O'Donnell, who plans to marry Carpenter in San Francisco, announced the news on ABC-TV's "Good Morning America." O'Donnell told "Good Morning America" co-host Diane Sawyer that President Bush's recent call for an amendment banning gay marriage led to her decision to join the thousands of gay couples who have already tired the knot in the California city.

"I think the actions of the President are, in my opinion, the most vile and hateful words ever spoken by a sitting President. I am stunned and I'm horrified," said the actress-producer-host. "I find this proposed amendment very, very, very, very shocking. And immoral. And, you know, if civil disobedience is the way to go about change, then I think a lot of people will be going to San Francisco. And I hope they put more people on the steps to marry as many people as show up. And I hope everyone shows up."

O'Donnell also said that it was during her recent "Rosie" magazine trial that she decided she wanted to marry the former dancer and Nickelodeon marketing director Carpenter. "We applied for spousal privilege and were denied it by the state. As a result, everything that I said to Kelli, every letter that I wrote her, every e-mail, every correspondence and conversation was entered into the record," O'Donnell explained. "After the trial, I am now and will forever be a total proponent of gay marriage."

O'Donnell has appeared on Broadway in Grease! and Seussical and produced the aforementioned Taboo. She is also at work on a new autobiographical theatre project — Find Me — with Cyndi Lauper and director Richard Jay-Alexander.