Rosie O'Donnell
Rosie O'Donnell Reuters

Count Rosie O’Donnell as one of the millions of Americans who are fans of Honey Boo Boo. The actress, talk show host and comic compared 7-year-old Alana Thompson’s entertainment value with the most iconic and popular child actress of all time – Shirley Temple.

O’Donnell can’t get enough of the 7-year-old star of “Here Comes Honey Boo” and child pageant contestant. Her comparison of Honey Boo Boo to Shirley Temple raised many eyebrows on Twitter.

"I love Mama June. I love Sugar Bear. I love Chubbs," O’Donnell, 50, told People magazine in a video interview, referring to the nicknames of Honey Boo Boo’s mother, father and sister.

O’Donnell does her best impression of Mama June (real name June Shannon) cheering on Honey Boo Boo for People magazine in an interview where the comic professes her love for the TLC reality show.

“I think that little girl – Honey Boo Boo – is like Shirley Temple,” O’Donnell told the magazine’s website. “She has a presence and an intellect that goes way beyond her years. Some of the stuff that she says and she comes up with, I don’t know.”

Indeed, many of Honey Boo Boo’s catch phrases and sayings have become a part of popular culture, whether it’s the “go-go juice” that Alana drinks to get amped up for competitions or “a dolla makes me holla.”

O’Donnell said she hopes to get together with the cast of “Here Comes Honey Boo Boo.”

“I’d love to meet them and buy them a house,” she said.

As for O’Donnell’s Honey Boo Boo-Shirley Temple comparison, Twitter users thought the actress was making a big stretch.

“@Rosie Please tell me your joking about the honey booboo/shirley temple comparison,” wrote Alicia Morrell.

“Rosie just compared Honey Boo Boo to Shirley Temple. #facepalm,” opined @ImTechChic.

“Rosie is an idiot; how awful to compare the sickness of Honey Boo Boo to classy Shirley Temple !!!!” wrote @monroemk.

“Rosie o'donnell called honey boo boo the shirley temple of this era#thingsthatmakeyougoWTF,” said @missqkd.

“Rosie O'Donnell compares Honey Boo Boo to Shirley Temple. Uhh...No. Just no. #unreal #notevenclose,” said @MarayaFig.