The View October 26th Recap: Deborah Norville and Bob Saget
Samantha Harris of Dancing with the Stars returned again today to guest host on The View. Whoopi said that she is going to watch the show to see what it is that everyone is talking about. Joy Behar said that she used to be good at the Lindy Hop, although she wouldn’t go for the getting lifted in the air.
Deborah Norville, a guest today, has written a book called Thank You Power. She thinks that anger can poison your system. Joy said that some mean, rotten people live a long time. Sherri Shepherd said that some people are so hard to be around when they are so miserable and it can consume you.
Joy asked whether you should forgive everything. For example, should people who were in concentration camps during Hitler’s reign forgive the Nazis? Whoopi said that they should because when there is nationalism in a country it is easy to fall into pace with everyone else who is saying “It’s them, we have to stop them.” She said that we have seen similar things in our country, judging people by what they wear on their head, for example. Whoopi said that she has been a victim and she has forgiven or else you cannot move on. Joy said that she would rather be dead than forgive people who had done that to her. Whoopi said that is why Nelson Mandela is one of her heroes because he was able to move on past what was done to him and other Blacks in South Africa.
The next topic was a man who was playing slots at a casino in New Mexico. The machine said that he hit $1.6 million. However, the casino said that the maximum payout on the machine is only $2500 and there was a glitch in the machine. At first the staff at the casino came and congratulated him, but then he was told that he was only entitled to $2500. The man is now suing the casino. Samantha said that it is a “real bummer,” but that does not mean that the casino should have to pay.
Whoopi said that the machine tells you what the maximum payout will be, so you know when you sit down whether you can win a million. Sherri said that she has to limit herself to $100 when she does the slot machines. Whoopi told her that she shouldn’t be gambling. Sherri said that one time, before she was a parent, that she spent her entire $100 and then made nice with an old man sitting near her so that she could get an additional 35 cents to play on the nickel machines. She said that she scared herself with how addicting the feeling was while she was playing.
Whoopi said that she loves to gamble and Joy said that she limits herself to $300 at the blackjack tables. Samantha said that she will keep her winnings in her pocket and only play with the money that she initially came in with.
The next topic was whether a woman should expect to get hit back if she hits her husband. Samantha said that if you hit him with a pot or something maybe, but not if it is just a tap. Sherri said that in the past maybe it would not have happened, but today if you slap a man, you should expect to get slapped right back. She said it used to be that you could get away with it…”at least when I did it.” She said that it was when she was much younger and would not hit a man today.
Joy said that you should not hit a child because they are smaller than you and maybe when they get bigger they will hit you. Whoopi and Sherri both think it is okay to spank a child, but both said that they would have never hit their own mother. Samantha said that if you hit a kid it teaches them that it is okay to hit other people. Whoopi said that is not true in a million years because she would never hit someone. Whoopi then hearkened back to how Joy said that she would not forgive and Joy said “I was talking about Nazis, not a baby!” Whoopi then told her it was a joke and sprinkled water on her to cool her off.
Bob Saget appeared on the show to promote his Broadway appearance in The Drowsy Chaperone and his “adults-only” stand-up act. Bob joked that he had a little trouble getting out onto the stage because he was “attacked by a Nazi baby” and he will not forgive him.
The show is about a man who who is an agoraphobic musical theater buff and the whole thing is set in his apartment. Other actors and props come out of the wall all around him. It is ambiguous whether his character is gay.
Sherri said that she used to follow his stand-up act and Bob had the raunchiest routines. She said that old ladies in the audience would be sitting there with their mouths open in shock because they thought he was like his character on Full House. Bob joked, “I got a lot of numbers. It was great.”
He said that The Drowsy Chaperone is a nice break from being so “filthy” in his stand-up act. He does not try to be raunchy in stand-up for the sake of it, but rather he does what he thinks is funny.
They showed a clip of “Rollin with Saget,” a video that he did with Jamie Kennedy, in which he pimps around town and hits a doorman to get into a trendy club. He said that is not the real him.
