The View Finally Adds New Co-Host Filed under ( Barbara Walters, Joy Behar, Rosie O'Donnell, The View, Whoopi Goldberg )

At long last, the ladies of The View finally welcomed someone new to their table, comedienne Whoopi Goldberg. Promising to be herself and shun little high heels, Whoopi will definitely bring a new perspective and opinion to the show, and the women on the panel are excited about the prospect.

"I think Whoopi brings warmth," Behar, 64, tells PEOPLE magazine. "We know that she brings humor and talent, but she also brings warmth, and on television, people have to like you. She's very, very likable, and I'm thrilled to have her." Barbara Walters adds, "When you have a woman who is as smart and as talented as Whoopi, it makes everyday fun." "We still have arguments about politics, and I think that's the way the show should be," Behar says. "Whoopi, I think she argues also. She has her own speed and her own style."

Although Whoopi was officially welcomed to the chatfest this past Wednesday, she doesn't start her new day job until after Labor Day.

No word on what Rosie thinks yet, but I'm sure it's forthcoming.

Photo from IMDB.

Finally! Star Jones Reynolds Admits Gastric Bypass Surgery Filed under ( Star Jones, Star Jones Reynolds, The View )

Although she has danced around the topic for quite awhile now, former View co-host Star Jones Reynolds has FINALLY admitted that she had gastric bypass surgery ... as if any of us had any doubt. She wrote an essay in the September issue of Glamour magazine. Some excerpts are below, but you can read the whole she-bang right here.

"The toughest part of the journey has been forgiving myself for not having the self-control I know I should have had, or admitting I needed help," she writes. "Every day I am learning to let go of my insecurities and acknowledge that I don't have all the answers, which is okay," she says. Though she still struggles with self-image, she writes that being healthy is what counts. "I'm not saying that in order to be happy, women need to be a certain size, but I am saying that we should all strive to be healthy."

Photos from Glamour.

Rosie Gets a Big, Fat N-O from Price is Right Head Honchos Filed under ( CBS, Rosie O'Donnell, The Price is Right, The View )

Somebody said no to Rosie? Yup. Turns out the CBS head honchos turned her down for the coveted spot of host of The Price is Right.

She told TV Guide recently, "They thought I was too controversial to host the game show. I just wanted to ‘gay it up.’" What changes exactly did she want to make? Per TV Guide, she apparently, "wanted to get rid of Barker’s beauties in favor of a chorus line of Broadway hunks, confetti, musical bumpers and a much-needed set makeover 'so the colors actually match!'" She said that she was disappointed that they passed on her, but is in the process of mulling over offers to start her own daytime talk show again.

In the meantime, don't cry for her. She has already finished a tell-all book on her 10-month stint on The View, and plans to release it on September 18th. Guess when you're out of work, you have nothing but free time to write. "It’s not mean-spirited," O’Donnell says. "It’s just honest."

Photo from TV Guide.

Newsstand Friday: TV Guide Filed under ( Bindi Irwin, Edie Falco, Jamie Lynn-Sigler, Kyle XY, Newsstand Friday, Rosie O'Donnell, Terri Irwin, The Sopranos, The View, TV Guide )

COVER STORY
Sopranos Says Goodbye

Ciao time! We take a look back at the HBO hit. Also, Edie Falco, Jamie-Lynn Sigler and others reveal their fave scenes. Plus: On the set of Kyle XY and at the zoo with Terri and Bindi Irwin!

BREAKING NEWS

Inside the View Meltdown
What's next for Rosie and The View.

Maks Caught in the Crossfire Filed under ( Dancing with the Stars, Elizabeth Hasselbeck, Joey Fatone, Kym Johnson, Laila Ali, Maksim Chmerkovskiy, Rosie O'Donnell, The View )

How dare The View involve Maks in their petty disputes! People magazine reports that as Rosie O'Donnell and Elizabeth Hasselbeck were having it out onstage last week, Maksim Chmerkovskiy and Laila Ali, of Dancing with the Stars fame, were waiting backstage, feeling awkward. Well, and I guess Joey and Kym were there too:

"All four of us were at a loss," Dancing with the Stars' Maksim Chmerkovskiy tells PEOPLE of his time waiting out the argument with dance partner Laila Ali and fellow Dancing stars Joey Fatone and Kym Johnson. "It was a straight-up brawl."

Chmerkovskiy says the guests had been warned by View staffers that the show could get "intense" – and it quickly did. "At first everyone was sort of laughing, [like,] 'See, I told you it gets intense.' Then it was like, Okay maybe it's one of those very intense ones. But people were still giggling. But then it became a fight between Rosie and Elisabeth."

What made it particularly shocking? "It was like a domestic dispute, like relatives fighting. We came to their house and we were witnessing something a little embarrassing. It was really uncomfortable."

