Rosie joining ‘The View’

Rosie O’Donnell is making a surprise return to daytime television by taking over Meredith Vieira’s slot on the ABC talk show “The View.”

Dubbed “The Queen of Nice” when her syndicated talk show went on the air in 1996 and became an instant hit, O’Donnell won six Daytime Emmy Awards in six years as best talk-show host.

She left the show to help raise four children with her partner, Kelli Carpenter O’Donnell, and has become a strong advocate of gay and lesbian marriage and adoption. She and O’Donnell operate a cruise line for gay and lesbian families.

Vieria left “The View” to take over as co-anchor of NBC’s “Today” show after Katie Couric was named the new anchor of the “CBS Evening News.”

Joy Behar and Star Jones Reynolds, who have been bickering at each other lately, are also members of “The View” round table, along with show creator Barbara Walters and Elisabeth Hasselbeck.

The ‘L’ in Matlin

Marlee Matlin is joining the cast of “The L Word,” Showtime’s drama about a circle of gay friends and lovers.

The 40-year-old actress will play “a fiery artist who catches the attention of Jennifer Beals’ character, Bette Porter,” the cable network announced Friday. The fourth season of the series will premiere next year.

Matlin, who is deaf, won an Oscar for her portrayal of a deaf student in 1986’s “Children of a Lesser God.” Her TV credits include a recurring role on NBC’s “The West Wing.”