Both Bob and Whoopi appeared in The Aristocrats, which was about telling the filthiest joke ever. Whoopi also had a voice role in Farce of the Penguins, which was directed by Bob. They played a clip in the background, but Bob said that they could not play any audio because it was so filthy.
Bob is on the board of the Scleroderma Foundation after he lost his sister to the disease. He said that it is a terrible disease which involves the hardening of the skin and affects mostly women in the prime of their lives. He is doing a benefit on November 6th and Caroline’s in New York City.
Deborah Norville appeared to promote her book called Thank You Power: Making the Science of Gratitude Work For You. She said that there is scientific proof that if you focus on the good things in your life, like by writing down your blessings, you will be more active, not have as many headaches or allergies, and you will help other people out. She was surprised to find scientific proof behind the concept of the power of positive thinking.
Joy asked if her book was like The Secret and Deborah said that it is an extension of that because it provides proof. Deborah’s mom was ill when Deborah was a child and died when she was 20. On days when her mom was well enough to get out of the house and pick her up from school it made her feel good. That taught her to appreciate the small stuff at a young age, but she did not realize that was empowering.
Deborah had a rough time in her career when she was on The Today Show (after Jane Pauley, but before Katie Couric) because the press was not kind to her, saying that she pushed Jane Pauley out of the job because she was “younger and blonder.” She said “the press are stupid as we all know. And I am one of them.”
Joy pointed out that Katie Couric is now going through a similar experience with the press. Deborah said that Katie is a smart woman and she should “go the distance.” She also thinks that the press and the executives should back off of her. Katie should just do her job well and remind people what got her the job there in the first place.
The last segment of the show was “Bizarre Beauty Ingredients.” Here are the items they mentioned:
Alterna shampoo and conditioner: contains caviar for moisturizing properties ($60)
Sharps shave stick: contains wasabi to purify your skin to prevent ingrown hairs ($20)
Fresh whitener toothpaste: made out of Umbrian clay for its abrasive qualities to whiten and purify your teeth ($20)
Carol’s Daughter lip gloss: contains castor oil to moisturize lips
YSL lip gloss: contains 24 karat gold flecks to make lips shimmer
Cor soap: made with silver to have healing properties ($125)
Peter Thomas Roth unwrinkle eye cream: contains snake venom to paralyze neuro-muscular action so you don’t get wrinkles
Whoopi Goldberg, Deborah Norville, Bob Saget, Samantha Harris, Dancing with the Stars, Sherri Shepherd, Joy Behar, scleroderma
October 26th, 2007 at 11:32 am
Hmmmm…I suddenly find myself being very intrigued by … Bob Saget? Who knew?
I enjoy Sherri sooo much when she is doing the segments with people who have products etc. I think that is where she is strong and maybe the view can change their style a little.
Perhaps change up who the hosts will be during hot topics, interviews and the special segments. Maybe doing something new like that will bring some life to it and might keep us tuned in more…for example “I wonder who will be doing Hot Topics today?” or “I wonder who will be interviewing so and so?” Just an idea.
October 26th, 2007 at 12:44 pm
Good idea, Viva. I missed today’s show…didn’t think I’d do that since EH left the premises for awhile…so can’t comment on much…drat!
October 26th, 2007 at 4:58 pm
Whoopie is fast getting on my nerves. I appreciate strong opinions, but I do not appreciate someone who tries to force other people to agree with them and I feel like she’s been doing that a lot lately. If she would just say, “I disagree” and then explain why I would be able to handle it. But she seems to be talking down to everyone who disagrees with her, and it’s bugging me. And here I thought I would be getting a break from that now that EH is on maternity leave.
October 26th, 2007 at 5:10 pm
Excellent points and suggestions Viva and Sarah. I totally agree!
