‘The View’ Alum Makes Special Return Amid Whoopi Goldberg Suspension

One of The View‘s original hosts returned to the daytime talk show during a turbulent time. Star Jones appeared in the Friday, Feb. 4, episode to celebrate the American Heart Association’s National Wear Red Day, decked out in a red dress to match the occasion. Jones has since moved on to the position of judge on Divorce Court, but she was one of The View’s co-hosts for nine seasons before leaving amid rumors of a rift with Barbra Walters. She has returned as a guest host numerous times and filled in for Whoopi Goldberg today in the wake of her suspension. 

Goldberg was recently suspended from The View following her controversial comments about the Holocaust. ABC News President Kim Godwin confirmed Tuesday night that Goldberg has been placed on a two-week suspension. The suspension comes after Goldberg stated on-air that the Holocaust wasn’t “about race” during a panel discussion about the recent banning of Maus by a school board in Tennessee.

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Goldberg is reportedly “livid” about the suspension, a source told the New York Post. She also feels “humiliated” about being disciplined even after she followed ABC News executives’ advice to apologize. “She feels ABC executives mishandled this,” the insider said. “She followed their playbook. She went on The Late Show With Steven Colbert and then apologized again on The View the next day.”

Although Goldberg has told those close to her she wants to leave, insiders told the Post they do not expect her to do so. “Her ego has been hurt and she’s telling people she’s going to quit,” the Post‘s source said. “Suspension from The View is like getting suspended from Bravo. The bar is very low.”

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According to a report from the Daily Beast, while some ABC insiders “don’t understand why it took two days” for Goldberg to face reprimanding, those who work closest to her, her co-hosts, are upset over her suspension. In a statement to the outlet, Ana Navarro, a regular guest host who was on Monday’s broadcast, said that she was “sad” with the outcome. Noting that she loves both Goldberg and The View, Navarro said “this was an incredibly unfortunate incident,” adding that Goldberg “is a lifelong ally to the Jewish community. She is not an antisemite. Period. I am sad. And I have nothing else to say.” 

Meanwhile, during Wednesday’s episode, the first episode to air following Goldberg’s suspension, the co-hosts barely touched the topic. Instead, Behar kicked off the program by stating, “you all saw the news. Whoopi will be back in two weeks,” before the show moved on to other discussions.