The feud just won’t end. Daytime divas Sharon Osbourne and Julie Chen are slamming The View once again. This time their target is new host Jenny McCarthy. The Talk hosts visited Howard Stern last week and did not hold back their feelings. Sharon is known for being outspoken but it was good-girl Julie who really let loose on Jenny.
“What made The View so popular and so good was that it was five different women—from five different walks of life—discussing politics. And when . . . Joy [Behar] left and when Elisabeth [Hasselbeck] left, and they got Jenny in, I think they were trying to lighten the mood at the table. More gossip, more fun, more laughs,” Julie told Howard. She then, shockingly, said, “No one wants to hear Jenny McCarthy talk about the New York mayoral race or politics. They don’t.” Some harsh words from the Big Brother host.
Sharon also criticized the new View. “They knew what their path was. This is what their show was. You knew what to expect. You watched it for their different opinions and now it’s kind of all over the place. The View doesn’t know what it is now,” added Julie.
Julie has since backpedaled a little bit by saying that she thinks Jenny is funny, beautiful, and smart. She even said Jenny would be better suited for The Talk because The View simply doesn’t know what to do with her talent. But was she right about Jenny the first time?
As an entertainment news junkie, I love daytime and late night talk shows. I’ve watched The View on a daily basis for years. Star Jones and Meredith Vieira were still sitting at the table and no one had a clue what an Elisabeth Hasselbeck was. The style of the show changed (for the better) when Rosie arrived and it has changed once again with the absence of Joy Behar and Elisabeth and the addition of Jenny.
We all knew The View for their political discussions/debates/out-right arguments. Sources claimed Joy and Elisabeth were fired because of their strong political beliefs and research showed viewers felt the show was too political overall. Barbara Walters and ABC execs of course denied these claims.
However, this season is vastly different from past years. The topics are blatantly less political and there has not been one topic where the ladies can definitively and defiantly share their view. The problems with the Obamacare website, Sen. Ted Cruz, or the government shutdown were never discussed at length. However they’ve talked a lot about Jenny and Donnie Wahlberg’s relationship, and Sherri’s son, and Barbara is always putting up her hands and interrupting her co-hosts or guest to say what’s on her mind. It’s just not what the show used to be.
Barbara is leaving the show after this season and they’re trying to appeal to a new generation. This is where Jenny comes in. Jenny is still finding her way and the audience is beginning to warm up to her. But who knows how much longer the show will last. Whoopi seems over it after the first segment and Sherri continuously gives Barbara the side-eye.
I haven’t watched The Talk since they kicked Leah Remini and Holly Robinson Peete to the curb with no explanation, so I can’t speak to the state of their show. But Julie does have a point where The View is concerned. Do you agree with Julie Chen and Sharon Osbourne? Tell us what you think and leave a comment.