8 biggest feuds on 'The View': From Rosie O'Donnell v Whoopi Goldberg to Barbara Walters v Star Jones
8 times 'The View' co-hosts fought among themselves
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For more than two decades, 'The View', created by Barbara Walters, has been a staple for Americans. The legendary ABC program, featuring a multi-generational panel of women, has done its best to discuss all the ongoing topics of the nation, which has occasionally caused friction among the hosts. Here are eight feuds of 'The View' that have left a mark on the long history of the Daytime Emmy-winning talk show.
1. Jenny McCarthy and Whoopi Goldberg
During her tenure as 'The View' co-host from 2013 to 2014, Jenny McCarthy butted heads with the veteran Whoopi Goldberg a few times. Talking to journalist Ramin Setoodeh for his book, 'Ladies Who Punch', the actress and model talked about Goldberg's hold over the show. She shared that the EGOT winner's voice was "strong not only in meaning but also in sound." She continued, "I was able to get a point out in three words — like 'I don't agree' — and that's all I would be able to say. I would be stepped on or interrupted," before adding, "To me, Whoopi had an addiction to controlling people's thoughts, their words, the room, the table, your feeling, your mood. She had an addiction to controlling all of it and everybody."
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2. Rosie O'Donnell and Whoopi Goldberg
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Rosie O'Donnell was another series regular who had bad blood with Whoopi Goldberg - mostly because of their certain philosophies. During O'Donnell's initial stint as 'The View' host in 2006–2007, the two iconic personalities clashed over Goldberg's sentiment that director Roman Polanski hadn't committed "rape rape," despite having pled guilty to the statutory rape of then-13-year-old Samantha Geimer in 1978, as per People. After O'Donnell left the show and returned in 2014, their tension didn't dissipate and the duo would clash over several issues. O'Donnell told Setoodeh for his 2019 book, "Some people would say, 'What's going on with you and Whoopi?' I was like, 'Are you watching the show? It's pretty much right there.' I have no desire for a public feud." "Whoopi Goldberg was as mean as anyone has ever been on television to me, personally—while I was sitting there... The worst experience I've ever had on live television was interacting with her," added O'Donnell.
3. Meghan McCain and Joy Behar
It can almost be called a friendly banter had it not for the use of the word "b***h." Meghan McCain and Joy Behar once clashed in 2019 over a political issue. After then-President Donald Trump announced his 2020 campaign, the panel was discussing the politician when McCain noted the enthusiasm of his followers, saying, "Sometimes it's not just that they love Trump so much, it's that they hate the same things Trump hates. That's what's going on." As Behar repeatedly asked, "Who do they hate?" McCain grew frustrated and felt she was being targeted. McCain went on to term herself as the show's "sacrificial Republican," eliciting a sarcastic "aww" from Behar. McCain then retorted, "Oh don't feel bad for me b***h, I'm paid to do this, okay. Don't feel bad for me," which drew an admonishment from co-host Sunny Hostin, who said, "Let's not start calling each other b*****s." Ultimately, McCain concluded by saying, "Oh Joy and I call each other b***h all the time."
4. Joy Behar and Elisabeth Hasselbeck
Meghan McCain was not the only 'The View' star who feuded with Joy Behar on live television. Elisabeth Hasselbeck clashed with Behar regarding their political views in November 2008. However, Behar later cleared up the confusion while talking to People, saying, "We're friendly. The bombastic behavior is all on-camera. It's just like sex. Once it's over, it's over."
5. Barbara Walters and Whoopi Goldberg
Barbara Walters, the creator of 'The View', has also felt Whoopi Goldberg's hold over the show. Jenny McCarthy claimed in Setoodeh's 'Ladies Who Punch' that Goldberg wouldn't let Walters moderate the panel. She shared, "It broke my heart when Barbara would shuffle to Whoopi and say, 'Can I moderate, please?' And Whoopi would say no."
6. Elisabeth Hasselbeck and Rosie O'Donnell
Elisabeth Hasselbeck and Rosie O'Donnell had an explosive on-screen fight that led to the premature termination of the latter's contract in 2007. It all started in March, with O'Donnell telling Hasselbeck, "Elisabeth, you are very young, and you are very wrong," as they were having an argument over their stances on government policies. Though, they cleared out the confusion, with O'Donnell saying she "loves" Hasselbeck, their feud reignited in May, escalating into an on-screen scream fest. Subsequently, O'Donnell requested the makers to release her from her contract. O'Donnell later wrote in her blog, "I never tried harder to be friends with someone than I did with [Elisabeth]. But I don't think we ever got there, or anywhere close."
7. Jenny McCarthy and Barbara Walters
Jenny McCarthy doesn't have many good things to say about 'The View' creator Barbara Walters. In an excerpt of 'Ladies Who Punch', McCarthy said, "You know the movie 'Mommie Dearest'? I remember as a child watching that movie and going, 'Holy cow!'" referring to the biographical drama about Joan Crawford's allegedly abusive relationship with her adopted daughter, Christina Crawford. She continued, "I've never seen a woman yell like that before until I worked with Barbara Walters." McCarthy also vented about Walters' alleged involvement in shifting her from pop culture to politics, which she wasn't comfortable with.
8. Barbara Walters and Star Jones
When ABC didn't renew Star Jones' contract in 2006, the lawyer said she felt like she was "fired." In retaliation, Barbara Walters claimed she was "blindsided" by her. Later, Walters elaborated, "They had done a great deal of research, and her negatives were rising. Not so much because of what she did on the air. It was things she did off the air. The audience was losing trust in her. They didn't believe some of the things she said." In an interview with Oprah Winfrey, Walters claimed, "She decided to have a gastric bypass operation, but then she decided not to tell anybody," before adding, "Then we had to lie on the set every day because she said it was portion control and Pilates. Well, we knew it wasn't portion control and Pilates."
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