October 26th, 2007 at 5:37 pm
that’s what I like about Sherri - she just shares her life. No agenda. No tryhing to force others to agree. Just her life. I agreed wtih Whoppi when she was talking about the conversation where Sherri was saying she wanted men to “step up.” It was a very traditional view of men and women, and probably shared by EH. But when EH talks about it I feel like I’m listening to a political agenda, or a pharisee, or someone who KNOWS. With Sherri, I just find it interesting to listen to another perspective. She’s not trying to convince anyone to follow her, just sharing her life experience. And Whoopi, who I agreed with-for the most part, wasn’t tolerant - although it was obvious she cared about Sherri and I think a little afraid for her. So Whoppi was still easier to listen to that EH. With EH I never get a sense that she is concerned or scared for others - just judgemental. And while I didn’t agree with Sherri, I do think her position has some life experiences behind it that should be recognized.
October 26th, 2007 at 5:49 pm
I definitely do still like Whoopie better than EH. Whoopie is actually well informed and I feel like she has actually formed her opinions herself instead of having them fed to her. So she’s still a huge step up from EH.
October 26th, 2007 at 6:43 pm
does anyone know when and why they started taping friday’s shows? Is it too much to ask that the ladies show up for work five days a week?
I can understand granny Bawa taking a long weekend, but what is wrong with the rest of them?Does any other live talk show pre-tape friday’s shows? WTF? Putting in five hours of work a week is expecting too much of them?
October 26th, 2007 at 6:56 pm
I believe they started the pre-taped Fridays when Rosie started on the show. I think it was one of her requirements to join. Seems like they decided to continue it this season.
I hate it too - it bothers me when a “live” show is obviously from a few days before. And the “hot topics” are usually lame on Fridays, since the topics can’t really be all that “hot”.
October 26th, 2007 at 7:10 pm
I possted this in the wrong place, so I’m moving it here.
Bob’s movie “Farce of the Penguins”, was said to be very raunchy. I think he’s trying to shed his TV dad, good guy image.
October 26th, 2007 at 7:11 pm
jts,
You’re right. Rosie wanted her long weekends with her children.
October 26th, 2007 at 7:13 pm
Whoopi is way more tolerable than EH. She’s very low-key.
October 26th, 2007 at 8:37 pm
You know, before watching her as a permanent host, I thought I LOVED Whoopi…now…I don’t know. I think, for the most part, I agree with her views and opinions, but I don’t like the way she states them. She comes across very forceful, and not in a good way. Even though I agreed with almost everything she said today, listening to her actually made me cringe a little. I feel a tad bit bad for Sherri…she is so out of her league.
October 27th, 2007 at 1:26 am
Whoopi’s cool, but I’ve noticed in the past couple days that when she gets hold of a topic that she’s passionate about, she can’t drop it until she’s convinced the other panelists to come around to her way of thinking. Too bad she doesn’t often do this with EH. I’m sure BW told her that she couldn’t disagree with her too much because it would be too reminiscent of Rosie.
Anyway, the point Whoopi hung on to so tightly today didn’t make much sense–whether or not some things are unforgivable. First of all, it doesn’t really seem to matter, and second, you’re not likely to convince someone to change their mind about it.
October 27th, 2007 at 3:34 am
Sarah, Julie & Sasha. I agree about Whoopi. She is becoming a boor with her opinions and talking down to the other panellists like they are 8 year olds until they agree with her. Joy helpfully said “let’s talk about something else” when Whoopi becoming too overbearing. Sherri was annoying me in the product segment. I hate it when she and Joy hijack someone’s segment. Sometimes I actually want information on the products and not Joy & Sherri trying (unsuccessfully) to be funny.
October 27th, 2007 at 4:40 am
“Sometimes I actually want information on the products and not Joy & Sherri trying (unsuccessfully) to be funny.”
Much agreed. They should know that they don’t have to be “on” all the time, but knowing the stupid producers, that’s what they’re instructed to do. I guess that’s why one or both always seem to end up on the product segments.
October 27th, 2007 at 11:44 am
It looks as if Sherri may have stepped in it again. On Huff Post the headline says: “Sherri Shepherd Condones Men Hitting Back.”
