Ask and Ye Shall Receive: Rosie and Elisabeth Smackdown on The View

Due to popular demand, here are the clips from the blowup between Rosie and Elisabeth on The View yesterday.

Two more after the jump...

Thoughts?

Barbara Walters was apologetic about this this morning. Do you think she needed to be? Is it okay for women to emotionally discuss politics in your living room?

Comments

[BoomBoop]

If Rosie was upset that Elisabeth didn't defend her, she should speak to her about it IN PRIVATE.

Rosie has NO CLASS.

She didn't bring it up to resolve the problem, she brought it up to attack Elisabeth and get the media in a frenzy.

Besides, Rosie is a big girl, I'm sure she can defend herself. Why would she need or even want little, ignorant, right-wing Elisabeth defending her anyway?

I can't stand Rosie O'Donnell. I used to LOVE her, but now, she's this always-defensive, heterophobic, obnoxious jerk.

[Jen Lancaster]

As for EMOTIONALLY discussing politics, no. It's not appropriate. I'm so far to the right of all my friends it's not even funny, yet our opposing views are never an issue because we don't shout at each other to make our points heard. (If you're shouting, you're not listening.)

Regardless, am waiting patiently for The View to call me in to replace Rosie and/or Elisabeth...

[Nic]

I am an extremely emotional person and I tend to emote in this way when I get upset about stupid stuff like one of my sisters being a whore or ruining a cashmere sweater, but not about politics because that's not how I have discussions with my friends. I do think, though, that I would be hurt if I my words were being twisted and that my friend with a differing viewpoint was not defending me to her friends with the same view point.

The way the producer/director handled this was atrocious and they did it specifically for ratings and to provoke the drama.

They were both out of line in their behavior and they should have corralled it in, but Elisabeth had been going off and since the opening moment of the show, interrupting and yelling, etc.

Also, is EH really the best conservative voice they can get? She's cute and all when it comes to superficial stuff, but when it comes to controversy, she doesn't handle herself well. That's not to say that RO handles it extremely well either, but a more educated and skilled person in EH's seat would be able to provide some credibility to the topics. I've been watching clips and I find that EH just reiterates her view over and over, when Rosie, at least, is continually educating herself and adding new material and pulling from different sources. Now, those sources are whatever they may be...

[Tracy]

Yeah - if you listen to Rosie or her supporters, it wasn't a political discussion, it was her being upset that Elisabeth didn't stand up for her about Rosie saying our troops were the real terrorists. Which - people will go back and forth on - in my opinion, that IS what Rosie said, Rosie says it's not what she meant, blah blah blah. But I was watching this live when it happened, and it was SO uncomfortable to watch, I can't even imagine how uncomfortable it was to be there. And Alicia Silverstone dissing Elisabeth after it? Seriously - WTF. She wasn't even part of the discussion. How damn high school is that?!?!?!

I think when women discuss things that require some intelligence to discuss, getting emotional the way they did is inappropriate, and should have been handled off-camera if there was a disagreement between them.

Then again, as Arnold pointed out on Leno last night - it DID happen to be the last day of sweeps!

[Nic]

LOL The Donald has now issued a statement in support of Rosie.

[Amy H]

I TIVO so I can watch when I get home, but I am afraid President Bush's speech will pre-empt the show because I think he spoke at the same time it started. grrr. That always happens. I wish he would pick a different time to talk. I would rather know what BW had to say about the fight yesterday.

I think EH should have stuck up for Rosie because everyone knows that Rosie supports our troops. She spends her money and her time with wounded vets of the war. No matter what your opinions are on the war or on Rosie, the fact is, she does care about the troops. And EH knows this. She should have at least stood up for her on that.

(total aside: Rosie is a bully and sometimes I worry that she is going to cause EH to lose her baby.)

[CathyA]

Why is EH "right wing" because she supports the President but Rosie and JB aren't considered "left wing" because they oppose every single move the President makes - including choking on a pretzel?

[Sils]

This show is amazing. I wish I was at home so I could watch it.

The thing that gets me is that EH isn't even remotely informed, it would seem. I have a lot of conservative friends who actually have sound, informed opinions -- that I can respect.

As for the impassioned argument -- it's a talk show called The View... I think it's pretty reasonable for people to get pent up.

[Kelly]

I don't think it's possible to NOT get emotional when talking about the situation that we are in today, regardless of your gender OR your political affiliation. And I think the lack of emotion that has been shown by the people who SHOULD be getting fired up is the real shame. If, every time I turned on my TV, I saw people getting emotional and saying, "How can we fix what is going on?" I would be pretty happy.

[Nic]

Kelly, I do agree. To be quite honest, I'd prefer some real discourse and anger over the situation that constant coverage of Rosie & Donald, ANS, etc. I do love me some celebrity dirt, but I also like real news, good news and I don't want the two to mix. One is entertainment, the other is life.

