Anyone watching The View over the next few weeks may notice a familiar face missing from the panel. During the May 26 episode of the Behind the Table podcast, controversial cohost Joy Behar announced that she will be taking a two-week hiatus from the daytime talk show.
Behar is stepping away to launch a European tour of My First Ex-Husband, the stage production she wrote. However, the timing of her absence may draw additional attention as The View faces increasing public scrutiny and political criticism.
Joy Behar Announces European Tour Hiatus
While on hiatus, Joy Behar will travel from France to the United Kingdom for a European run of her play. The production will first stop in Paris before moving to London’s West End Boulevard Theatre. According to USA Today, Behar will be joined on the tour by American actress Jackie Hoffman alongside two British actors.
The hosts of The View applaud Anthony Weiner – YouTube, The View
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Behar also confirmed that she will continue appearing on The View through May 29 before stepping away.
During her absence, The View will rely on a rotating lineup of guest cohosts. Brian Teta, a producer on The View who also hosts Behind the Table, said he would not reveal every replacement. However, he confirmed that comedian Sheryl Underwood and podcast host Kara Swisher will be among those filling Behar’s chair. Regular cohosts Ana Navarro and Whoopi Goldberg are also expected to appear more frequently.
Neither The Walt Disney Company nor ABC has reportedly commented on Joy Behar’s hiatus.
Joy Behar’s TrumpRX Comments Sparked Backlash
Joy Behar recently faced backlash following an on-air criticism of the TrumpRX prescription drug initiative. Businessman Mark Cuban has partnered with President Donald Trump on the marketplace, which focuses on discounted prescription medications.
Arnold Schwarzenegger and Joy Behar on The View – YouTube, The View
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“And I like Mark Cuban. I’ve always liked him, but this is a mistake, and once Trump puts his name on prescriptions we’re all going to die!” Behar said. She later argued that lower-cost medication was not worth supporting if Trump was connected to the project in any way. “If he’s going to take a profit out of it, don’t take it!” she added.
Comments like Behar’s have intensified the debate over whether The View should be considered a legitimate news program or simply a daytime opinion show.
FCC Scrutiny Surrounds The View
As a designated news program, The View receives an exemption from federal equal time requirements. However, that designation is being challenged. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is seeking comment from the public on whether the show’s format and guest selections are truly based on “newsworthiness” or if they are designed to support or oppose political candidates.
Anthony Weiner talks with Sara Haines on The View – YouTube, The View
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Disney-owned ABC has pushed back. In a statement, it wrote, “Some may dislike certain—or even most—of the viewpoints expressed on The View or similar shows. Such dislike, however, cannot justify using regulatory processes to restrict those views.”
Joy Behar’s Break Comes At A Difficult Time
While Joy Behar’s hiatus was likely scheduled before the most recent controversies, the longtime The View cohost has found herself at the center of many disputes over the years. Her break arrives at a delicate moment for both the show and the network and may provide some breathing room as FCC proceedings continue. Just how much can change in two weeks remains be seen.
Any legal challenges surrounding the program’s classification as news could take months, if not years, to fully play out. In the meantime, however, the conversation around The View may become a little less heated in her absence.
Do you think The View will feel different without Joy Behar at the table? Sound off in the comments and let us know.
