Joy Behar Speaks On Her Relationship With Elisabeth Hasselbeck

Elisabeth Hasselbeck recently returned to “The View” as a guest co-host after having left the long-running series in July 2013. For some time now, there have been reports of a feud between Hasselbeck and Joy Behar, one of the original and current co-hosts of the hit ABC daytime talk show. Now, following the conservative commentator’s return, Behar is opening up about where they stand today and what it was like to sit on the panel again together.

Behar and Hasselbeck appeared on “The View” together for roughly 10 years, from 2003 until 2013. During that time, the two became embroiled in several spats over opposing political views, with Behar being more left-leaning and Hasselbeck being a staunch conservative. Because of the on-air tension, a feud between the two was heavily rumored.

Behar appeared on the “Behind the Table” podcast with “The View” producer Brian Teta on March 3. While on, he mentioned that they’d had a “big show” as Hasselbeck had returned. When asked if she felt like old times, the 83-year-old said, “A little bit. She’s a good kid, you know. I always liked her. We used to fight on the air about politics, but so what?”

The producer then joked that Behar argued “with everybody about politics,” prompting her to say, “I would. No matter who would disagree with me, I would go up against them. That was the show. It was called The View. People don’t seem to remember that that’s what the show is called.”

Things haven’t been perfect between Behar and Elisabeth since Elisabeth left the hit ABC series. Last year, Behar didn’t take kindly to singer Carrie Underwood deciding to perform at Donald Trump’s inauguration. Per Entertainment Weekly, Behar said about the singer, “I would not normalize him. She says, ‘I love our country.'”

She continued, “How do you love our country and support and normalize somebody who was a convicted felon who really wants to destroy the country, in my opinion? I don’t understand how you say you love your country at the same time as you normalize this convicted felon, which. I can say now every day.”

The “View” co-host added, “I would not be the person to say, ‘Don’t do it,’ because I believe in free speech and everything about it. I personally would not do it. No one’s asked me, but that’s another story.”

After catching wind of what Behar said, Hasselbeck first tweeted, “That @TheView @JoyVBehar needs to simmer down off my friend.” Later, on Fox News host Sean Hannity’s show, she claimed the show “refused to put anyone there who has a lick of sense on most days” and said Behar’s comments were “nothing more than selfish personal publicity-gaining right now.”

Fans of “The View” are weighing in not only on Hasselbeck’s return to the series as a guest host, but also on the show as a whole. One person said on X, “Hasselbeck is a very fake Christian and a hack. I am ashamed of the View for even having her invited back, which leads me to believe that it is all for ratings.”

Someone else discussed them not having issues, saying, “They’re grown adults and can let bygones be bygones. Wish she’d stay full-time!” Regarding Hasselbeck, another person said, “Elisabeth is just ghastly. Regardless of her political opinion.”

“Finally,” another social media user wrote, “Joy… I wish she would take a long break. Why don’t I watch this show anymore? Well, there’s more than one, but she definitely stands out. Just what I need, more negative negative negative. I like entertainment, but where has the entertainment gone? Soap Box TV?”

An insider told the outlet, “This booking wasn’t accidental. Everyone knows combative 48-year-old Elisabeth’s history with Joy, and producers know they’re not exactly welcoming the move.” The insiders also say there is a general consensus behind the scenes of the show that it has become dull and needs a creative boost.