Watching The View

Whoopi Goldberg was back as guest host, this time taking the helm as moderator. They started the hot topics segment talking about Yankees player Alex Rodriguez being spotted with a blonde woman who is not his wife going out at night to bars. Barbara Walters wonders if his behavior is hurting the team. Both Elisabeth and Whoopi wondered what if it is just a friend and everyone is speculating that there is something more. Elisabeth said that as a professional athlete he should not be putting himself in a position to be photographed with another woman like this. She also said it really bothered her that Alex and the “other woman” had matching jeans on.

Paris Hilton is going to jail next week. Should she be in the general population? Joy joked, “No, she should be alone with her thought.” Barbara says that she has been to lots of prisons in the past and maybe Paris needs to be in with the general population so she can get the full experience and maybe learn something. Elisabeth thinks she should be with the general population because Paris claims that she wants to be treated like everyone else. Whoopi said that she had a chance to avoid all this but snubbed her nose at the court order not to drive.

Lindsay Lohan was supposed to begin work on a new movie, but the production company has agreed to halt production until she gets out of rehab. Barbara questioned whether they should have made an example of her and not done that. Whoopi said that they should have said that they will let her come back only if they are sure she could handle the job.

They talked about how Fred Thompson of Law and Order may be running for president. Barbara said that he is the conservative poster child. Whoopi said it now costs $100 million to run for president. Elisabeth said that they way that Hillary is raising money is interesting because the average donor only gave $100, which means that she is getting support from a lot of people. Joy expressed shock that Elisabeth was actually saying something positive about Hillary Clinton.

Joy said that she doesn’t like Mitt Romney because he is a flip-flopper. Whoopi said that everyone changes their mind. Joy said that they didn’t let John Kerry get away with it, so she won’t let Romney get away with it. Whoopi said she is not a full-on democrat anymore and doesn’t know what party she will go with in the election.

A woman who heads the choir at a church was told by her priest that she could not do so any longer because she hosts sex toy parties for a company called Pure Romance. Joy said that the women sells the products to married couples, which the Catholic Church should appreciate because it encourages procreation. She said that it is not the same as being a hooker. Barbara then said that she wanted to tell a quick hooker story. When she used to be on The Today Show, the limousine would come pick her up early in the morning, when there were hookers out on the street. She said that when they saw her get in the limo and drive away it gave them hope. Huh?

Review of Whoopi’s performance: I thought she was much livelier than her last stint as guest host. I think that being moderator helped her be more active in the discussions. I believe she is still doing her morning radio show as well, which could explain why she was a little subdued the last time she was on. This time she showed more of her personality. What do you all think? Is she a good fit?

Debra Messing appeared on the show to promote a new mini-series called The Starter Wife on the USA Network. She said that the end of Will and Grace was a shock to the system. She said that it was almost a relief when it was over, because the anticipation of the end was so difficult. She said that when she left the show, she asked for the nameplate that said “Grace Adler.” She received it in the mail, along with a bill for $250. In her new show, she plays a rich wife who is dumped by her husband and then has to start her life over after being cut-off financially. During the filming of the show, she spent four months in Australia away from her husband. She said it was the most difficult thing that she has ever had to do.

Debra’s co-stars from The Starter Wife Judy Davis and Anika Noni Rose also appeared on the show. Judy played Judy Garland in a film. She said that she is a little bit shy and doesn’t like celebrity and award shows. Anika was in the film Dreamgirls. She said that even though Jennifer Hudson and Beyonce got all the press for the movie, she is still a part of history and had a great time making the film. Anika will also be the voice of the first African-American Disney princess in a film that will come out in 2009.

The cast of the new Broadway musical Legally Blonde appeared on the show and performed a number called “Oh my God, you guys!” From the looks of this one number, it holds pretty true to the movie, only with singing. As a big fan of the movie, I think the musical looks like a lot of fun.

Giveaway on today’s show: Photowow.com: where you can turn your photos into art.

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