Rosie O'Donnell exited "The View" in February around the same time senior producer Jennifer Shepard-Brookman was let go by the ABC talk show. Brookman is now suing O'Donnell, claiming the former co-host's actions led to her termination, according to Deadline.
The Emmy-winning producer, who had worked on "The View" for 14 years, is seeking unspecified compensatory damages against O'Donnell, who she alleges blames her for leaking information about behind-the-scenes drama to the press during O'Donnell's second tour of duty on the morning gab fest.
"Ms. Brookman brings this claim to hold Ms. O'Donnell accountable for her malicious conduct in making false and defamatory statements of fact about Ms. Brookman to others in their workplace, which caused Ms. Brookman to suffer intense emotional distress, anxiety, and lack of sleep, destroyed her professional reputation, and led to her termination of employment," Brookman's attorney Brian Kennedy stated in the complaint filed on Oct. 15.
The complaint also alleges O'Donnell "intimidated" Brookman by "screaming" over a story that was assigned to co-host Whoopi Goldberg and not her, accusing Brookman of "teaming with Ms. Goldberg to undermine Ms. O'Donnell."
O'Donnell's lawyer Nicolle Jacoby responded to the claims as "baseless," according to Deadline. ABC has not commented on the lawsuit.
At the time of her departure, O'Donnell said in an interview with "Entertainment Tonight" that stressful situations in the workplace and in her family life led to her exit. "Most easy way to accomplish the lessening of the stress is to not go to work for right now," she said.
