Kennedy’s Audition for The View Took a Brutal Turn—Now Joy Behar and the Show Face a Crossroads They Didn’t See Coming

The script said “audition.”
The stage said “banter.”
But what unfolded live on national television felt more like a takedown than a tryout.

Fox News host and libertarian firebrand Kennedy appeared on The View this week as part of a planned “guest host rotation”—a common practice used to evaluate new additions to the panel. What producers didn’t expect, and what the studio didn’t prepare for, was the sharpest exchange the show has seen since the Barbara Walters era.

What began as a segment about political discourse in the age of polarization took a sharp, irreversible turn when Kennedy delivered a line that stunned the room, silenced the panel, and launched a media firestorm still burning hours after the cameras cut.

“It Was Supposed to Be a Test Segment”—But What Viewers Got Was a Cultural Collision

According to multiple sources at ABC, the segment had been rehearsed—at least partially. Producers expected Kennedy to push buttons. They encouraged her to “speak freely,” even to “challenge” the co-hosts.

But they didn’t expect her to target Joy Behar—at least not like this.

Midway through the conversation, just as the panel began discussing political labeling and media bias, Kennedy took a breath, turned directly to Behar, and said:

“You know what’s exhausting? Trying to have a rational discussion while sitting across from a talking hemorrhoid in an auburn wig.”

The moment didn’t land like a joke.
It landed like a door slamming shut in a quiet room.

The studio gasped. Behar froze. A camera operator missed their cue. And no one—not the panel, not the producers—cut to commercial.

The Freeze Heard Across the Internet

What followed was 17 seconds of absolute silence. No one moved. No one spoke. Meghan McCain—backstage for an unrelated appearance—reportedly turned to a PA and whispered, “That’s gonna trend in five minutes.”

It trended in two.

Online reaction was immediate and fierce.
Fans were stunned. Critics were divided. Media insiders weren’t even sure if what had aired had been pre-approved.

One executive at a rival network posted on X:

“That wasn’t an audition. That was an ambush. And The View walked right into it.”

Joy Behar Said Nothing—And That’s What Made It Louder

To her credit, Behar didn’t retaliate. She paused. She glanced off-camera. And then she turned to Sunny Hostin and calmly asked, “Would you like to finish your point?”

She didn’t respond to Kennedy on-air.
She hasn’t commented since.

But behind the scenes, the reaction was immediate.

According to one senior producer, “There was no plan for what to do if a guest host crossed the line. No protocol. Just damage control.”

Kennedy was escorted out through a private corridor. Her scheduled lunch with two ABC executives was canceled. Her second segment, originally set for Friday’s show, was scrapped within the hour.

But Not Everyone Inside ABC Is Angry

A source inside the building told us that while the control room was rattled, not everyone in upper management saw Kennedy’s moment as a mistake.

“She did what we asked. She moved the needle. She got people watching.”

According to internal ratings data leaked the next morning, the Kennedy segment saw a 22% spike in live viewership compared to the previous Thursday. Social engagement tripled. Clips from the episode outpaced everything else ABC posted that week—combined.

And that’s where things get complicated.

Was This a Real Audition—or Something Else Entirely?

Some insiders now suspect that Kennedy’s “audition” was never really about joining The View—at least not in the traditional sense.

“She didn’t come in to play nice,” said one producer. “She came in to test the waters—and maybe test Behar.”

The two have clashed before, off-camera and on. Their ideological divide is well known. But their mutual disdain, according to multiple staffers, runs deeper than politics.

Back in 2017, Kennedy reportedly rejected a producer’s request to appear on The View for a panel on women in media, calling it “a parade of vanity in search of conflict.” Behar, during a podcast that same year, called Kennedy “a caricature in heels.”

The resentment, it seems, has been simmering for years.

The Audience Has Chosen Sides—Loudly

The comment—rephrased, meme-ified, redacted, and reposted—has now been viewed more than 7 million times.

Supporters of Kennedy say she said what “no one else on set has had the courage to admit.”

Critics say she went too far.

One media columnist wrote:

“She didn’t just attack Behar’s ideas. She attacked Behar’s identity. That’s not commentary. That’s cruelty.”

But the real story may not be the insult—it’s what it revealed: how fragile The View’s dynamic really is.

ABC Is Now Dealing with Fallout on Two Fronts

Internally, executives are facing pressure from both directions.

One group believes Kennedy should be banned from future appearances. Another says she should be considered for a permanent role—precisely because of the disruption she caused.

And the bigger problem? Advertisers are split too.

Three major sponsors reportedly contacted ABC requesting clarity about whether Kennedy’s comment was “planned, spontaneous, or endorsed.” Two paused their ad placements for the rest of the week.

“No brand wants to be next to a quote that’s being debated on CNN,” one ad buyer said.

Behar’s Camp Is Quiet—But Not Idle

Joy Behar has not issued a statement. She has not posted. She has not responded.

But multiple insiders say she is “deeply unhappy” and that her reps have requested a meeting with senior ABC leadership to “discuss expectations going forward.”

One longtime network executive summed it up bluntly:

“You don’t survive 20 years in daytime TV without knowing when the tone has changed.”

Is This the Beginning of the End—for Behar, or for Kennedy?

Some fans are calling for Kennedy to be offered a seat at the table permanently. Others say she crossed a line that can’t be uncrossed.

But inside ABC, the real question isn’t whether the moment was too much. It’s whether The View can keep pretending the panel is unified.

Because now the facade is gone. The tension is real. The silence is telling. And the audience is watching more closely than ever.

As for Kennedy?

She’s already back on Fox. She opened her next segment with a grin and said:

“Some people take things too personally.
Others take things too seriously.
Me? I just take the mic.”