At the commercial break, Chmerkovskiy recalls stone-faced View staffers running out of the room to deal with the fallout. Actress Alicia Silverstone, who was also in the greenroom, was not happy that her segment was next: "She was like, 'I don't want to go on now.' She had one of those hyperventilating moments where she was like, 'Okay, I'm really nervous.' "

But the show went on, and Chmerkovskiy and Ali performed their dance without incident. "It was like nothing had happened," he says. "I thought great, this must be a normal day at The View."

Rosie O'Donnell Abruptly Leaves The View Filed under ( Barbara Walters, Elisabeth Hasselbeck, Rosie O'Donnell, The View )

Honestly, the maturity of people never cease to amaze me. On Wednesday, Rosie O'Donnell got in another political dust-up with The View co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck. Rosie had a scheduled day off yesterday to celebrate her partner's birthday, but in a statement issued today, has decided that she has had enough of The View and will not be finishing out the remaining three weeks of her contract.

"We had hoped that Rosie would be with us until the end of her contract three weeks from now, but Rosie has informed us that she would like an early leave," Brian Frons, president of ABC Daytime, said in a statement. "Therefore, we part ways, thank her for her tremendous contribution to The View and wish her well."

The show's co-host and executive producer, Barbara Walters, said in the statement: "I brought Rosie to the show. Rosie contributed to one of our most exciting and successful years at The View. I am most appreciative. Our close and affectionate relationship will not change."

Said O'Donnell: "I'm extremely grateful. It's been an amazing year and I love all three women."

In another mature moment, Alicia Silverstone was a scheduled guest after Elisabeth and Rosie's on-air debate, and when she came on the stage, you'll see how she treated Elisabeth in the below video. Seriously.



Photo from People.

Newsstand Friday: InTouch Magazine Filed under ( Anna Nicole Smith, Carey Hart, Elisabeth Hasselbeck, Heidi Montag, Hilary Duff, Kate Bosworth, Lauren Conrad, Nicole Richie, Pink, Rosie O'Donnell, The Hills, The View )

Finally! Hollywood's skinniest stars get healthy
Kate Bosworth, Hilary Duff and Nicole Richie look great after gaining some much-needed pounds.

Exclusive photos!
Anna Nicole Smith's final bow on the set of her last film.

Hollywood's best-looking families
Wow! These stars' kids are just as gorgeous as they are.

At home with Pink and Carey
When the singer and her sports star husband, Carey Hart, want to chill, they head to Las Vegas.

Friends no more
The Hills' Lauren Conrad and Heidi Montag haven't spoken in months.

Is it the end for The View?
After its best ratings in years, the talk show faces an uncertain future with Rosie O'Donnell's resignation and Elisabeth Hasselbeck's pregnancy.

It's Official: Elisabeth Hasselbeck Expecting Baby #2 Filed under ( Barbara Walters, Elisabeth Hasselbeck, Joy Behar, Rosie O'Donnell, The View, Tim Hasselbeck )

I'm sure the folks at ABC are starting to get a little worried. First Rosie announced that she will be leaving her hosting duties on The View in June. Now co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck will be announcing this morning that she is three months pregnant. They better fill Rosie's spot quickly.

Hasselbeck and her football player husband, Tim, have a 2-year-old daughter named Grace.

With Elisabeth going on maternity leave sometime early Fall that only leaves Barbara Walters and Joy Behar at the desk.

Photo from Fox News.

Rosie to Leave The View Filed under ( ABC, Barbara Walters, Elisabeth Hasselbeck, Joy Behar, Rosie O'Donnell, The View )

After this weekend's tantrum, I bet there are a few happy smiles with this announcement. Chatfest host of The View, Rosie O'Donnell, has not been able to reach a contractual agreement with ABC Daytime, and as a result, she will be departing the show in mid-June.

"Working with Barbara [Walters], Joy [Behar] and Elisabeth [Hasselbeck] has been one of the highlights of my career, but my needs for the future just didn't dovetail with what ABC was able to offer me," Rosie says in a statement to ABCNews.com. "To all the viewers out there, I just want to say 'Thank you' for opening up your hearts and your homes to me this past year. But you can always find me at Rosie.com."

Brian Frons of ABC Daytime said, "Going in we knew we would have an amazing year with [Rosie], and that anything beyond that would be gravy. And while we've tried to come to terms on a deal that would extend her [stay] on The View, we find ourselves unable to agree on some key elements."

Barbara Walters weighed in, "[Rosie] has given the program new vigor, new excitement and wonderful hours of television. I am very sad that ABC Daytime could not reach an agreement with her for a second year. We will all miss Rosie. She remains for me a cherished friend and colleague."

So who's up next for the revolving chairs on The View?

Jenny McCarthy Goes Back to Work Filed under ( Jenny McCarthy, Jim Carrey, Rosie O'Donnell, The View, Weight Watchers )

... even if it's just for a day. Besides being a Weight Watchers pitchwoman and Jim Carrey's girlfriend, it seems Jenny McCarthy hasn't been up to much lately. She is set to co-host ABC's The View on May 3rd. Knowing for saying exactly what's on her mind, Jenny is sure to give Rosie O'Donnell a run for her money.

Photo from AskMen.com