Since its debut, the female-led talk show panel on The View has been notorious for putting
everyone, from celebrities to public figures and even fellow co-hosts, in the hot seat.
It's no surprise that the show has seen its fair share of controversy and uncomfortable
encounters over the course of more than two decades on air, but with so many awful experiences
to choose from, it's difficult to pick favorites.
Innocent until proven guilty
At this point, few people are jumping in to defend disgraced comedian Bill Cosby, who's
battling numerous assault allegations made against him dating as far back as 1969.
But in 2014 and 2015, Whoopi Goldberg came to Cosby's defense on The View.
During a November 2014 show, Goldberg asserted: "Settlements don't necessarily mean you're
guilty."
Then in 2015, after more revelations were made, Goldberg defended Cosby again:
"Still I know it's a shock, but you actually were innocent until proven guilty!"
However, she switched her stance following an interview with Chief Legal Analyst Dan
Abrams of ABC News, eventually conceding that about 50 women falsely accusing Cosby was
highly unlikely.
"If this is to be tried in the court of public opinion, all the information that's out there…
kinda points to guilt."
Potty mouth
In a controversial and cringe-worthy moment in August 2015, co-host Kelly Osbourne tried
to make a point about then-presidential candidate Donald Trump's immigrations plans, but her
ill-articulated feelings fell flatter than flat.
Discussing Trump's comments about Latinos, co-host Rosie Perez argued that such rhetoric
was detrimental to dealing with immigration issues in the United States.
Osbourne chimed in:
"If you kick every Latino out of this country, then who is going to be cleaning your toilet,
Donald Trump?"
Osbourne's comment sparked outrage, and she later issued an apology on Facebook, saying:
"I will take responsibility for my poor choice of words but I will not apologize for being
a racist as I am NOT."
"No, I didn't mean it like that.
Come on."
Walters and Woody
Woody Allen and Mia Farrow's adopted daughter, Dylan Farrow, has gone on the record numerous
times to accuse Allen of abusing her when she was just 7 years old, including a letter
in The New York Times detailing her allegations against Allen.
The View co-host Barbara Walters came under serious scrutiny when she voiced her opinion
during a February 2014 episode, sharing that her experience with Allen and his family revealed
no signs of abuse.
"I have rarely seen a father as sensitive and as loving and as caring as Woody is, and
Soon-Yi, is to these girls."
She doubled down by suggesting Dylan's timing was suspect.
"She's doing it now because he's up for an award."
Co-host Sherri Shepherd pointed out that Allen's current wife, Soon-Yi, was also one of Farrow's
adopted children.
"We also know he was with Soon-Yi when she was very young.
Mia had adopted this girl when she was young, Woody was around her!"
The conversation only got more heated:
"The fact that he likes 'younger women' has nothing to do…"
"That are not of age!
17 is not of age, Barbara."
The backlash on Twitter was swift, with viewers accusing Walters of silencing abuse victims
and displaying favoritism.
O'Donnell vs. Hasselbeck
Many of the most outrageous and controversial moments in the history of The View have occurred
between co-hosts.
Arguably one of the most infamous was the on-screen blowout between Rosie O'Donnell
and Elisabeth Hasselbeck.
During a May 2007 episode, O'Donnell and Hasselbeck got deep into it about the war in Iraq.
Leading up to the fight, O'Donnell predicted that getting into a conversation with Hasselbeck
about the issue would result in accusations that:
"Rosie.
Big, fat, lesbian, loud Rosie attacks innocent, pure, Christian Elisabeth."
An increasingly heated discussion erupted about the co-hosts' relationship and whether
Hasselbeck would defend O'Donnell in the Republican press.
"But you are my friend since September…
Do YOU believe that I think that our troops are terrorists?"
The whole thing culminated with O'Donnell telling Hasselbeck:
"You said nothing and that's cowardly."
"No, no, no!"
...while co-host Joy Behar pleaded for a commercial break.
"Let's go to commercial, let's go to commercial!"
Sticking up for Mel Gibson
In July 2010, Mel Gibson's career seemed to be in the balance following offensive, racist,
rants leaked online that were alleged to be recordings of the actor screaming at
and threatening his then-girlfriend.
On a show shortly thereafter, Joy Behar said of Gibson:
"You're an anti-Semite, you're a misogynist, and you're a racist."
