The View’s Hot Topics table is missing a few very familiar faces after a 4th of July weekend full of surprises.
“You may be asking, ‘Why am I here on a Monday?’ I asked myself the same question,” Joy Behar joked on the Monday, July 6, episode of ABC’s talk show. “But [executive producer] Brian [Teta] begged me to come in. Begged me on his knees where he belongs. Why? Because we are down three cohosts today.”
According to Behar, 83, Ana Navarro was stuck in Miami due to weather delays.
“It’s always hot there, what’s the problem?” Behar joked. “Sara [Haines] is dealing with storm damage. How many people are dealing with storm damage? Anybody in this group? No? Just Sara. And Whoopi [Goldberg] is using the old volcano excuse.”
The audience later received a pre-taped video message from the Oscar winner, who explained why her trip to Italy turned into an undeniably memorable experience.
“I am in Sicily right now, and Mount Etna, which is one of our active volcanoes here in Italy, decided to go off today,” Goldberg, 70, explained. “We have spent most of the day trying to get back to the United States, and all of the airports are closed here so I will be back as soon as I can. I know we got all sorts of stories about our different vacations. Well, I think my story takes the cake. A volcano ate my homework.”
In a separate Instagram Story posted on Sunday, July 5, Goldberg thanked the staff at the Maniace Boutique Hotel Ortigia in Italy for taking good care of her as schedules shifted.
In true Hollywood fashion, however, the show must go on.
Behar joined Sunny Hostin, Alyssa Farah Griffin and guest cohost Michelle Buteau to discuss a variety of topics, including the Great American State Fair and Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s star-studded wedding at Madison Square Garden.
“This is the best booty call I’ve ever had. I was supposed to be a guest on the show,” Buteau, 48, joked while promoting Survival of the Thickest: “Now I’m a host. This is not how I thought it would happen, but I’m so glad it did. A volcano had to go off before you asked me to come. I love it.”
While it’s unclear which cohosts will be back at the Hot Topics table on Tuesday, July 7, The View already announced that former Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene will appear as a guest to share her views on various political issues amid her continued fallout with President Donald Trump and the Republican party.
The View airs weekdays on ABC. Check your local listings online.
