Whoopi Goldberg And Barbara Walters Had Tension Behind The Scenes Of The View

Whoopi Goldberg and Barbara Walters reportedly had some intense interactions when "The View" cameras weren't rolling. For better or worse, The "View" has provided its panelists with a platform to spew their opinions on politics and entertainment. The divisive topics often permeated the co-host's real lives, leading to tense confrontations and lingering grudges for years to come. It's likely that every past host of "The View" had at least one co-worker they weren't too fond of. However, Walters, who founded the show in 1997, was at odds with several of her panelists at one time or another.

There was, of course, Walters' fight with Elisabeth Hasselbeck, which stemmed from a contentious debate over morning-after pills. Walters also didn't see eye to eye with Rosie O'Donnell for a number of reasons, including Donald Trump. Walters and Star Jones also had an epic disagreement over the terms in which Jones departed the program in 2007. According to Jenny McCarthy, who offered quotes to "Ladies Who Punch: The Explosive Inside Story of "The View," Goldberg and Whoopi were involved in a major battle of the wills during Walters' last stretch as a host.

According to The Baltimore Sun, Whoopi Goldberg became a moderator on "The View" in 2007. At the time, Walters released a statement in support of Goldberg's new role. "[Whoopi} is brilliant, funny, and irrepressible, and is an enormously popular and talented star," said Walters. "We are delighted that she is going to join the program as our moderator. This is going to be a great new chapter for The View." Unfortunately, this "new chapter" didn't unfold the way Walters thought it would, according to Jenny McCarthy.

In "Ladies Who Punch," McCarthy claimed that, after the formal announcement, Walters still wanted to moderate on occasion. However, Goldberg refused. "There was a war between Barbara and Whoopi about Barbara wanting to moderate," McCarthy shared in the book (via Vulture). "It broke my heart when Barbara would shuffle to Whoopi and say, 'Can I moderate, please?' And Whoopi would say no. How can you do this to a woman who paved the way for so many female journalists? The reason we're doing this job is because of Barbara Walters." 

McCarthy also claimed that Whoopi eventually started to steer the conversation in her favor. "Whoopi can knock over anyone in a debate," shared McCarthy. "Her voice is strong not only in meaning but also in sound. I was able to get a point out in three words — like 'I don't agree' — and that's all I would be able to say. I would be stepped on or interrupted."

Whoopi Goldberg never confirmed Jenny McCarthy's version of events. Neither did Barbara Walters, who passed away three years after its 2019 release. However, reports over the years have implied that Goldberg and Walters didn't enjoy each other's company. In 2014, Goldberg reportedly shared some harsh words about Walters, who'd recently left the show, after filming a segment to test S.E. Cupp for a position on "The View," per TMZ. According to an insider, Goldberg called Walters an "85-year-old woman who's mad about everything for 2 years, and I need a break."

Recently, Goldberg opened up about the debates she and Walters had over whether or not she should be able to use the N-word. "We used to have this conversation every couple of months on this show, because Barbara would pose that same question: 'Well, why can't I say it?'" shared Goldberg during an episode of "The View" (via Entertainment Weekly). "I said, 'Well, go ahead and do it. See what happens.' Because people want to know. I say, 'Well, you can say it. Go ahead.'"