as a mother and you as a wife. you're about to become a wife again. >> yes. >> i want to know whether you think you're good at either. i suspect you are. >> i think i am. my special guest, rosie o'donnell. you've been behaving quite well so far. >> have i? what were you expecting? >> i think you were expecting mayhem. >> i think you like the female comics to flirt but being i'm a lesbian, i don't think it could turn. >> i do think under different circumstances, you and i could be a hot couple. >> i think that's when you began to melt towards me. >> i met your pregnant wife and that's when we began to cuddle. >> it was a nice cuddle. but not as cuddly as you were. you're disappearing. how much weight have you lost? >> 16 pounds. is that a stone? >> that's a stone. >> november 6th. no. >> two months, 16 pounds. >> working out and eating healthy. it was my fiance, michelle saying, i love you, i do want to marry you, i want you to live. every other day, has me do the treadmill as long as i could do. initially, i could only do 20 minutes and now i can do 45 minutes. >> that's good. >> for me. and resistance with the weights. honestly, she makes a healthy dinner. let's say we go out to dinner, i look at something and think, i'll have the cheeseburger deluxe. i say to her, honey, what do you think would be -- i would get this kind of fish and i do it. >> you're obedient. >> it is kind of shocking but i am. >> have you learned to be obedient in a relationship? >> i am always sort of obedient in a relationship. i am not the aggressor, much more submissive than any would ever believe. i really do follow orders, i do. it's shocking. i think i have an image of me being a bossy tiger like a tony soprano, you get over here, don't say good-bye to nobody. no. i'm a little cuddly love me hug me hold me. >> you are? >> i am. michelle was shocked as well. we had a long courtship via e-mail. i was in chicago working and away. >> you met in a restaurant? >> in a starbucks. she was holding a puppy and i was about to get a puppy. >> you capitalist. >> i didn't think she was gay in a million years. have you seen her? >> she's very attractive. >> i didn't know a lot of lesbians that wore high heel pradas. i saw them on the l world and thought it was fantasy. i thought she was very very beautiful. she looked to me like ann margaret or julian moore, and very smart and fun and very w l well-dress well-dressed. snow she is a cracker? she's beautiful. >> you've done well. >> thank you? i don't know how. i do say that to her often, are you sure, honey? are you sure? i didn't know whether to believe it or not. i thought to myself. i looked to ashton kutcher freshmfrom punked. i got her e-mail and she got my e-mail and we started e-mailing. about three weeks later, we went out on a date and then a second date and then we had a few months apart where we really actually fell in love, so the first time we ever spent the night together we were already in love, it was sort of a beautiful way to do it. i had never been in a relationship in that kind of way before. >> who proposed to who? >>. >> we talked about it getting married but i actually bought the ring and asked the question. was quite nervous and had never imagined doing it. if you grow up a gay girl, i knew i was gay when i was little, definitely not going to have a marriage, not going to have a wedding, you don't ever put that image in your head. sometimes going to weddings of friends you almost feel cheated you can't have that dream. when marriage was legal in new york and my brother danny is the state assemblyman who proposed that bill, i'm very proud of him for that. i want to do it and do it right. she's a girl that loves jewelry. i bought her a ring and i asked her she said abso-freaking-luteally. best answer in the world. i tried, i'm a baby a wuss. >> i bet you are pretty emotional. >> my kids, they can't stand it. they can't do