‘The View’: Most Explosive Moments in Show’s History

Is there anything more entertaining than a meltdown on The View?

The iconic ABC talk show has had quite the dramatic history throughout the years, with some of the co-host disagreements reaching tense heights both on camera and behind-the-scenes.

Most recently, the series made headlines after Joy Behar reportedly threatened to quit the series altogether following a disagreement with conservative co-host Meghan McCain. Despite the passionate outbursts and disagreements over the years, the women of The View repeatedly say they have the utmost respect for each other.

Take a look at some of the most explosive moments in The View history.

Star Jones Quits Live

In a shocking moment that fans still talk about, Star Jones announced at the beginning of an episode in 2006 that she would be leaving ahead of season 10.

She implied that she made the decision herself, though reports at the time said the network was planning to get rid of her. The announcement left the co-hosts in shock, as seen by Barbara Walters’ body language, and comments on the next day’s episode.

Ann Coulter Explosion

Coulter’s visit to the talk show came with controversy as she claimed the OJ Simpson trial allowed white people to close the white guilt bank, adding that liberals were using the label of civil rights to promote their own views.

At the time, Coulter made the claim Republicans were more black friendly — and had always been — than Democrats, which inspired much response from the panel, including Whoopi Goldberg who went off on Coulter for her claims.

Arguing about Gay Marriage

Goldberg brought the subject of gay marriage in a discussion about the government interfering with people’s lives.

Sherri Shepherd and Elisabeth Hasselbeck both argued that letting same-sex couples have civil unions would give them the same rights without having to include the word “marriage.” Goldberg could not understand why the subject was so controversial.

Whoopi v. Kate Gosselin

The former reality star and temporary co-host shared a story about violating her custody arrangement with Jon Gosselin when she went to his house after seeing a babysitter she did not approve of at the time.

Goldberg confronted Kate about her choice to violate the custody agreement, putting herself at risk of going to prison. The debate led to a heated moment between the two television personalities.

Nurse Backlash

A Miss America joke gone wrong cost The View thousands of dollars in sponsorships.

Co-host Kelley Johnson made fun of a Miss America contestant who came out during the talent portion in her scrubs and stethoscope and spoke about her job as a nurse. The jokes by the panel about the moment gathered much backlash and forced them to make several public apologies.

Wedding Cake Debacle

After a bakery refused to bake a cake for a lesbian wedding, Candace Cameron-Bure argued that their refusal was covered under the First Amendment. Raven Symone, however, compared the moment to discrimination faced by African-Americans over decades in the U.S.

The debate got so heated that Symone added that she didn’t want to be associated with Bure anymore.

Bill O’Reilly Causes Walkout

Bill O’Reilly’s visit to the talk show got the panel so heated in 2010 that it caused Goldberg and Behar to walk away from the stage in the middle of the episode.

The former TV host made controversial statements about Muslims and the 9/11 terrorist attack. The women took offense with his statements, but the interview continued nonetheless.

Split Screen Fight

Who can forget the iconic split-screen argument between Rosie O’Donnell and Elisabeth Hasselbeck.

O’Donnell’s issue came from her complaint she was always made to look like the bully during panel discussions and Hasselbeck never had her back. The argument got so heated that Behar tried to get producers to go to commercial, instead they made the moment into a split screen… the rest is history.