Co-host Whoopi Goldberg invited controversy when she jumped to Gibson's defense, saying:
"I don't like what he did here, but I know Mel and I know he's not a racist."
It was Goldberg's personal relationship with Gibson that gave her pause.
"I can't sit and say that he's a racist, having spent time with him in my house with my kids."
On a later show she stood by her statements when called out by guest Joan Rivers.
"You don't like him, that's okay.
He's my friend and I don't care.
"OK.
And the Holocaust happened, now let's continue."
Walking out on Bill O'Reilly
Former Fox pundit Bill O'Reilly appeared on The View in October 2010 to publicize his
book Pinheads and Patriots.
The hot topic for the segment was a mosque that was slated to be constructed near Ground
Zero.
O'Reilly was dead-set against the mosque and bickered with the hosts.
Meanwhile, co-host Joy Behar made bunny ears behind O'Reilly's head and called him a pinhead.
The laughs ended, however, when O'Reilly said that the mosque would be inappropriate:
"Because Muslims killed us on 9/11."
Angered by the racist undertones of O'Reilly's comments, Behar and Whoopi Goldberg got up
and walked off the set.
Making light of stalking
In 2008, sportscaster Erin Andrews was the victim of a horrible stalking incident that
involved a man videotaping her through a hole as she disrobe in a motel room.
The View host Elisabeth Hasselbeck landed in hot water after making light of the crime
during a May 2010 episode.
In the segment, Hasselbeck talks about Andrews' costumes on Dancing with the Stars, saying:
"However, for the past three weeks she's been wearing, like next to nothing."
Then related the crime to what Andrews was wearing, saying:
"I mean, in some way, if I'm him, I'm like, 'Man, I just could have waited 12 weeks and
seen this, a little bit less, without the prison time.'"
Andrews responded by calling the comments:
"A slap in the face to victims of stalking and predators."
The next day, Hasselbeck tearfully revealed she called Andrews to apologize and added:
"I am really sorry and I wanted to offer that publicly..."
Surprise departure
Host Star Jones took matters into her own hands in June 2006 when she interrupted the
show to announce her departure from The View on air, much to the surprise of her colleagues.
She told the audience and her visibly shocked co-hosts:
"The show is moving in another direction for its tenth season and I will not be returning
as co-host next year."
She thanked her co-hosts, the crew, and viewers before sharing:
"I'm not sure what the future holds, but I'm absolutely sure who holds the future."
Barbara Walters later explained to The New York Times that it had been in the works for
months between producers and executives.
She told them:
"They had done a great deal of research, and her negatives were rising.
[...] The audience was losing trust in her.
They didn't believe some of the things she said."
Walters said on the show the day after Jones' announcement:
"We didn't expect her to make the statement yesterday, she gave us no warning.
And we were taken by surprise."
Ann Coulter being Ann Coulter
Conservative author and controversial media personality Ann Coulter appeared on The View
in September 2012, promoting her book, Mugged.
She immediately ruffled feathers when she said:
"Race mongering has been very bad for America.
Liberals use it to promote causes that have nothing to do with Blacks and, in fact, harm
Blacks."
And went on to say that for black people, the OJ Simpson verdict was a good thing.
"And that ended up being the best thing that ever happened."
Goldberg challenged her theories.
"Please stop.
If you're gonna talk about race, at least, at least know what you're talking about!"
And called on Coulter to:
"Tell me how much you know about being Black."
Goldberg continued to be visibly distressed by Coulter's statements and was eventually
bleeped for saying how she felt about Coulter's thoughts.
"They didn't matter whether they were Republican or not!"
"Bull!
I'm sorry!"
Insulting nurses everywhere
In September 2015, as The View panel watched a clip of Miss Colorado, Kelley Johnson, giving
a speech at the Miss America pageant wearing her nurse's uniform, Behar quipped:
"Why does she have a doctor's stethoscope around her neck?"
The social media response was almost immediate, with nurses creating a hashtag #NursesUnite
and calling for Behar to apologize, pointing out that all medical professionals regularly
wear stethoscopes.
The American Nurses Association also responded, releasing a statement that derided Behar for:
"...[using] her national platform and influence to mock Miss America contestant Kelley Johnson
[...] as if Johnson were wearing a costume."
Behar later apologized, saying:
"It's not like I was trying to be funny.
It was just stupid and inattentive on my part."
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