Joy Behar was not present for Tuesday’s (July 15) edition of The View, and some fans may be wondering why.
At the start of the show, moderator Whoopi Goldberg announced that her long-time cohost was not present for the day’s show, saying, “So Joy is out today, possibly be back tomorrow. But who can say? Who can say?”
In response, executive producer Brian Teta shouted that she would be back, and Goldberg said, “Brian can say, but if she’s not, she’ll be back the day after, because she’ll be back.”
Neither Goldberg nor Teta explained the reason for Behar’s absence from the live show. However, it may have had something to do with the start of the summer series of performances of her off-Broadway comedy show My First Ex-Husband, which began on July 14 and runs until July 19. Behar is performing in the nightly show alongside other celebrities who’ve been rotating as featured guest stars since the show’s inception; this time, the list includes Susan Lucci, Veanne Cox, and Jackie Hoffman (though Behar will not be hitting the stage on July 16 and 17). She previously missed some time on The View as a result of the show’s grand opening back in February, and Goldberg had a similar refrain when explaining her absence (saying, “Joy is not here. She’ll be back tomorrow, we think”).
“My First Ex-Husband is a bold and heartfelt adaptation of true stories by the legendary Joy Behar, comedienne and co-host of The View. With razor-sharp wit and no filters, it explores the messy, hilarious truths of love, sex, and relationships,” the show’s description reads. “Whether you’re happily coupled, cautiously committed, or considering changing the locks, relationships are complicated—and universally relatable. These stories are your stories, only funnier.”
Behar was previously not present for Monday’s show, but that is not unusual. While Goldberg usually moderates on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, Behar usually works Tuesdays through Fridays, taking over as moderator in Goldberg’s absence.
The View, weekdays, 11 a.m. ET, ABC