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Joy Behar Leaves The View After 16 Seasons With Star-Studded Episode

After 16 years on ABC's "The View," Joy Behar's last live show.
After 16 years on The View, Joy Behar appeared on her final episode on August 9, 2013; surprise guests included Regis Philbin, Meredith Vieira and Tony Bennett.

Joy Behar's final appearance on The View was as spectacular as the star herself. In honor of the co-host's last day on the ABC morning show on Friday, Aug. 9, a slew of celebrity guests — Regis Philbin, Meredith Vieira, Alan Alda, Joan Rivers, Mario Cantone, Susie Essman and Tony Bennett — appeared on the program to bid the outspoken redhead farewell.

"Hello, and welcome to quite a monumental day on The View," moderator Whoopi Goldberg said. "After 16 seasons. . ."

"A monument is leaving," Behar interjected.

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The hourlong episode included a highlight reel featuring the original panelist's greatest moments on the show: strapping Tom Cruise to a couch, squaring off with Bill O'Reilly and walking off the set, getting a foot massage from Matthew McConaughey, and more.

Jane Lynch, Aziz Ansari, Steve Martin, Carol Burnett, Nathan Lane and Debbie Reynolds also participated in a video tribute.

Related: VIDEO: Joy Behar and Whoopi storm off The View

Several of The View's co-hosts then shared some of the lessons they learned from Behar during their time on the show. Sherri Shepherd, who joined the program in 2007, said that the 70-year-old comedienne once told her, "'Sherri, don't worry about what people say; as soon as you open your mouth, you lose half your audience every single day.' She gave me these rules on how to live at The View."

Moderator Barbara Walters told Behar, "I love you, Joy. I've loved every moment working with you. Thank you, thank you and thank you, and we are really going to miss you."

After paying tribute to her everyone from her family to her beauty team, Behar addressed her fellow panelists. "My co-hosts who stay with me now and to all the girls that have sat here before, I'd love to say thank you," she said. "I was born in the only-child seat, but now I know what sibling rivalry is all about."

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Speaking to Walters directly, she added, "Thank you for asking me to join you at the table all these years ago. My life hasn't been the same since. You're such a legend and a friend of mine. You're an icon." Never one to resist an inside joke, she added, "And if you'll allow me there's something I've been meaning to say on your behalf for 16 years: F-ck Harry Reasoner."

(In 1976, Walters became the first woman to ever deliver the evening news from the main desk on ABC, earning a record $1-million-a-year contract. Reasoner reportedly demanded that the network boost his salary to match her $500,000; the other $500,000 Walters received was from special programs.)

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