Rumors of tension between Joy Behar and Elisabeth Hasselbeck have circulated for years, largely because of their heated political debates on The View. Now Behar is addressing those claims directly. The longtime host recently clarified that while disagreements were frequent on air, they were simply part of the show’s format, not proof of any real-life feud.
Joy Behar discusses rumored feud with Elisabeth Hasselbeck
During an appearance on the “Behind the Table” podcast, Joy Behar addressed the long-standing rumors about tension with former co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck. She rejected the idea that their on-air clashes meant they disliked each other in real life.
Behar explained that their heated political debates simply came with the territory of working on The View. The discussions often turned fiery, but she said that was exactly what the show was built for.
She also spoke positively about Hasselbeck herself. Behar said she always liked her and never saw their arguments as anything more than a television debate. “She’s a good kid. I always liked her,” Behar said.
“We used to fight on the air about politics, but so what. No matter who would disagree with me, I’d go up against them. That was the show. It’s called The View.”
For almost ten years, Joy Behar and Elisabeth Hasselbeck shared seats on the “Hot Topics” panel of The View. Their very different political views often sparked fiery on-air debates. Hasselbeck eventually exited the program in 2013. Years later, she stepped back onto the set as a guest co-host. She temporarily filled in while Alyssa Farah Griffin took maternity leave after welcoming her first baby.
During her appearance, Hasselbeck also promoted her children’s book God’s Masterpiece. While discussing the show’s long history of debates, she said the program proves people can argue without turning it personal.
According to her, disagreement does not have to kill respect. “Civil discourse is not dead,” Hasselbeck said. “We might have differences of opinion, but we love each other, and we’re stronger (via Us Magazine).”
