The Ten Most Memorable Moments of The View Season 24

Between a generation-defining election, an unprecedented attack on democracy, and a seemingly-endless pandemic, the women of The View have had plenty to discuss over the past year. The ABC daytime staple’s 24th season had some extreme highs and lows, with he tone shifting wildly as the co-hosts discussed everything from the #MeToo movement to politics to lingerie preferences. Still, despite being one of the few remaining talk shows to shoot remotely, The View managed to deliver a quite a few buzzy moments that fans will be talking about for years to come. Now that the season's wrapped, here's our ranking of the 10 most memorable moments of The View Season 24:

10. Meghan McCain Announces She’s Leaving The View

Episode Date: July 1, 2021

Yes, there were plenty of Meghan vs. Joy (and Meghan vs. Whoopi, and Meghan vs. Sunny) fights during The View’s 24th season, but if we’re going with most memorable moments, it would be irresponsible to start this list with anything other than Meghan McCain’s exit. When McCain announced her departure just before the Fourth of July, it sparked a weeks-long cycle of think pieces, and “Who Will Replace Her?” listicles — spoiler, it won’t be good — and brought more eyes to The View than it’s seen in years. Love her or hate her, there’s no denying that Meghan McCain has left an indelible mark on the legacy talk show, which has some big personnel decisions to make over the next few weeks as it prepares for its landmark 25th season.

9. The Co-Hosts React to the Insurrection at the U.S. Capitol

Episode Date: January 7, 2021

The View kicked off 2021 on a somber note as the co-hosts grieved the damage done to American democracy by the violent pro-Trump mob that stormed the U.S. Capitol on January 6. The morning after the insurrection, the ladies were united in their condemnation of then-President Trump, whom Meghan McCain called “a mad king.”

“I am calling on all Republicans and conservatives who still have clout: we have to invoke the 25th Amendment. We cannot withstand this,” said McCain, her voice shaking. “We cannot possibly risk the idea that we could have more violence between now and President Biden getting elected and inaugurated.”

Of course, the 25th Amendment was not invoked, and the co-hosts instead spent the next few weeks (and months) arguing about impeachment, the GOP’s Liz Cheney, and Republicans’ attempts to rewrite history. Still, The View’s January 7 discussion cast a long shadow over the back half of the season that will likely remain into the fall.

8. Whoopi Goldberg Tells Trump Voters to “Suck It Up” and Accept the Loss

Episode Date: November 9, 2020

It’s hard to believe that the 2020 election took place during The View Season 24, but it most certainly did — and when all was said and done, Whoopi Goldberg had a simple message for Trump supporters.

“To all those people who don’t believe that Americans actually got out and voted,” the longtime moderator said on The View’s first show after Biden was declared president-elect two days prior. “Let me say this to you: when [Trump] was elected four years ago, Hillary Clinton didn’t come out and say, ‘Hey, wait a minute. This doesn’t feel right. Stop the count.'”

“All of you — suck it up! Suck it up like we sucked it up!” Goldberg continued. “Grow the pair for him that he can’t grow for himself.”

Call it a harbinger of things to come…

7. Meghan McCain Sends The View Off the Rails in an Epic 20-Minute Fight

Episode Date: May 24, 2021

If there’s one specific day that convinced Meghan McCain to pack up her (virtual) dressing room at The View, it’s probably May 24, the date of her epic, multi-segment fight with her co-hosts. During a discussion about Rep. Majorie Taylor Greene comparing mask mandates to the Holocaust, McCain and Goldberg got snippy, with the latter audibly scoffing before sending the show to commercial. When the show returned, McCain said that anti-Semitism on the left is “a lot more insidious, and a lot more sinister, and a lot more difficult to define,” a point that Goldberg took issue with, saying, “I don't know what you're talking about.”

Before long, Sunny Hostin entered the fray and accused McCain of “conflat[ing] Israeli politics with Judaism and Jewish hate crimes,” which prompted a screed from the conservative co-host about the media not devoting “the same energy towards hate crimes directed towards Jewish people as we do with every other minority group.”

Finally, it was Joy Behar’s time to shine. “I resent that. I resent that remark!” she said. “I've been talking about anti-Semitism on this show for 25 frickin' years. Don't tell me what I'm supposed to be saying, Meghan, okay? You do your things, we do ours.”

“I'm well aware we do separate things on this show, Joy. And I know you've been here for 25 years. I've been here four,” fired back McCain.

“That's right!” said Behar. “You should have some respect for that once in a blue moon.”

It was a fight so dramatic, one could forget that The View has a fifth co-host, Sara Haines.

6. Joy Behar Reveals How Much She Missed Meghan McCain While She Was on Maternity Leave: “Zero”

Episode Date: January 5, 2021

Meghan McCain was out on maternity leave for most of the fall, but when she returned, she and Joy Behar got right back into the swing of things. On her second day, Behar accused McCain of interrupting her, and they proceeded to argue about Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and the “traitors” in the Republican Party. “You missed me so much, Joy. You missed me so much when I was on maternity leave,” joked McCain. “You missed me so much — you missed fighting with me!”

