Before The Donald. Before Elisabeth. There was one man who was the target of Rosie O’Donnell’s fire – Tom Selleck.
After all, who can forget the memorable encounter in May 1999 when Tom went on “The Rosie O’Donnell Show” to promote his movie “The Love Letter” when the topic quickly turned to the actor’s support of the NRA?
It marked the first time the “Queen of Nice” (as she was called back then) showed a thirst for controversy. As we all know, she went on to bigger and louder controversies⦠but what about Tom?
Access Hollywood’s Shaun Robinson paid a visit to the set of NBC’s “Las Vegas” to catch up with the new boss in town⦠and of course, to bring up Tom’s not-so-fond memories of Rosie.
“You were actually one of the first people who had a public disagreement with Rosie,” Shaun noted. “When you see ‘The View’ and saw The Donald or Elisabeth Hasselbeck, do you look back and say ‘Wow, I remember being in that position?’”
“It’s hard to pick a horse in that particular fight – not that I’m calling Donald or Rosie the horse. I’m not starting anything,” Tom grinned. “I still like Rosie. I think she needs to take a deep breath and stop thinking everybody who disagrees with her is evil.”
On that note, it will be tough to disagree with Tom as the new owner of the fictional Montecito Resort and Casino on NBC’s new season of “Las Vegas.”
“You’re a billionaire mystery man,” Shaun said of his new role.
“I’m playing a billionaire mystery man. I’m actually an actor with a mortgage in real life,” Tom joked.
Separating fantasy from reality can be a challenge, especially when you’re spending so much time on the mammoth 40,000 square-foot “Vegas” set, where it’s real easy to forget you’re on a sound stage instead of a casino filled with slots and gambling tables.
“These are all real you know,” Tom said of the slot machines filling the room as he and Shaun toured the set.
“Is it real money?” Shaun asked.
”They don’t pay off. I’ve tried to pull the handle a few times,” Tom joked.
At 62, Tom remains the 6’4” strapping stud that endeared him to viewers as “Magnum P.I.” back in the 80s. And as for those trademark dimples, well, even Shaun couldn’t resist.
“Has anybody else ever done this to you?” she asked playfully grabbing his cheeks.
“Yeah, about 5,000 times,” Tom smiled.
The new season of “Las Vegas” debuts September 28th on NBC.
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