‘The View’: Sunny Hostin Slams Meghan McCain’s Defense of Nepotism

Sunny Hostin doesn’t think much of The View co-host Meghan McCain‘s opinions on nepotism. During Thursday’s Hot Topics, the panel discussed the backlash Ben Stiller received on Twitter for saying working in Hollywood is a “meritocracy” while defending an upcoming short film starring Sean Penn’s son, directed by Steven Spielberg’s daughter, and written by Stephen King’s son.

Being born to two famous comedians, Stiller’s defense struck many people the wrong way, but McCain, the daughter of late Sen. John McCain, felt his point of view was right on. “I think people think when you have a famous family, or famous parents, everything’s just given to you and things are really easy,” McCain said. “And I think when you look at people like Hunter Biden, who has shared his struggles so publicly and so vulnerably — it’s not everything that you think it is.”

McCain continued that most of the people she knows with famous parents have “very serious demons” due to being compared to their parents. She added that while the next generation of Hollywood names probably got a foot in the door because of their parents, “if the movie’s crap, it’s crap.”

Hostin didn’t agree at all, firing back that good or bad, these young Hollywood stars now have a film on their resume to kickstart their career. “Life is not a meritocracy. That’s just false,” Hostin said, adding later, “There are many, many talented people that will never have that kind of access. And access is key, I think, in any industry.”

McCain is coming down to the end of her time on The View, having announced earlier this month that she would step down from the panel at the end of July. The conservative voice on the ABC talk show explained it “took a lot of thought and counsel and prayer and talking with my family and close friends” to decide to leave, saying that the COVID-19 pandemic “changed the way” she was looking at life.

“I came to DC area which is where my husband and I always split time and where I always grew up splitting time. We have this incredible life here. We’re surrounded by My family, his family, my friends, my incredible support unit,” added McCain, who welcomed her first child in September 2020. “As any new mom knows, when I think about where I want [my daughter] Liberty to have her first step and her first words, I just have this really wonderful life here that ultimately I felt like I didn’t want to leave.”