A fiery exchange between “The View” co-hosts Sunny Hostin and Alyssa Farah Griffin took center stage during Wednesday’s episode, devolving into a chaotic near-yelling match that moderator Whoopi Goldberg had to interrupt by sending the show to commercial.
The heated discussion was sparked by the recent official announcements of former Vice President Mike Pence and former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie declaring their candidacy for the 2024 presidential election. The hosts agreed that neither candidate seemed to have a viable chance in the Republican pool, questioning their motivations for running.
Given Farah Griffin’s previous work with Pence, Hostin and Joy Behar sought her insights on his strategy and candidacy. However, tensions escalated when Hostin directly called out Farah Griffin.
“What scares me, Alyssa, is that you are incapable of defending a man that you worked for, that you’ve known of,” Hostin remarked.
This statement immediately outraged Griffin, who demanded a direct question from Hostin. As Farah Griffin attempted to defend herself, Hostin interjected, claiming that Behar had indeed asked her a question earlier, and she had responded by stating the need to hear more from Pence. Hostin proceeded to enumerate a series of reasons why she did not need to hear more from him, highlighting his detrimental legislative actions and disregarding Griffin’s attempts to interject.
Farah Griffin then interjected by mentioning Hostin’s defense of Cornel West, implying that West would be destructive to the country. Behar scolded Griffin, urging her not to make the discussion personal. Griffin countered by accusing Hostin of frequently making it personal with her. Despite the interruptions, Hostin persisted, speaking over both Griffin and Behar, refusing to be interrupted, which infuriated Alyssa, who called it “absurd.”
“This is not what the show’s about!” Farah Griffin exclaimed. “This is Barbara Walters’ legacy, let a woman speak.”
However, Hostin continued to push through, speaking over Griffin and Behar. Frustrated, Griffin asked if Hostin would keep going or give her a chance to speak. Finally, Whoopi intervened and decided to cut to a commercial break to diffuse the escalating tension. When “The View” returned, the atmosphere was calmer, but the strained dynamic between Griffin and Hostin remained palpable.
The clash between Hostin and Farah Griffin disrupted the usual tone of the show, showcasing a rare instance of intense disagreement among the co-hosts. While “The View” eventually regained its composure, the lingering tension served as a reminder of the passionate and sometimes contentious nature of political discussions on the program.
