Rosie O’Donnell and spouse Kelli Carpenter “are working through their issues” and “nothing else will be said” about rumors the couple is splitting, according to O’Donnell’s publicist.
Online buzz about the Carpenter-O’Donnell marriage grew louder this week after O’Donnell did not give a clear-cut denial in a USA Today interview on Tuesday. The former talk show host’s publicist echoed her non-denial in a statement to CNN Wednesday. “They are a family and will remain a family forever and are working through their issues,” publicist Cindi Berger said in an e-mailed response. “Nothing else will be said.” O’Donnell and Carpenter were married in a private ceremony in San Francisco, California, Mayor Gavin Newsom’s office in February 2004. The city of San Francisco issued the couple a marriage license two weeks after Newsom said his mayoral responsibility not to discriminate trumped a state law banning such marriages. O’Donnell said on her wedding day that she was inspired to make her longtime relationship with Carpenter official by “vile and vicious and hateful comments” made by President George W. Bush that week. Then-President Bush announced that week that he would seek a Constitutional amendment to mandate that same-sex couples not be allowed to marry. O’Donnell and Carpenter are also business partners. They started R Family Vacations, which organizes cruises tailored for gay couples. Their family includes four children. The three oldest — Parker, 14, Chelsea, 12 and Blake, 9 — are adopted. Six-year-old Vivienne — conceived through a sperm donation — was born to Carpenter.
