The View’s Whoopi Goldberg was forced to abruptly correct co-host Ana Navarro during Monday’s show as the panel paid tribute to show co-creator Bill Geddie.
The news producer, who co-founded the show with the late Barbara Walters in 1997 and left in 2014, reportedly died of “coronary related factors” last Thursday.
In a very awkward moment, Goldberg Navarro, 67, shut down live on air after she accused Geddie of “firing” Joy Behar in 2013.
Navarro made the comment to former host Sherri Shepherd, who made a special appearance on Monday’s episode to commemorate Geddie, but Goldberg wasted no time in putting her in her place.
Shepherd, 56, recalled a time when Geddie called her into his office and questioned why she hadn’t spoken during an interview with John McCain on the show.
Whoopi’s Wrath: The View’s Goldberg was forced to abruptly correct one of her co-hosts during Monday’s show
How to put her in her place: Ana Navarro was shut down by Goldberg after commenting on series co-creator Bill Geddie
Not true: Navarro claimed Geddie “fired” Joy Behar and then hired her back
She explained: “Bill called me and said, ‘Why didn’t you say anything? You sit at this table, you have an opinion, you step in, you speak up.”
“He was so tough and I said, ‘You’re not going to hug me are you…?'” Shepherd joked when Navarro chimed in, claiming, “He hired Joy and fired Joy and she still loves him!”
The camera then cut to the Sister Act star, who appeared completely unimpressed as she told Navarro, “He didn’t fire Joy.”
Navarro remained silent as co-host Sunny Hostin stepped in, confirming, “That was the next generation.”
“Yes,” Goldberg said bluntly, before quickly continuing the conversation.
Behar never publicly revealed who was behind her abrupt exit in 2013, but Geddie and co-creator Barbara Walters were the series’ key EPs at the time.
Behar was significantly absent from the show on Monday, but it was confirmed that she would return for Tuesday’s episode.
The awkward moment comes just months after Goldberg responded to Behar’s resurfaced revelation that she was “happy” to have been fired from The View in 2013.
She’s back: Former presenter Sherri Shepherd returned to The View on Monday to pay tribute to Geddie
Remembering him: The panel shared their own stories about Geddie following his death last week
Then: Geddie pictured with The View presenters in 2019, including Goldberg and Behar
Sad news: Geddie reportedly died from “coronary related factors”. He was 68 years old
Back in February, the panel was debating the importance of friendships in the workplace, when Behar returned to a 2022 interview with Time magazine expressing her gratitude for being kicked out.
In March 2013, Behar announced that she was leaving the program, but by September 2015 she had returned to the panel.
Speaking to Time about her initial departure, she said, “I always have friends where I work, and if I don’t have friends at work, I won’t keep the job.”
“The last time I got fired from this show, people said to me, ‘Were you okay with that?’ and my response is I was happy because all my friends had already left. So there was no reason to stay. I mean it.’
However, by the time Behar left, Goldberg was a permanent member of The View.
‘Really? Have all your friends gone?’ she asked Behar live on air while the audience gasped.
The Oscar-winning actress then mimicked a trembling lip, pretended to cry and said, “It’s okay, I’m cool!”
Behar tried to explain and said, ‘You just walked in and my backstage friends left.’ And I don’t like working if I don’t have friends.’
Goldberg later confirmed that she and Behar had been “friends for a long time” and that she was just “teasing” on them.
The two women are no strangers to arguments on the ABC show, and just last week Goldberg accused the 80-year-old of “overshadowing” her after her phone started ringing live on air.