Rosie O'Donnell has been blasted by a cancer awareness group for declaring: "Exposure to the sun isn't dangerous."

The actress-turned-talk show host was speaking on TV earlier this month, when she revealed she "lives to tan" and followed up with the controversial comment about the safety of sunbathing.

However, officials at the Ray Festa Melanoma Foundation have blasted the funny woman for her views, branding them "ill-informed" and "irresponsible."

And they have called on O'Donnell to record a public service announcement to retract the statements.

Famed cartoonist Marisa Marchetto, who is a longtime supporter of the group, tells New York Post's gossip column PageSix, "Going out into the sun without protection is as, or even more dangerous, than having unprotected sex."

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(This news article provided by World Entertainment News Network)