[Izzy]

I have to agree with Kelly.

[Kyla]

I kind of love Elisabeth. And I think it takes some chops to be the only conservative on the show.

[Lena]

My two cents: How refreshing to see women with impassioned opinions about the state of our world! Women who aren't confined to CNN and FOX News!

I would invite this controversy every day into my home. It's about time that women like Baba Wawa stop prescribing to the belief that women shouldn't "discuss such unpleasantness".

That said, I can't imagine two people more poorly suited to do this than two yellers like RO and EH.

[Lena]

Oh, and Joy's comment this morning about her friend "feeling uncomfortable" watching two people argue? Turn on some E! channel then, lady. Because real people are dying outside your front door.

[Amanda]

While I don't always think EH is as informed as she could be with regard to the issues she so passionately defends, I feel like she probably saw herself in a "damned if I do, damned if I don't" situation regarding defending Rosie's troop position. Had EH said, "As ROD's friend, I know she feels x,y,z," ROD could have been appreciative of EH's remarks, but she just as easily could have gone all loudmouth and "I don't need you to speak for me, I can speak for myself RAWR!" on her. I think ROD's a loose cannon that way sometimes, and you just never know how she's gonna react.

I don't agree with EH's politics, but I think she was in an impossible situation on this one, and ROD probably escalated things to an unnecessary level for morning TV. But I LOVE that actress from "Less Than Perfect." More of her, please!

[Suzy Q]

Elizbeth's reactions to Rosie's goading are always on the level of a kindergardner. Not that I'm defending Rosie's bullying.

I saw this catfight live and it was unbelievable. They even put off a commercial for it to continue. Ratings sweeps, indeed.

I missed Alicia's dissing of Elizabeth. That was probably funny.

[joy]

I agree with Kelly too. I am just annoyed that when a show *does* attempt to take on politics and heated issues, it degenerates like this. Another "example" that "women's t.v." can't push into anything beyond the canned safe shit we see every day.

In the end this was not about politics--it was about a personal disagreement. I wish it had been about politics. I wish it HAd been an example of intelligent, strongly opinioned women take on a serious debate, a la Bill Maher, But no.

[Butrfly4404]

Wow. Um...I'm a lot like Jen up top. A lot of my friends are a lot further to the left on the political spectrum. I usually steer clear of politics with my friends because we have so little time...why spend it arguing about something neither of us has any control over?
However, when I have the time, I love discussing and debating stuff like this on the net (you know, when I'm getting PAID).
I can't stand Rosie, though. And it's not her political views at all - its the way she voices them and her attitude toward anyone who disagrees.
If they'd kept it "adult" it would have been more interesting. But it must really be hard for Elisabeth to be the only conservative and have to listen to them all bash a person (like, choked on a preztel!? - I choked on a sunflower seed, BFD!) she stands behind. And she would have to yell to be heard over any of those other monsterous women.

[Kelly]

guys, I think it's fairly obvious that the choking on a pretzel dig was just that: a dig. I don't think anyone seriously thinks that Bush's issues with swallowing are any kind of testament to his executive abilities or lack thereof. Lest we forget, Joy Behar and Rosie O'Donnell started out as a stand up comedians. They tease, they poke fun, they SNARK. It's just something to tease about. It's not a serious issue.

[Kelly]

oh and seriously? if I hear one more comment about Rosie's weight as a justification for dismissing her, I'm going to go apeshit. that just isn't cool.

[Deb]

It was a freaking HOAX! Dont you guys know the day that aired, was the last day of MAY SWEEPS! I think it was for ratings, WTF!

[Lena]

Deb - Actually, Barbara Walters said it was their lowest rated week and she attributed that to the infighting.

[Mom101]

I think I love Kelly. I vote for her to replace EH.

[Butrfly4404]

Kelly - that was my point, that they were going off about him and just throwing stupid things in.
I don't ever watch this show unless I see clips on websites, but every single one I have seen, they are talking about something serious and someone (RO) says something stupid and they ALWAYS throw it in that "SHE WAS A COMEDIAN! IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE FUNNY!" Did anyone ever think maybe that's why she isnt' a comedian anymore - she ISN'T FUNNY!! So if they get to blame all their stupid remarks and faux pas on the fact that they were ONCE comdedians - what does EH get??? It's a really lame excuse for saying things without thinking it through first.
And "monsterous" was in reference to their voices. I'm really not one to comment on someone's weight.

[brass]

I am all for expressing opinions. But, Rosie has taken the show to a new, uncomfortable level. She is using the show as a platform for her anti-hetero stance. On numerous occasions she has used the show as a "poor me, because I'm homosexual I am mistreated" platform. That shouldn't be an issue. Debate, absolutely...but don't use the show as a backbone to air your beliefs...especially if you are not willing to have an open mind to other opinions.