Dear Barbara Walters,
Wow. What a year, huh? You’ve certainly fought your share of battles. It was just last June that you were dealing with all that unsavory Star Jones Reynolds business, and then you had to referee the fraught Rosie months, and then — for all your efforts — the show got dissed and dismissed at last week’s Daytime Emmys! Ouch.
Well, you know I hate to pile on to your troubles at a time like this. But seeing as you seem to enjoy a lively debate, here’s a Hot Topic for you:
Why have you not yet hired, FULL-TIME, Sherri Shepherd or Jacque Reid or Gayle King or any of the other black women you’ve cycled through the show for over a year now?
Don’t get me wrong, Babs: Though I do think that, for diversity’s sake, there should be a woman of color on The View, at the time Star left I didn’t demand that her replacement be African-American. As a matter of fact, the initial set-up of your show (you know, Meredith’s the working mom, Debbie Matenopolous is the nutty young one, etc.) always kinda bugged me — not just because it meant Star was positioned as the representative for black people (though that was pretty wack at times, ha-ha!), but because it seemed to reinforce the very faulty idea that one person can ‘’speak” for an entire group. Thankfully, the show has moved past those days, and clearly, the women speak for themselves now.
BUT because you do seem intent on hiring a black woman specifically, as evidenced by the rotating roster of them you have on call, don’tcha think it’s time you made your decision?
See Babs, here’s the thing: This game of musical chairs has been going on for so long, with no end in sight, and it’s beginning to send a very bad message to me. That these women are interchangeable. That the audience won’t notice the difference between them, and wouldn’t care which one of them is sitting with you on any given day. That none of them is good enough to take a co-host slot. And you know that’s not true — Sherri (pictured, far left) is hilarious and gels with all the ladies and also is extremely brave (didja see the way she tried to defuse the big Rosie-vs.-Hasselbot war?), and Jacque is witty and always on point and more informed than the rest of your panel combined.
In other words: HIRE ONE OF THEM ALREADY.
Thanks in advance,
Dawnie Walton
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Just please don’t cast that horrible woman they had on yesterday. I think her name is Star, too, and one Star is already one too many! Ugh!
I agree, just pick one already, because using the same black women over again, switching them on and off like a light switch just feels as if the only thing at stake is the ratings particularly the black viewers ratings and not the person who is probably the best person for the job. That kind of commentator cha-cha seems a little racist. To be far, if Barbara is looking for a black woman moderator then I’d say Whoopi,Gayle King,Dana Tyler, or Robin Quivers.
*fair
Good luck on that letter, Dawnie. If representation on this attention grabbing train wreck of a show, means advancing Civil Rights, then, go for it.
For myself, I cringed everytime Rosie O’Donnell opened her mouth. Her rantings were cringeworthy at best.
So hopefully, they will hire an intelligent, thoughtful, woman of color to co-host. But, I wouldn’t bet on it.
I thought Whoopi was recently the front-runner for replacement. And I agree, that horrible Star from yesterday’s show should never be asked back.
Right on, Dawnie! Sherri has been a long-time fave of mine, since her days on that show with Sara Rue and Andy Dick (the name escapes me).
I wish The View would also hire a latina woman to help represent the growing hispanic population in the US. Maybe, if the rumors that she won’t be returning to Grey’s for a full year this coming season, Sara Ramirez might be a good candidate?
Babs paid Rosie a bundle for that year of Hell in hopes of snagging a Daytime Emmy. When the show didn’t hire a replacement for Star, they were able to offer exposure to other women (and try them out first), but also save the salary of the 5th host. Frankly, Ms. O’D made an @$$ of her “boss”……and cost her more than money. Most notably, her diminishing respect. Good luck next year at the Emmy’s Babs!
why does the title on the EW home page say “An open letter to Oprah”, shouldn’t it be to Barbara?
AMEN!
Well put Dawnie. I had grand hopes when Lisa Ling left, and they rotated Teresa Strasser, and a number of more than qualified candidates to fill the “young, hip, single” spot. Well that certainly took an unfortunate turn with Mrs. Hasselbeck. The show started out with panelists with pedigree, but now it has turned to mutts. Good luck on this one.
I too love Sherri. I heard they offered her the job, but she declined b/c she didn’t want to relocate to NYC. Can anyone confirm this?
what the hell are you talking about?
perhaps they can get one latina, one black woman, one asian, one indian, one canadian, a handicapped woman, an armenian and a Jewish woman (all in no particular order). it will be just like my old high school textbooks.
I have it from a pretty reliable source that they offered it to Sherri Shepherd but that she didn’t want to move to NY (she lives in LA). Too bad cause I loved her & Rosie together. Now that Ro is gone though i don’t watch (and only if they hire Sherri AND Kathy Griffin would I come back).
Eddie, the name of the show was “Less Than Perfect.”
