# Rosie O'Donnell takes a stand against algebra **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 11, 2001, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rosie-odonnell-takes-a-stand-against-algebra/61641 "2001-04-11T21:37:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2001, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rosie-odonnell-takes-a-stand-against-algebra/61641/61 "2001-04-14T00:17:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*\*(Nimune)\*\*Still, I can’t get too **agry** about this… It’s the third word! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2001, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rosie-odonnell-takes-a-stand-against-algebra/61641/62 "2001-04-14T14:20:50Z")
To tell the truth, the article was a bit of a priss-“Rosie’s gay, oh my!” Who the hell friggin cares… But, aside from that, I agree-I just want to give Rosie multiple swirlies so she shuts up! ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2001, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rosie-odonnell-takes-a-stand-against-algebra/61641/63 "2001-04-14T16:43:19Z")
Rosie O’Donnell is a lesbian? :eek: Seriously, I had no clue. I thought she was just a “single mom”. Guess I really am out of the loop. ☹ So does this mean that all the other “single moms” like Camryn Mannheim are lesbians, too? Is it a new euphemism? Or what? Anyway, a Google search for “Rosie O’Donnell algebra” turned up this. [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/kids/speakup/00/kids1013.htm](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/kids/speakup/00/kids1013.htm) > [@](#): > > Takoma Park MD: Dear Hayden: I was very impressed with your singing on the “Rosie O’Donnell Show”. I hope she was just kidding to ‘skip algebra’: I suspect you’ll do just fine if math is your favorite subject. Keep up the good work. > > Hayden Panettiere: Thank you very much! I’m sure I will enjoy algebra. Evidently the _Newsweek_ squib wasn’t the first time she’d said something like it. ---
**Author:** ![Rasa](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rasa/32/3578_2.png) [@Rasa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rasa)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2001, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rosie-odonnell-takes-a-stand-against-algebra/61641/64 "2001-04-14T18:51:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by edwino \* > \*\*I’d just like to say one thing: > > First, Outer, Inner, Last. > > \*\* I had a 10th grade algebra teacher call that “the foliage method”. FOIL, foliage… potato, potatoe. ---
**Author:** ![Sterra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8c91f0/32.png) [@Sterra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sterra)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2001, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rosie-odonnell-takes-a-stand-against-algebra/61641/65 "2001-04-14T19:45:33Z")
Guinistasia, I don’t think it was so much that she was gay, but that she totally omits it to get a larger audience. ---
**Author:** ![Deep\_Thought](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e95f7d/32.png) [@Deep\_Thought](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deep_Thought)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2001, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rosie-odonnell-takes-a-stand-against-algebra/61641/66 "2001-04-14T23:57:46Z")
“If you don’t know how to do something, you don’t know how to do it with a computer”. Rosie epitomizes dumb-fuck American “culture”. Get some education! ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2001, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rosie-odonnell-takes-a-stand-against-algebra/61641/67 "2001-04-15T00:04:23Z")
No no, I meant the article-all the woman did was harp on how Rosie was gay, and a hypocrite. How? I really could care less. But I cannot stand Rosie. She’s so annoyingly shrill. Oprah pisses me off too. ---
**Author:** ![jab1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ee7513/32.png) [@jab1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jab1)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2001, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rosie-odonnell-takes-a-stand-against-algebra/61641/68 "2001-04-15T00:36:40Z")
Aren’t lesbians all thin and/or athletic? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Ben](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/df788c/32.png) [@Ben](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ben)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2001, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rosie-odonnell-takes-a-stand-against-algebra/61641/69 "2001-04-15T05:53:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jab1 \* > \*\*Aren’t lesbians all thin and/or athletic? 😉 \*\* To quote Tim Meadows: “Yeah, and where’s the Asian one?” -Ben ---
**Author:** ![KJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b2d939/32.png) [@KJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KJ)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2001, 9:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rosie-odonnell-takes-a-stand-against-algebra/61641/70 "2001-04-15T09:18:38Z")
1. I think this is apalling if it’s true, but I still haven’t seen a source that confirms she said this. Either way, Rosie’s a hypocrite. 2. Hey, cool, I just saw the movie Rain Man for the first time today. 3. I (also) write computer games. I’ve written 3D engines, in fact. And you can bet your ass I needed Algebra (not to mention trigonometry of course) to figure out how to make a 3D source-map of a moving plane, or an interpolated texture routine, or a spline curve routine. It’s insulting to computer programmers everywhere to say that computers equate to not requiring math. 4. I’ll be damned if the Intel guys who design the new computer chips don’t use Algebra either. When Rosie shows me how a computer computes 19 \<\< 3 I’ll believe her anti-Algebra argument. 