Rosie O’Donnell Blames Whoopi Goldberg for ‘The View’ Exit
Rosie O’Donnell has two short stints on The View in her television career. The comedian took over the moderator role in 2006 when Meridith Vieira left the ABC talk show. O’Donnell returned to daytime in a revamped version of the show in 2014 but only lasted 5 months as a co-host. She is now saying that Whoopi Goldberg is the main reason she is not on the “Hot Topics” table.
Will Rosie O’Donnell return to ‘The View?’
O’Donnell recently revived her other daytime talk show for one night to help the Broadway community but she will not be returning to The View in the near future.
“I think we all agreed that it was better for anyone,” O’Donnell said in an interview with Howard Stern about her abrupt exit in 2015. “Whoopi really didn’t like me.”
At the time of her exit 5 years ago she said she quit the show to be with her kids. She revealed that she had split from her wife months before.
“I can confirm that Rosie and her wife Michelle split in November,” O’Donnell’s rep told Page Six. “Rosie has teens and an infant at home that need her attention. This has been a very stressful situation. She is putting her personal health and family first. ABC has been wonderfully understanding and supportive of her personal decision to leave The View.”
O’Donnell told the SiriusXM show that before her hiring in 2014, she visited Goldberg’s home to tell her she was offered to return. The comedic actress said Goldberg was “mean” to her on television.
“When people say, ‘Well, what happened?’ I say, ‘Go back and watch them.’ It’s not like a mystery. Watch the way it went down, and I don’t need to say anything,” O’Donnell added.
Is Joy Behar quitting?
The View also made headlines this week when it was reported that Joy Behar would be leaving the show in 2022.
“I have a three-year contract,” Behar told Variety. “But that doesn’t mean I can’t leave if I want to, because they can’t really do anything to me at this point. I don’t see myself staying for more [time]. That’s it! I could be wrong. If I’m as fabulous in [2022] as I am now, I’ll think about. But the chances of that happening…”
However, her quote was misinterpreted and Behar cleared up her words on the ABC program.
“They’re always talking about me leaving the show,” she said laughing. “I’m not leaving the show. Rumors of my retirement have been greatly exaggerated.”
The comedian made it clear that she was not thinking of leaving, especially not now.
“This pandemic has changed the game,” she added. “At one point you think, ‘Gee, I could retire and take a cruise around the world.’ I won’t even watch reruns of Love Boat at this point. So, where am I going to go? What will I do? I need to be on television.”
Behar took the rumors with a sense of humor and said her job was essential and if she left the unemployment will be driven up.
“Let’s not forget that I provide employment for right-wing media,” she continued. “I’m a job creator over at Breitbart. Everything I say appears on Breitbart. I don’t see how I could leave.”
The View airs weekdays at 11 a.m. ET and 10 a.m. PT/CT on ABC.
