It’s no secret that ABC’s The View has become a spectacle of outrage, legal corrections, and unfiltered commentary, but the show truly outdid itself last Friday when it had to issue four separate legal disclaimers in a single episode. If the hosts’ constant attacks on President-elect Donald Trump and his nominees weren’t enough to make headlines, their repeated need to backtrack and clarify their statements certainly sealed the deal.
The marathon of corrections began when Joy Behar commented on Rep. George Santos, only to be forced to clarify her remarks with a legal note about his plea deal. The correction spree didn’t end there.
The View received 4th, 5th, 6th, & 7th Legal Note.
Without lies, The View doesn’t exist.
How soon til the show is off air? 👇🏻🔊 pic.twitter.com/OVsossXvXt
— Sheri™ (@FFT1776) November 23, 2024
Co-host Sunny Hostin, a former prosecutor, issued the second note regarding Rep. Matt Gaetz, clarifying that Gaetz “has long denied all allegations and has not been charged with any crime.” The disclaimer came as Behar groaned audibly, signaling the mounting frustration among the hosts.
Next, Hostin delivered yet another legal note about Pete Hegseth, Trump’s Defense Secretary nominee, clarifying that Hegseth “paid the woman [his accuser] in 2023 to head off the threat of a baseless lawsuit” and has “denied any wrongdoing.”
The fourth note pertained to Pam Bondi, Trump’s Attorney General nominee, concerning allegations of a quid pro quo. Hostin begrudgingly read that both Bondi and Trump “denied allegations that his past donation played any role in her office’s decision not to take legal action against Trump University.”
Sunny Hostin sighs as she’s forced to, for the third time this week, read a legal note about The View’s claims against Matt Gaetz and Pete Hegseth.
Joy Behar then baselessly accuses Hegseth of witness tampering. No legal note was provided for that false claim. pic.twitter.com/7nkA16D42Q— Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) November 22, 2024
By this point, the exasperation on set was palpable, with Behar audibly groaning and Ana Navarro quipping that the show might as well be a combination of “legal notes and the things we’re selling.” The comedy practically wrote itself as the hosts struggled to maintain credibility while issuing correction after correction.
The constant need for legal clarifications highlights a much more vast issue: The View’s tendency to lean heavily on sensationalism without verifying claims. It’s a strategy that may grab ratings but leaves them scrambling when faced with facts. The legal disclaimers highlight just how often the hosts’ commentary veers into baseless territory, requiring damage control after the fact.
For critics, this legal-note marathon serves as validation of the show’s perceived bias and lack of journalistic rigor. As one observer noted, “Maybe don’t keep saying things that result in you having to read the notes?”
“And now a word from our attorneys” has become my favorite daily segment on The View. https://t.co/RKZMLOfkmN
— Doug Powers (@ThePowersThatBe) November 22, 2024
Viewers and critics alike had a field day with the hosts’ visible frustration. Clips of Behar and Hostin groaning and complaining as they read the notes made the rounds on social media, with many mocking the show for its apparent inability to fact-check before going live.
One viewer summed it up perfectly: “They just can’t help themselves, and that’s why the whole show should just be packed up and tossed on the ash heap of history.”
