Mario Cantone Finally Sets The Record Straight On Those View Hosting Rumors
With the finale of "And Just Like That," HBO's highly-anticipated "Sex and the City" reboot, cast member Mario Cantone is hitting the promotional circuit. The comic actor plays Anthony Marentino, Charlotte's bestie and loving husband to Carrie's bestie Stanford Blatch, played by the late Willie Garson. With mixed reactions from both fans and critics, Cantone's Anthony proved to be a highlight on the new reboot — and a continually entertaining interview.
Cantone, also known for a varied Broadway career, having roles in "Love! Valour! Compassion!", "Assassins," and his Tony-nominated one-man show "Laugh Whore," has been interviewed on lots of entertainment news lately, including "Watch What Happens Live" with Andy Cohen. One of the subjects he's discussed, of course, is how difficult it was to film "And Just Like That" after the death of his on-screen husband. Sadly, Garson tragically died of pancreatic cancer in September 2021, after filming only three episodes of the new season, forcing series showrunner Michael Patrick King and writers to rewrite Stanford's storyline. While King did not want Stanford to die on the show, telling Variety "Life and death is one thing in fiction: When it's real, it's not funny or cute," he had planned for the couple to have a tumultuous divorce, as Stanford navigates a simultaneous "midlife crisis" surrounding his managing career.
Now in his February 3 interview with Cohen, Cantone has addressed a curious rumor surrounding his real-life career, about whether he was ever offered a position hosting "The View."
Mario Cantone says there's no truth to the rumor
Author and podcast host Danny Pellegrino asked the hosting question — pointing out that Mario Cantone was one of the most frequent male guests on ABC's long-running talk show "The View." That much is certainly true, as an October 8, 2021 tweet celebrated the start of the show's 25th season by highlighting Cantone and his "record 152 times" appearing on the show. But the remainder of Pellegrino's question still needed an answer. "You were rumored to fill Joy [Behar]'s spot back in 2013," Cohen read from a card to his guest. "Have they ever seriously asked or auditioned you to be a permanent co-host?"
Cantone was quick to reply with a resounding No. "That was like great press for me at the time, but no," he told Cohen, while guest Patricia Clarkson looked on. "It was always gonna be women. That's the way Barbara Walters wanted it and that's the way Whoopi [Goldberg] wanted it." He explained that the producers may have discussed it, and Page Six had reported in 2014 that Cantone was offered a job after Sherri Shepherd and Jenny McCarthy both left. But there doesn't seem to be any truth to that rumor, and Cantone agrees that it wouldn't have been a fit. "It's all women, it should be, it's a woman's show," he told Cohen, adding, "although I do enjoy it."
So if Whoopi Goldberg does quit "The View," as some reports have suggested is a possibility, we know Cantone won't take her seat!