Gayle King did a good job today, but I’d really like to lobby for Rene Syler (sp?). She’s a tremendously brave, interesting, intelligent woman, and I thought she meshed quite well with the other ladies when she was on.
I agree, if we are diversifying let’s bring on Sherri or Wanda Sykes. I do think Hasslebeck could stand at least one ally –my middle-of-the-road behind doesn’t always agree with her, but I can see that the others tend to triple-team her–I can’t stand that other Star-lady. Black conservatives as just plain creepy.
How about a female with brains, who’s funny, who doesn’t suck? Like Kathy Griffin?
Dawnie
Yesterday’s show must have been your breaking point too! I couldn’t agree more – enough is enough. I think Jacque Reid would be perfect. Or hell, if they really wanna be ambitious, hire an unknown via some type of a contest or online search. That’ll get the Emmy voters to finally take notice.
Agreed! I haven’t seen Jacque much, but I love Sherri Shepherd. The View usually gives me quite the anxiety headache, but she’s a good diffuser and is still able to talk about things. Or maybe it’s time they give Kathy Griffin a job. This Round Robin of cohosts is getting ridiculous though.
forget the View, sherri should STAR in her own sitcom. im not talking token sidekick. woman is FUNNY. and she does her own stunts! anyone see her on Ellen?
That Star woman from (now 2 days ago), was incredibly bad, she traded her past addictions (drugs, sex, etc.) for her new one (Christianist). I LOVE SHERRI! (always have). Gayle was very, very good yesterday, she commanded that show.
I’ve been watching The View for 10 years now (guiltiest of pleasures), and I fully agree with your point Dawnie. Out of the guest hosts we’ve had so far, we should be able to just pick someone! Jacque Reid is great – but just doesn’t have that “what will she say next” sass. I think Gayle would be perfect for the moderator spot, but I feel like she’s too busy with O magazine to want the job. Personally, I think it’s between Sherri and Whoopi. Whoopi is a delight to listen to every morning on the radio – I think she’d transition well into that seat (and she did a good job when she guest hosted in the moderator chair a few weeks back). And Sherri is hysterical. If Sherri got the job, that means she could move to NYC and do more work on 30 Rock (yey Mrs. Tracy Jordan). Here’s a novel idea – why not hire both of them?
Are you people who are praising Sherri talking about the same woman who doesn’t believe in evolution, will only vote for a President with her same religiouis views (great – Hitler was a Christian, and boy wasn’t he a gem?), and dissed on Bill Clinton for sleeping with an intern (which he technically did not do) but is still married to a man who fathered a child with another woman?! WTF?! I have had it with that stupid woman.
If they want to hire a black lady, how about the lady from the news that they had on? She was classy, intelligent, and interesting. “Hot Topics” has become such a major part of the show; let’s have someone who actually knows what she’s talking about.
Sherri Shepard would probaly be the worst choice. Her comments about Bill Clinton and evolution were appallingly ignorant.
I think Babs is the one to blame here for the co-host merry-go-round. She’s supposed to be the boss, but her handling of every situation (Starr, Hasslebot, Rosie) seems weak. The show is irrelevant any way.
wow elanie. you just proved dawnie’s point pretty well there, didn’t you. “if they want to hire a black lady, how about the lady from the news that they had on?” are these women that interchangeable to you that you can’t remember their names?
How about this line up
Joy, Elizabeth, Whoopi, Sherri and Kathy Griffin!
Now THAT is an all star line up!!!
Then on Thursdays when Barbara is on, one of them can have a day off.
Keep in mind that Elizabeth is going to have a baby in November so they won’t have a crowding issue until she gets back.
Plus, Kathy is touring, Sherri has a TV job, Whoopi has a radio gig so it is very likely that one of them would need a day off more than previous hosts, so they would still have a great lineup when someone is gone.
Of course, I LOVED when they grabbed people out of the audience! 99% of them were GREAT!!! and it really added to the show! That could be a great hook for the show.
But I agree with Dawnie, just do SOMETHING already!!!!
I am tired of waiting!
Here’s a vote for Wanda Sykes. She is funny, and I think she’d bring life to the proceedings….
I’d pick Sherri as well. Even though her comments regarding evolution were ignorant. I mean she admitted that she never read any Darwin or anything else about evolution. And that little thing about wanting to kill her cheating husband, but in the end taking him back and welcoming his child with said women he cheated on. She’s funny as hell and I’d rather hear her than Elizabeth’s idiotic “contributions” to the what has unfortunately become inane discussions.
Couldn’t agree with Eddie more. Maybe the View can hire a Latina woman. There are plenty of intelligent and funny Latina women that would represent the largest and fastest growing ethnic group in the nation!
In fact, one of my favorite Latina writers, Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez, gave some interesting suggestions on her blog (http://alisavaldesrodriguez.blogspot.com). Jackie Guerra, Lesley Ann Machado, Monique Marvez, Sara Contreras, Dyana Ortelli and Maria Marlin. Google them!!