Behind The Table: Whoopi Goldberg & Joy Behar Look Back on Decades of The View, Barbara Walters, and Broadcasting Through a Pandemic

In a special episode of the podcast series Behind The Table, longtime co-hosts Whoopi Goldberg and Joy Behar open up about their remarkable journeys on The View, sharing personal stories, behind-the-scenes memories, and how the show adapted during the global pandemic.

Behar, who has been a fixture on The View since its debut in 1997, is the show’s longest-serving co-host. Known for her sharp wit and fearless political commentary, she’s been part of nearly every era of the daytime staple. Goldberg joined the panel in 2007 as moderator and quickly became the steady voice guiding the daily debates. With her EGOT status and a Disney Legends Award under her belt, Goldberg has become the longest-serving moderator in the show’s history.

Reflecting on 25 Years — And a Pandemic

The conversation, recorded in 2021 while wrapping the show’s 24th season, takes place from their respective homes—a reminder of how the COVID-19 pandemic transformed even the most established productions.

Goldberg and Behar recall the sudden shift in March 2020, when the show aired for the first time without a live audience. Just days later, Behar stepped away temporarily out of caution. By April 1, the entire panel was broadcasting from their homes—an unprecedented move for a live daily talk show.

“Being remote took away the natural rhythm of conversation,” Goldberg noted. Behar agreed: “We’re supposed to respond to each other in real time, and that element got lost.”

Still, there were silver linings. Behar shared that working from home allowed her to spend more time with her husband and children. “You learn something about yourself,” she said. “It’s not the end of the world to be away from New York City.”

Remembering Barbara Walters

No conversation about The View would be complete without mentioning Barbara Walters, the trailblazing journalist who created the show and helped shape its legacy. Behar reflected on Walters’ resilience in a male-dominated industry:

“She was up against some of the worst misogyny in the history of television… and she survived it all.”

Goldberg added, “Barbara was fascinated by strong women—by how they did it. I think that’s why she created The View in the first place.”

The episode also revisits the moment Walters asked Goldberg to join the show. Goldberg recounted being hesitant, worried she might bring controversy. But Walters reassured her—and even invited her to dinner with Rosie O’Donnell and Joy Behar. That dinner marked the beginning of Goldberg’s chapter on The View.

From Dinner to Hot Topics

In episode nine of Behind The Table, Behar and Goldberg reflect on that pivotal night over dinner, the conversations that convinced them to say yes to The View, and the moment each of them realized they’d become “Hot Topics” themselves.

It’s a raw, thoughtful, and often funny look back at a show that’s not only shaped their lives—but also reshaped daytime TV.