Rosie O’Donnell V. Kelly Ripa

By: Shannon Gossage

American Idol’s Clay Aiken guest hosted Live with Regis and Kelly on Friday and during an interview with Dancing with the Stars Emmitt Smith and Cheryl Burke Aiken reportedly put his hand over Ripa’s mouth so he could ask a question. Ripa looked less than pleased and responded, "Oh, that’s a no-no. I don’t know where that hand's been, honey!"

O’Donnell said on Tuesday’s episode of The View, "To me that’s a homophobic remark. If that was a straight man, if that was a cute man, if that was a guy that she didn’t question his sexuality, she would have said a different thing." How is that homophobic? How does O’Donnell know that Ripa wouldn’t have said the very same thing if Reege had covered her mouth? Ripa was "quickly patched in by phone" and responded to O’Donnell saying, "He reached across and covered my mouth with his hand. I have three kids (and) he’s shaking hands with everybody in the audience. It’s cold and flu season. That’s what I meant and to imply that it’s homophobic is outrageous, Rosie. And you know better. You should be more responsible."

O’Donnell responded, "I’, just saying from where I sit as a gay person in the world, I have to tell you that’s how it came off to me." Ripa went on to say, "I respect all people, regardless." She also said, "Rosie, I just have to tell you – you know how I feel about you – you have to be more responsible. Not everything is homophobic." As for Aiken, he has never revealed his sexuality claiming that "people are going to believe what they want." So is O’Donnell "outing" him?