Joy Behar was missing from Monday’s episode of The View — but she certainly was not missing from the discussion. In a July 24 clip, Whoopi Goldberg, 67, shut down Ana Navarro‘s assertions about Joy’s infamous 2013 firing from the hit talk show. While discussing the recent death of co-creator Bill Geddie, Ana said, “[Bill] hired Joy and fired Joy. And she still loves him!” The Ghost actress immediately shot back, “He didn’t fire Joy. No, he did not, that was … yeah.” Whoopi shook her head as though she was disappointed.
No further discussion was had at the table made famous by controversial discussions. A decade ago, Joy was let go (along with Elisabeth Hasselbeck) for two years. It rocked the foundation of the show, but Joy had admitted to being glad it happened. “I was glad to be fired,” she told Time during a 2022 interview. “I basically was sick of the show at that point for some reason, I don’t even remember why.”
She gave further details in a past interview with WBAZ, via Entertainment Weekly. “I was ready to go. I had enough,” she candidly admitted. “I think that somebody … I can’t mention names … made the decision to change the show for some reason. So Elizabeth Hasselbeck and I both had to leave. There was a decision made at some level … l I really am not at liberty to say who or why because I don’t know 100 percent the truth of that.”
In a statement, ABC spoke out about her 2013 departure from The View, as well. “Joy Behar has been instrumental in the success of The View from the very beginning,” the network acknowledged. “We wish her all the best in this next chapter, and are thrilled that we have her for the remainder of the season.”
Joy is currently the only original panel member who currently sits at the table — she returned in 2015, and has been sharing her no-holds-barred opinions ever since.