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2007/10/26/sherri-shepherd-condones-_n_70013.html
October 27th, 2007 at 11:54 am
Julie, I always find those product segments awkward when the panelists make fun of what the person is trying to talk about. Though I guess I’d rather get honest reactions from Joy (she’s the one who usually shows disdain & doubt) than fake enthusiasm. But, yes, I’d like to know more about the products sometimes & hate it when the person they have on has to speed-talk his or her way through the segment.
I’m enjoying Whoopi these days in some of the hot topics. But that’s because I had been SO unhappy with her tepid, noncommittal comments up to now. She seems like a different person these past few days, and I wonder what has gotten into her. I remember her saying (with that LOGO guy & with Star Jones) that she doesn’t like to fight, etc. The noncombative Whoopi has been her persona since signing on with The View, and I assumed that was for real, or rather, was a permanent role she was agreeing to play…. Today (Friday) she took on Joy, as she took on Sherri the other day, and the only thing holding her back from almost yelling was her raspy voice (which seems raspier & raspier, doesn’t it?).
It’s not that I enjoy watching them “fight”; I certainly don’t like controvrsy for the sake of it. But if I have only two choices, one of them being the scripted, bored, and boring, safe topics, I’ll take the free-wheeling, not so nice and neat and tidy ones like the one on Friday. She and Joy were definitely not in lock-step—and yet it wasn’t the predictable red-state / blue-state stand-off, for a change —and it was weird watching how they were not understanding each other and how Joy especially seemed to not like that. But that’s what made it like a real conversation. And it was important, wasn’t it, that the whole forgiveness thing segued into a discussion about the rampant, scary nationalism that has overcome our country since 9/11. I was very happy Whoopi brought that up. If EH had been there, the whole subject would have spiraled downward to kindergarten level, with Joy and Whoopi having to explain what they meant by nationalism & EH not getting it and yet digging in her heels and repeating that she loves her country, implying that they do not.
Someone elsewhere on this blog wisely said that these panelists have their good days and bad, and I guess I keep that in mind when I see Whoopi being so aggressive. She won’t always be that way, but I like it when she sometimes is. Joy spoke up and disagreed and argued, and the other day Sherri took up for herself as well, and that’s the way it is in life.
Sherri is a dilemma for me. I do like her, I can’t help it; and I want her to succeed, whatever that means. I don’t like her views on most if not all things; her willingness to sign a peitition that discriminates against gays appalls me to no end, but I guess I have faith that she can be open-minded and change (and on that issue she did seem to change). She doesn’t seem downright nasty the way EH can be. And EH turned into a professional conservative or right-winger when she got in bed with the Bush Rethuglican wing of the GOP—you know, by talking at the GOP convention, appearing on Fox, etc. It is now her bread and butter to continue on as a talking-point partisan. There is no turning back for her. I cross my fingers she will not return. I don’t miss one thing about her.
October 27th, 2007 at 12:05 pm
“her willingness to sign a peitition that discriminates against gays appalls me to no end.”
What petition did she sign?
October 27th, 2007 at 12:28 pm
I think it was something her church was passing around, and I think it had to do with gays being allowed to get married. I do remember she said she didn’t really read it, but passed it around because she said she was raised to believe that being gay is a choice. She got a call from a gay friend of hers who either received the petition from her or who had heard about her involvement with it, and who begged her to reconsider. I think she said he was in tears. She said after hearing him out, she felt differently and I thought she seemed to be saying she had changed her mind on the whole issue.
October 27th, 2007 at 1:16 pm
The problem with Whoopie stating things like,”If you do not forgive you cannot move on” as if it is a fact doesn’t allow for a meaningful conversation. No-one can tell another what they “should” or “shouldn’t do” in order to move on in life. It’s their life. They are the expert on their own needs, and you can be the expert on yours. Instead of hammering on Joy to think differently, all Whoopie needed to say is, “In order for me to move on I need to forgive.” And Joy gets to say, “I don’t believe in forgiving HItler and I can still move on.” 2 different opinions. I’m actually surprised about Whoopi being so stubborn that her idea is “truth” rather than a perspective of which there are many.
