Adam's Favorite Things

Angelo Noto, Rosie O'Donnell & Call Me Adam's Adam Rothenberg
COMMON KNOWLEDGE - Daryl Roth Theatre NYC - Photo Credit: Bruce Glikas

Rosie O’Donnell’s COMMON KNOWLEDGE is a raw, hilarious & heart‑punching masterclass in storytelling, blending grief, growth & gut‑level honesty into one unforgettable night that proves why she’s still one of our most electric performers. 

Read why it’s one of Adam’s Favorite Things & a must‑see Off‑Broadway event for comedy, theatre & pop culture lovers.

I am beyond grateful that I had a chance to see Rosie O'Donnell's new solo show, COMMON KNOWLEDGE at the Daryl Roth Theatre in NYC!

The night I went, the theatre was a star-studded event!

From Cyndi Lauper to Broadway's Julia Murney & Jennifer Cody to Director & Choreographer Matthew Johnson Harris! 

Everyone, who's anyone, was there!

The last time I saw Rosie O'Donnell live on stage performing a comedy show was back in 1994 at Boston's famous Comedy Connection! I still remember how much I laughed during that show.

32 years later, Rosie still had me laughing during her new show COMMON KNOWLEDGE, but not with the punch lines you might think.

While performing COMMON KNOWLEDGE, Rosie really opened up in a way I had not seen from just watching her on TV, in movies, or on Broadway.

COMMON KNOWLEDGE showed me a different side to this comedy legend.

Rosie shined a bright spotlight on her pain, her big heart & the immense love she has for her family.

I truly felt I got to know the real Rosie O'Donnell. The one that nobody gets to see, except for her true inner circle of family & friends.

While she has talked about losing her mother throughout her illustrious career, in COMMON KNOWLEDGE, Rosie made me see just how deep her pain runs since her mother's death when Rosie was just 10 years old.

I felt a sadness for Rosie I'm not quite sure I ever experienced before.

Jennifer Cody, Call Me Adam's Adam Rothenberg, Julia Murney
COMMON KNOWLEDGE - Daryl Roth Theatre NYC

One of my favorite parts of COMMON KNOWLEDGE  was when Rosie would talk about her children, especially Parker & Clay.

Even from mid-orchestra, I was able to see Rosie's eyes light up like I had never seen before.

She had an electricity when she spoke about her children.

There was a fire inside of her soul that I hadn't seen in a long time. It was very heartwarming to watch Rosie talk about the love she has for her kids.

The amount of unconditional love Rosie has for all her children is immense.

The bulk of the show was Rosie sharing the special bond she has with her Autistic child, Clay.

The things Rosie has encountered through raising an Autistic child is mind-blowing. She has weathered many storms & I really commend Rosie for focusing so much on this part of her story.

I admire not only Rosie, but also Clay, for allowing Rosie to talk about them in such an open & honest way.

I learned a lot about Autism from Rosie & I appreciated everything she brought to the stage.

Call Me Adam's Adam Rothenberg & Director/Choreographer Matthew Johnson Harris
COMMON KNOWLEDGE - Daryl Roth Theatre NYC

These days, no Rosie O'Donnell show would be complete without talking about the orange menace in the White House.

I honestly believe Rosie only put this part in the show because that is what people expect to hear from her in 2026.

I applaud Rosie for making this segment of the show very short. She used it as a great segue to tell the more important details of her life.

If you LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Rosie O'Donnell, this show is for you, because you will get to see your Entertainment Idol do what she does best!

If you only know Rosie from her daytime talk show & movies, this show is for you, because you will discover so much about the woman behind the camera.

If you have written off Rosie O'Donnell, this show is for you, because you will uncover a side to this comedy icon that you didn't know existed. 

Rosie O'Donnell's COMMON KNOWLEDGE plays a strictly limited NYC engagement at the Daryl Roth Theatre through August 8, 2026! Click Here for tickets!

Missed my interview with Rosie O'Donnell about COMMON KNOWLEDGE? Read it here!

Call Me Adam's Adam Rothenberg, Cyndi Lauper, & Angelo Noto
COMMON KNOWLEDGE - Daryl Roth Theatre NYC

About COMMON KNOWLEDGE:

Following sold-out performances at Dublin’s iconic Olympia Theatre and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and an international run that included an Australian tour to Sydney and Melbourne in October 2025, followed by performances across Ireland and Glasgow in March 2026, multiple Emmy Award winner Rosie O’Donnell brings her acclaimed one-woman show COMMON KNOWLEDGE to New York City.

It’s her first new stage show in almost a decade. Witty, personal and sharply observed, Common Knowledge is a richly told hour that balances big laughs with deep insight.

Now living in Dublin, Rosie shares unfiltered reflections on leaving the US, raising and learning from her fiercely bright youngest child, Clay, and adjusting to a new yet familiar culture.

Rosie’s decades-long career spans film, television and theatre, from A League of Their Own and Sleepless in Seattle to her long-running talk show and, more recently, a star turn in And Just Like That. A long-time advocate and cultural icon, Rosie brings humor, presence and an unflinchingly direct voice to the stage.