Whoopi Goldberg may not have a vested interest in The View's casting process, but co-host Sherri Shepherd knows exactly who she'd like to see replace Joy Behar. The redheaded comedienne recently announced plans to leave the show after 16 years, while Elisabeth Hasselbeck has denied Us Weekly's exclusive report that she has been fired from the daytime talk show.
"I want everyone to stay, but Joy's been there for a while and she's ready to go, so I'm supportive and I'll miss her," Shepherd, 46, told Us at the North Shore-LIJ Health System Gala in New York City Apr. 25. "But what do I want? A young Latina voice is very underrepresented, so I would love to see a young Latina sitting at the table."
As it happens, Shepherd has a young Latina panelist in mind: "Adrienne Bailon would be so great," she said of the 29-year-old singer and actress. "She's awesome and I'm a Cheetah Girls fan."
"I would love her," Shepherd gushed. "Everyone tells me there's too few options out there, like before when everyone said we can't find a black person to fill the seat. Yes we can! We just have to look."
During the Vanity Fair party at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York City Apr. 16, Shepherd's co-host Goldberg told Us she's steering clear of the casting drama. "Let me tell you this about The View: I take a paycheck every other week. That's all I do. I could give a sh-t what comes. I do my job — I have a contract. That's where I stand. I don't give a f-ck."
