The View- an Intelligent Show or Glorified Gossip?

This Show, with Its All-star Panel Has Been Both Praised and Critiqued

Jennifer Anne Hart, Yahoo! Contributor Network
Oct 19, 2006 "Share your voice on Yahoo! websites. Start Here."

As I was driving home from running errands last week, I heard the broadcaster announce that ratings for the daytime television show The View has risen by 59% since Rosie O'Donnell replaced Meredith Vieira, who left the show to replace Katie Couric on the Today Show. That came as somewhat of a surprise to me, but then Rosie does have a huge following. Upon hearing this I decided to look into the history and specifics of this show and what I found was interesting.

To be honest I never watch The View anymore and I guess many others didn't either until Rosie entered the picture. I watched it only a few times after its 1997 debut out of mere curiosity but it didn't particularly hold my attention, so I more or less, just forgot about it. Besides, until this past year, like many people I worked days so I never had an opportunity to tune in. It's an okay show -nothing I feel merits greatness but okay nevertheless.

Some people do not agree at all. I was surprised to learn how much negative criticism surrounded this show. The show has been accused of being biased in many right-wing blogs for failing to promote political diversity, although the show has had numerous conservative guest hosts like Dennis Miller, Ann Coulter, and Kathy Lee Gifford. I wouldn't know since I never watch the show. The only news of the show I have been aware of lately is the riff between Star Jones-Reynolds, and Rosie. I had never heard that the show was under scrutiny for any kind of "lack of political diversity."

These same right-wing blogs were also upset by the way they felt actress and model Jennifer O'Neill was treated during her guest appearance. She was promoting her "Silent No More" campaign with the goal of reducing abortions by teenagers. O'Neill has publically spoken out against abortion and shares stories of her own abortion. The right-wing blogs felt the panel treated O'Neill "harshly." Again, I wouldn't know.

Now I come down to the "meat of the meal" so-to-speak. Where many people feel the show has a substance with quick-wit, others feel it is nothing more than "trivialized gossip." Specifically, it is believed that "that hosts are either selected for or told to portray a certain personality instead of being genuine, that Barbara Walters is old and out of touch, that Star Jones is pretentious and hypocritical, that the panelists spend too much time talking about trivial, superficial subjects such as celebrity babies and not enough time on important topics like politics and social issues, and that the discussions veer too much into the area of toilet humor and titillation. " (Wikipedia)

The show has been mocked and parodied by shows like Saturday Night Live, Mad TV, The Simpsons,and the animated comedy series Family Guy. I have also even heard the show referred to as a "Hen House" full of clucking chickens. Wow! Maybe it's time I tune in again and see what all the fuss is about. I guess I never took it that seriously, or watched it enough to identify these criticisms. I have no idea if they have a basis or if they're totally unfounded. As for the fact that this show is one of the most parodied and so forth, imitation can be the sincerest form of flattery or it can be the ultimate humiliation. I leave it up to dedicated viewers to make the decision-is the View an intelligent show or glorified gossip? I never realized it offended so many people.

Published by Jennifer Anne Hart

I am a sucker for nostalgia, so I am a classic TV and movie nerd. My great loves are my family, animals, Elvis, James Bond, Robert Wagner, Scooby-Doo, thrash-metal music, and Steve McQueen! View profile

ABC's The View

Is the View an intelligent show or glorified gossip?
The View has been criticized by many right-wing blogs for failing to promote political diversity
It is also felt that the panelists spend too much time talking about trivial, superficial topics

The show was originally called The View From Here. However, there was already a program airing in Canada with the same name, and ABC execs decided to change the name to simply The View.

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The View- an Intelligent Show or Glorified Gossip?

This Show, with Its All-star Panel Has Been Both Praised and Critiqued

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