'I was sick of the show': Joy Behar reveals she was GLAD on being temporarily fired from 'The View' in 2013
Nothing can bring Joy Behar down, not even the loss of her high-profile position as the host of the most prominent show on daytime television. She says she never regrets it. The 79-year-old comedian had served as a panelist on the daytime talk show from its inception in 1997 through 2013, and again from 2015 until now.
She recently spoke with TIME and opened up about her experience as a panelist and how resilient she was and is after being fired in 2013. "I was glad to be fired. I basically was sick of the show at that point for some reason, I don't even remember why." She stated this after recalling her temporary dismissal in 2013.
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Behar also discussed how viewers have reacted to her throughout the years, saying that "When you have that microphone, you have power. People dislike it." "They don't like the fact that I'm a powerful person on 'The View,' saying things they don't like, but that's where I'm at," she continued. "I'm a powerful person on 'The View,' and I used to be a powerful person as a comic with a microphone. That's too horrible."
As she approaches her 80th birthday, Behar believes it's her 'never bothered' mentality that keeps her going. She said, “I’m sort of on extra time now. I don’t have to work. I don’t have to be on television. I don’t have to have a microphone. They want to give it to me, I’ll take it.”
Behar heard every insult. She doesn't care what the audience thinks of her appearance, jokes, or opinions. Reportedly, Behar is a terrible driver, according to her husband as her attitude toward her life reveals that she doesn't care how others feel about her. When Behar was asked if she'll miss the fame when her time on 'The View' comes to an end, Behar told TIME, “Not really,” she shrugs. “You know what they say—the show must go off.”
'The View,' which stars Behar, Whoopi Goldberg, Sunny Hostin, and Sara Haines, is currently in its Season 25. Barbara Walters invented the concept in 1997, and it has remained mostly intact over the years: a multigenerational female panel discussing the day's 'Hot Topics' and news.
Behar has been involved in her fair share of fiery debates and controversy on the show. And, as she just revealed, her firing in 2013 wasn't the only time she faced termination on the show. Despite being asked to apologize for her comments or conduct multiple times, Behar previously told PEOPLE that she had no plans to change who she is.
In an exclusive 'Behind the Table: A View' reunion last month, Behar revealed how Walters, 92, almost fired her for mistakenly leaking the fact that Rosie O'Donnell would be joining the talk show in 2006. "You're a loose cannon, and I'm not renewing your contract," Behar remembers Walters' reaction. "Barbara, come on! I said. It's like, no big deal here."
She went on to say that Walters told her "No!" before hanging up the phone. "I was surprised for a minute," Behar added. "Really? I exclaimed. 'For what?"
Behar said, "I've gotten in trouble a few times on the show," she said ahead of Season 23 of the show. "I've had to apologize, which I'm happy to do in order to save mine and everybody else's job. I don't care. Even if I don't mean it, I'll do it. Even if I look like I'm in a hostage takeover, I'll still do it, because if you don't do it, you lose your job and everybody else's."
She further said: "My comedy has never been vicious or mean because my intent is just to make you laugh. That's all. I don't have any other motive," she added. "And so if the intention is in the right, and your heart is in the right place, I think that you can never really go wrong. I've offended people for sure, but whatever."