October 27th, 2007 at 1:31 pm
You make a good point, Meredith. I think I’m assuming not all discussions will go this way, but some will–and I don’t mind that some will…. Also, I was so enthralled by what they were talking about, I was paying more attention to that than the fact that, as you said, Whoopi was saying people should and should not do things her way. It seemed to me that they were having a pretty good conversation despite Whoopi’s emphatic tone. If it had been two statements reflecting their different point of view, and had been left at that, it wouldn’t have then gone on to talk about nationalism, etc. As it turned out, it was thought-provoking and spontaneous and not safe. (It has seemed to me that they have been going out of their way to be ultra-safe since Whoopi came on board….)
October 27th, 2007 at 1:53 pm
Really good points, Rainlillie. I’ll take the passionate, sometimes argumentative Whoopi over the one who’s afraid to comment due to warnings from BW or the executive producers any day. You can always tell by the look on her face when she has something to say, and I think she’s been stifled before. I can’t help but thinking that she’s only now starting to show the real her, and notice that it’s happened now that EH is gone. One more reason to hope she’s gone for good.
As for Sherri, your comment about her sounds like the story of her life:
“she said she didn’t really read it, but passed it around because she said she was raised to believe that being gay is a choice.”
She’s blissfully ignorant and doesn’t take time to think important issues like these through for herself, and that irritates me to no end. If she were a more reflective person, the constant boob jokes wouldn’t bother me so much. Then again, if she were more reflective, I don’t think that would be an issue.
October 27th, 2007 at 1:58 pm
You hit the nail on the head, Meredith. I don’t understand why it was so hard for Whoopi to grasp that what works for her doesn’t necessarily work for others. Still, it’s nice to see her coming out of her shell.
October 27th, 2007 at 2:17 pm
“she said she didn’t really read it, but passed it around because she said she was raised to believe that being gay is a choice.”
You would think that she would be more open minded after befriending a gay person.
Sometimes ones religious views can cloud their judgment.
“She’s blissfully ignorant and doesn’t take time to think important issues like these through for herself, and that irritates me to no end.”
I agree.
October 27th, 2007 at 8:15 pm
I just caught the show and I have to say I have definitely decided I don’t like Whoopi on the show. I thought before I could adjust to the slow slow slow pace of hers and that she’d pick it up. But what really gets me is how arrogant she seems in her views, like she is the all knowing and when others on the panel disagree with her she tries to convince them she is right and she does it in this condescending way that really just puts me off. It’s one thing to be strong and believe in your own beliefs, it’s another to think that there isn’t room for anyone elses beliefs. She reminds me of Elisabeth in that fashion. They both seem to be certain that their opinion is THE opinion and Elisabeth is just ignorant in it and Whoopi is condescending. I couldn’t believe Whoopi’s attitude in the whole forgive or not forgive discussion.
October 28th, 2007 at 9:42 am
Whoopi needs to pick up the pace a bit. It would make the hot topics more entertaining. I wish they would have a week without the following topics:
Britney Spears
Sex
polls
spanking
October 28th, 2007 at 11:55 am
I agree with your list rainlillie, but I’d like to add something to the list:
Whether or not infidelity makes a person a bad parent - I never want to hear about that again.
October 28th, 2007 at 1:48 pm
I am sick of Whoopi and her angry black woman persona. She is coming across as an arogant, disdainful jerk. I thought she was funny for a while but I am sick of her “hold on now” and always trying to get the last word. I think she is a bitch to Sherri.
October 28th, 2007 at 9:08 pm
Angy black woman persona? Hmmm, I never got that impression of Whoopi. Maybe assertive and a bit “all-knowing”.
I don’t enjoy her pushing her view. Not saying she can’t state her opinion (cuz that is what I want to hear) but she tends to go on and on, to the point of being overbearing. That is what I am not liking to see.
Friday’s show was ok. The hot topics discussion was passionate (which had been lacking since Rosie left), but still boring. The casino story, the forgiveness part - not interesting.