5. Logic? Who needs logic? - Rosie O’Donnell is pro-gun-control, because she says she doesn’t think guns should be used. - Rosie O’Donnell is also anti-gun-control, because she hires armed bodyguards for her children (the logic is already obviously slipping, but there’s more) - Rosie O’Donnell is anti-Algebra - Ergo, anybody who is pro-gun-control OR anti-gun-control must be anti-education. Another triumph of Rosie Logic. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Pinky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/848f3c/32.png) [@Dr.Pinky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Pinky)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2001, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rosie-odonnell-takes-a-stand-against-algebra/61641/71 "2001-04-15T12:10:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by kabbes \* > \*\*Maths is important for the same reason that art, literature or music is important. \*\* I think these are labels slapped on intrinsically similar human pursuits. To be anti-algebra is to be anti-art, because they both are modes of structuring the universe. I’m sorry if _your_ education taught you that these pursuits are opposed, Rosie. But obviously you are blathering from the standpoint of ignorance. Another poster child for the failure of public schools. ---
**Author:** ![sturmhauke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@sturmhauke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sturmhauke)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2001, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rosie-odonnell-takes-a-stand-against-algebra/61641/72 "2001-04-16T07:57:19Z")
KJ, what games have you worked on? ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2001, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rosie-odonnell-takes-a-stand-against-algebra/61641/73 "2001-04-16T14:20:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by drachillix \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by Philster \* > > > > How about Algebra for Dummies? > > > > ``` > > ** > > > > ``` > > is this close enough? > [http://shop.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?userid=0BPOR7UIIF&mscssid=W6MW13NAAD7U8JQP6E40FAJLJ8CL1GFA&isbn=0070434255](http://shop.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?userid=0BPOR7UIIF&mscssid=W6MW13NAAD7U8JQP6E40FAJLJ8CL1GFA&isbn=0070434255) \*\* Close enough. Hopefully, that book will be available for Rosie’s kids when they grow up and realize they were raised by the Pillsbury Algebra-fee Dough Girl. ---
**Author:** ![KJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b2d939/32.png) [@KJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KJ)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2001, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rosie-odonnell-takes-a-stand-against-algebra/61641/74 "2001-04-16T23:48:22Z")
[hijack] > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by sturmhauke \* > \*\*KJ, what games have you worked on? \*\* I’ve worked on lots of little games and projects to do graphical things. Among them: - One of my great programming accomplishments; I made a 3D rotating gourad(sp)-shaded polyedron that could be viewed with red/cyan 3D glasses. In QBasic. In 256 colors. It gave me a headache trying to get it to work. Seems kind of like wasted effort to me now, though. - A cool bump-mapping thing - that took a lot of math. And, despite what anyone like Rosie might say, I didn’t just type “C:> make a bumpmap program” and have the computer do it automatically. - Hi, Opal! - A 3D display of a plane that repeats itself infinitely out into the horizon - not really a game, but a really cool program nonetheless. - An Asteroids clone called Guggoids. It had pretty cool graphics, but it was never a huge serious project. - A raycaster (think Wolfenstein) that used sort of the same principle behine the infinite plane display. I’m still working on that one. I used to have a webpage with my raycaster and Guggoids on it, but the server seems to be defunct. - Numerous other misc. projects. - I’m also working on a Top Secret Project which I probably shouldn’t reveal here. (¬.¬) [/hijack] ---
**Author:** ![McKenna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/db5fbb/32.png) [@McKenna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/McKenna)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2001, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rosie-odonnell-takes-a-stand-against-algebra/61641/75 "2001-04-17T00:43:26Z")
Believe me, our little world is just as divided about Rosie as ya’ll are, but she’s IT for us today on TV, outside a couple of obscure NYC-based theatre shows. {BTW, she always goes to premieres with her girlfriend and everyone knows exactly who that blonde is and we just don’t gossip about it. And my very prim Mom knew for years that she’s gay and it doesn’t concern her at all.} Tomorrow, on the Rosie show, there’ll be a performance of one of the main numbers of an immortal American musical, FOLLIES. OK, so this Roundabout production has gotten pretty mixed reviews; so it’ll be a reduced staging for that tiny space; so I live in NYC and can go down and see it with a TKTS ticket (and I have a Real Ticket already for my birthday!) But… For us, she’s IT! There’s no more Mike Douglas show, ET doesn’t cover theatre unless a TV celebrity is up there, CNN Showbiz Today might show snippets but certainly not a full number, etc. David Letterman’s the only other one out there. She almost single-handedly kept TITANIC (the 1997 Best Musical) afloat by having them on the show around six times. She’s had large and small shows, Broadway and Off-Broadway, men and women whose talent never gets recognized in the rest of the media because they’re not on a screen. She won my heart forever by having John Cameron Mitchell, :eek: in full drag (with Miriam Shor in male drag behind him!) perform ‘The Origin of Love’ from HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH. She and John will chat excitedly about what they saw, give away tickets and CDs to the audience, etc. and even her detractors in theatre circles acknowledge that she is directly responsible for keeping several shows from closing and hundreds of pros working. OK, so sometimes her taste is questionable–THE LION KING?! And those parodies get annoying (although she was just great as the Cat in the Hat in SUESSICAL, admittedly not a vocally demanding part). But I’ll be watching my tape tomorrow when I get back from work to see ‘Who’s That Woman?’ from FOLLIES, and so will millions of other young people, one of whom just might say to him or herself that it looks like something he or she might want to write, or compose, or sing, or dance in. And another creator or fan will be born. \ ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2001, 7:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rosie-odonnell-takes-a-stand-against-algebra/61641/76 "2001-04-17T07:37:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by iampunha \* > \*\* > In general, in my experience, given n variables and n equations with at least two of them, code can be written to solve for 'em. And you don’t even need a stinking TI-92:) \*\* Just a nitpick… if the equations are linearly independent with respect to the _n_ variables, sure. Otherwise, it’s hardly guaranteed. ---
**Author:** ![Albert\_Rose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9de053/32.png) [@Albert\_Rose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Albert_Rose)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2001, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rosie-odonnell-takes-a-stand-against-algebra/61641/77 "2001-04-17T12:31:09Z")
> [@](#): > > _originally posted by Dr.Pinky_ > **Another poster child for the failure of public schools.** Grrrrrr… [sub]grumble grumble[/sub] Please don’t blame Rosie on public schools. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2001, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rosie-odonnell-takes-a-stand-against-algebra/61641/78 "2001-04-17T13:02:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by voguevixen \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by DoctorJ \* > > \*\*I’d just like to say that any magazine with Rosie O’Donnell and Fran Drescher on the cover is surely the only magazine in the waiting room at the doctor’s office in Hell. > > > > Dr. J \*\* > > Now, now…are you forgetting about the new magazine by Mary Kate and Ashley, the Olsen twins? :D\*\* Oh, but there are [many fine reasons](http://www.brunching.com/features/marykateandashley.html) for the Olson twerps to produce their new magazine. And I’m sure none of them involve money. :rolleyes: I have to confess that I had no idea that Rosie O’Donnell was a lesbian – and when I read the article my first thought was “Those poor lesbians – this’ll set back gay rights something fierce.” Perhaps it’s just as well she’s not “out”… ---
**Author:** ![Alphagene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Alphagene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alphagene)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2001, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rosie-odonnell-takes-a-stand-against-algebra/61641/79 "2001-04-17T14:37:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by AlbertRose \* > \*\*Please don’t blame Rosie on public schools. \*\* Aw, don’t get mad at Pinky. He’s just another poster child for the sheltered elitism of private schools. 😛 I can just picture a post-pubescent Rosie in high school math class… “Rosie, what does XX + XY equal?” “Damned if I’ll ever know!” ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2001, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rosie-odonnell-takes-a-stand-against-algebra/61641/80 "2001-04-17T15:29:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by McKenna \* > \*\*so will millions of other young people, one of whom just might say to him or herself that it looks like something he or she might want to write, or compose, or sing, or dance in. And another creator or fan will be born. > > \ \*\* Unless, of course, a fan who might have seen Bernadette Peters perform one of the most classic songs of entire genre tuned in and instead got that swinish lout’s anti-gun rant is turned off by her. (For those who don’t know what I’m talking about, Bernadette Peters starred in a well-acclaimed revival of “Annie Get Your Gun”. She was scheduled to perform the famous (and showstopping) number ["Anything You Can Do](http://www.eonline.com/News/Items/0,1,4807,00.html), [I Can Do Better".](http://mrshowbiz.go.com/newsarchive/news/1999/5/rosieodonnell052499.html) Rosie, in her :rolleyes: infinite wisdom decided that this Irving Berlin masterpiece’s line about “I can shoot a partridge with a single cartridge” was A) pro-NRA and B) pro-Gun Violence and told Ms Peters to choose a different number to perform or rewrite the lyrics to suit Rosie. Ms Peters won an eternal place in my heart by telling Rosie to cram it (probably not in those words). But Bernadette Peters refused to switch and didn’t appear on the episode. Kudos to her!) The problem with Rosie and Theatre is that in every one of the (admittedly) few times I’ve seen her, she’s oozed her politics into the discussion, tainting the discussion/enjoyment of the show. It’s possible to watch Oklahoma! and not worry about whether Jud’s death necessitates knife-control. You can enjoy Oliver! without having to turn it into a disucssion of sweatshops in Third World countries…unless you’re Rosie, and are trying to prove that you’re got “weighty” opinions. In the long run, her deperate attempt to be Little Miss Theatre and trying to associate theatre with her own odious self, is doing far more harm than good, despite any short term gains she might achieve. Fenris [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rosie-odonnell-takes-a-stand-against-algebra/61641.md?page=3)