Video Flashback! The Book of Mormon's Rory O'Malley Names Rosie O'Donnell the Tony Host With the Most

In the final days leading up to the 2011 Tony telecast, Broadway.com is posting videos of favorite Tony memories of this year’s nominees, with their own commentary. Before beginning a successful stage career of his own, Rory O'Malley, a Best Featured Actor nominee for The Book of Mormon, looked to frequent Tony host Rosie O'Donnell to bring Broadway to the midwest.

“For me, the Tonys were all about Rosie O’Donnell. Growing up, I did a lot of theater with the Harris family in Cleveland, and they would have Tony parties during the years Rosie hosted. We always talked about, ‘Oh, what’s she going to do this year?’ The Tony Awards and Rosie’s talk show were the only way I could actually watch Broadway shows. I loved when she had Jennifer Holiday come out with all the divas at the beginning. The year she preformed with Megan Mullally was great, too. She’s such a strong advocate for theater and I have so much respect for her.”