The Bob Saget interview was lively. I’m glad I did not fast forward through it. He was actually quite funny! I never knew Bob had ‘another side’ to him. He was fun.
I also enjoyed Debrah Norville. She was knowledgeable and when she spoke I was interested in hearing what she had to say. I was impressed. She’s also very pretty. Wonder if she’s looking better with age, because I don’t remember her looking as nice as she does now.
The product segment was fun. I got a kick out of Joy and Sherri.
I still miss Rosie though. She had this way of just making the show f
It has a different energy since EH left. People are more lively.
October 28th, 2007 at 9:16 pm
Continued from above
I somehow submitted the above before I was done saying all that I wanted. It’s this keyboard - the curser skips around erroneously sometimes (rolling eyes, Sony Vaio)
Anyway, as I was saying:
The product segment was fun. I got a kick out of Joy and Sherri. Though they seemed to be poking fun at the products,the demonstrator was a real trooper.
I still miss Rosie though. She had this way of just making the show fun and exciting.
It has a different energy since EH left. People are more lively. I think Whoopi’s behavior is different now that EH is gone because maybe she was trying to be soft around her. I think perhaps she was careful to not argue with a pregnant woman. But she really needs to reassess and perhaps take courses to improve her moderating skills. She’s awful at it. I’m not ready to give up on her just yet. Hopefully she will get better - soon.
October 28th, 2007 at 9:26 pm
I don’t think that Whoopi meant to sound angry and forceful, or that she felt everyone had to adhere to this. I feel this subject, forgiveness, was just one area that she feels very strongly about. She was expressing her opinion very strongly. I think she truly meant it in a giving good advise way. ..Just my opinion.
I agree with her 100%.
I too enjoyed seeing and hearing her be a little more ..well combative may not be the right word, but strong about her opinion. When one really believes in something, wouldn’t they tend to express it in a strong way?
October 29th, 2007 at 5:37 am
I understand that Whoopi is an accomplished and talented performer, but I am still puzzled as to why anyone ever believed that she could be a moderator.
No one remembers that she had a talk show for one season- and it failed. It’s a tough genre.
I think Whoopi is just a dominant personality, but I would never classify her as “an angry black woman.” Everytime a black woman has a strong presence, the labels come flying out. I never hear anyone calling EH “an angry white woman.” I personally find EH ignorant and intolerable, and the longer that she stays away, it will be harder to accept her return. However, Whoopi does seem to be taking over the role of “my way or the highway” attitude that EH constantly displays. There is nothing wrong with having a passionate opinion, but to come across as scolding is a true conversation killer.
October 29th, 2007 at 8:29 pm
“No one remembers that she had a talk show for one season- and it failed. It’s a tough genre.”
I do! And I keep wondering why this talk show of hers is NEVER mentioned. Was it that much of a flop? I have a very vague memory of her lounging in a chair, her legs hanging over the side, ultra laid-back, intoning about “art” I guess (not politics). Funny how often I forget she is a New Yorker. She speaks so slowly, she strikes me as more of a Californian. Yes, I am afraid this was probably a bad match for her. Meredith was probably the best “straight” (not in a sexual) way moderator, but Rosie is still my number-one favorite for all around entertainment and enlightenment. Someone mentioned Kathie Lee Gifford as a possibility. Well … just my humble opinion, of course, but if that day comes, I am out of the window. The idea of her, with or without EH, is enough to make me scream into the abyss. I always remembered her as extremely self-righteous, not funny, and annoyingly self-involved. Fingers on a blackboard at the thought of her.
November 1st, 2007 at 1:40 am
I think Whoopi is downright rude to Sherri. I don’t like that at all. She always looks at her like she is saying something in a different language… Whoopi is turning into a self-absorbed jerk!
November 11th, 2007 at 10:03 pm
I knew it was a bad decision to make Whoopi the moderator of the View. I love Sherri. I think she’s really a sweet, funny and honest addition to the show.