Rather than just ignore the joke, Behar opted to poke the sleeping bear. “I did not miss you,” she said, completely serious. “Zero.”

“Oh my god. You know what? That’s so nasty!” replied a visibly surprised McCain. “That’s like, so nasty. I was teasing!”

Awkward!

5. Meghan McCain and Whoopi Goldberg Trade Schoolyard Taunts: “I Don’t Care That You Don’t Care!”

Episode Date: June 17, 2021

Meghan McCain’s many fights with Joy Behar typically receive the lion’s share of news coverage, but throughout Season 24, she’s been just as likely, if not more, to trade blows with Whoopi Goldberg. Just a few weeks ago the two threw down while discussing President Biden snapping at CNN reporter Kaitlan Collins, which McCain described as “100% Trumpy behavior.” When Goldberg insisted that the comparison isn’t fair, as Trump didn’t “apologize to anybody,” things got heated:

“With all due respect,” said McCain. “I don't care if he's apologizing. He just embarrassed himself and it looks like Trump.”

“I don't care that you don't care!” Goldberg fired back. “Just hear what I'm saying!”

“I don't care that you don't care, Whoopi!” ripped McCain. “So we're even.”

The segment ultimately ended with Goldberg urging her co-host to “be how you always are” as the show’s music played. After the commercial break, the two apologized and patched things up, but the tension lingered for the rest of the episode.

4. Van Jones Gets Absolutely Destroyed for Flip-Flopping on Trump

Episode Date: February 5, 2021

The View’s Season 24 guest slate wasn’t much of anything to write home about, but Van Jones’ appearance more than delivered, as he spent the entire segment flailing about while Sunny Hostin and Ana Navarro grilled him about his shifting stance on Trump. Jones was clearly unprepared for their line of questioning — he was there to promote his new documentary, The Reunited States — and he did little to help himself as they accused him of “being a political opportunist” and giving right-wing pundits like Candace Owens “legitimacy” by posing for photos with them.

Even Joy Behar seemed to enjoy Jones’ discomfort. “You’re going to have to take it outside!” she joked, before throwing the show to commercial.

3. Joy Behar Defends “Blackface” Halloween Costume in Bombastic Interview with Kim Klacik

Episode Date: September 18, 2020

Republican congressional candidate Kim Klacik’s political career was short-lived, but she managed to get in one astounding fight with Joy Behar before throwing in the towel. In September 2020, Klacik appeared on The View to discuss her campaign platform, and things went (relatively) okay until Behar asked her to “put some blame on your president” for the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Is this Joy speaking? The same Joy that paraded around in blackface not too long ago?” asked Klacik, referencing a “beautiful African woman” Halloween costume Behar wore as a 29-year-old. “Come on, Joy, I don’t think you should be asking questions.”

“That’s not true!” replied Behar. “The Black community had my back. They know that was not Blackface. That was an homage!”

As denials go, this one was incredibly bizarre, but it was quickly swept under the rug when Sunny Hostin came to her co-host’s defense. “The Black community has your back?!” said an incredulous Hostin. “The Black community did not vote for you! What planet are you living on?!”

Suffice it to say that Kim Klacik won't likely be returning to The View in the future. Hey, there’s always Newsmax.

2. Meghan McCain Unloads on Joy Behar: “I Don’t Care” What You Say!

Episode Date: May 18, 2021

Six days before their knock-down, drag-out fight, Meghan McCain gave fans a preview when she proclaimed that she wasn't interested in anything Joy Behar has to say about the GOP. When Behar asked if the Republican Party should now be called “the QAnon Party,” the conservative firebrand absolutely lost it, and she proceeded to go on a rant about Behar’s limited influence among her cohort.

“You can call it whatever you want because your influence in the Republican Party is almost zero. As I've said before on this show, it is for us to figure out amongst ourselves,” said McCain. “What Republican is like, 'Ugh, Joy Behar doesn't like my party? Oh god, I'd better stop voting for them now.'”

”You saying the Republican Party is trash — I don't care! It's not revelatory!” she continued. “Every single day! Every single day, you hate Republicans. Oh my god! How revelatory!”

1. Joy Behar Suggests She and Whoopi Goldberg Should Make “A Porn for the Blind”

Episode Date: January 27, 2021

When the co-hosts aren’t fighting over politics, The View can actually be a fun hour of television, especially when Joy Behar goes on one of her NSFW rants. Back in January, the longtime co-host applauded shows like Bridgerton for bringing “soft porn” to the small screen, ensuring that horny viewers no longer have “to go to some sleazy motel and get some weird channel to watch porn.”

Behar then asked Goldberg if she plans to “take off [her] clothes” in her upcoming projects, to which Goldberg replied with a succinct, “Please, girl.”

“Whoopi, I’ve been asked many times to do something with you,” said Behar. “I believe you and I can do a porn for the blind!”

Remember when I said that May 24 was probably the day Meghan McCain decided she was leaving The View? I take that back. It was definitely the thought of Joy Behar doing porn that did her in for good.

Claire Spellberg Lustig is the Senior Editor at Primetimer and a scholar of The View. Follow her on Twitter at @c_spellberg.