The View Full Broadcast – May 14, 2026

Added: 2026-05-17

[00:00:00]♪ >> Announcer: THE CONSERVATIVE BACKLASH INVOLVING ELLIOT PAGE AND LUPITA NYONG'O.

[00:00:16]>> IT IS ABOUT TO BE PLAYED BY A TRANSGENDER WOMAN.

[00:00:19]>> Announcer: THEN JOHN LITHGOW TALKS ABOUT SNAGGING ANOTHER TONY NOD FOR HIS POWERHOUSE PERFORMANCE IN "GIANT" ON BROADWAY HEADING TO HOGWARTS FOR THE REBOOT OF "HARRY POTTER" AND THE 30th ANNIVERSARY OF THE BELOVED SITCOM, "3rd ROCK FROM THE SUN."

[00:00:39]HERE COME HOT TOPICS WITH WHOOPI.

[00:00:40]SARA HAINES.

[00:00:41]JOY BEHAR.

[00:00:42]ANA NAVARRO.

[00:00:43]SUNNY HOSTIN.

[00:00:46]AND ALYSSA FARAH GRIFFIN.

[00:00:47]NOW, LET'S GET THINGS STARTED.

[00:00:51]♪ I LOVE THE VIEW I SEE ♪ ♪ THIS VERSION OF ME STRONG AND POWERFUL ♪ ♪ I SAY WHAT I THINK I'M FEELING BEAUTIFUL ♪ ♪ I LOVE, I LOVE I LOVE THIS VERSION OF ME ♪ ♪ I LOVE THE VIEW I SEE ♪ ♪ THIS VERSION OF ME >> Whoopi: WELL, HELLO, HELLO AND WELCOME TO "THE VIEW."

[00:01:14]WELCOME TO "THE VIEW."

[00:01:15]WELCOME TO "THE VIEW."

[00:01:16]WELCOME TO "THE VIEW."

[00:01:17]WELCOME TO "THE VIEW"!

[00:01:18][ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] YEAH.

[00:01:26]>> Joy: THE BEST PART OF THIS JOB IS COMING OUT TO THIS CROWD.

[00:01:28]>> Sara: AGREED.

[00:01:32]APPLAUSE BEFORE WE DID ANYTHING.

[00:01:35]>> Joy: THEY LIKE US.

[00:01:36]THEY REALLY LIKE US.

[00:01:38]>> Sara: WELL, WE HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING.

[00:01:40]>> Joy: THAT'S WHY.

[00:01:41]>> Whoopi: ACTUALLY WE HAVE DONE A LOT OVER THE LAST YEARS, AND WE ARE A TABLE THAT HAS LOTS OF DIFFERENT OPINIONS, AND WE GIVE THEM, AND THAT IS WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING YAY TO BECAUSE MAYBE THEIR OPINION IS BEING MET.

[00:01:55]MAYBE THEY'RE HEARING WHAT THEY BELIEVE OR MAYBE THEY'RE HEARING SOMETHING THAT CHANGES THEIR MIND OR MAKES THEM THINK.

[00:02:02][ APPLAUSE ] SO, WE DON'T TAKE IT FOR GRANTED.

[00:02:07]BUT I UNDERSTAND IT AND I APPRECIATE IT AS DO WE ALL.

[00:02:10]>> Joy: YES.

[00:02:11]>> Whoopi: BECAUSE CRAZY STUFF IS HAPPENING.

[00:02:13]LET US TELL YOU ABOUT THIS.

[00:02:15]POLITICS MAY SEEM LIKE A REALITY TV SHOW THESE DAYS, AND AN OP-ED IN "THE NEW YORK TIMES" CLAIMS WE SHOULD GET USED TO IT.

[00:02:22]THE ARTICLE CLAIMS WE NEED TO TAKE CANDIDATES LIKE FORMER REALITY STAR SPENCER PRATT SERIOUSLY.

[00:02:28]HE SEEMS TO BE GAINING GROUND IN THE L.A. MAYOR'S RACE FOR HIS AGGRESSIVE APPROACH.

[00:02:33]HE REPOSTED AN A.I. VIDEO SUPPORTING HIS CAMPAIGN FULL OF VIOLENT IMAGERY FEATURING KAMALA HARRIS, GAVIN NEWSOM AND INCUMBENT MAYOR KAREN BASS, WHO IS CONCERNED ABOUT HIS APPROACH.

[00:02:49]TAKE A LOOK.

[00:02:49]>> WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF HIS CAMPAIGN AND MUCH OF IT NOW RELYING ON A.I.

[00:02:55]>> I THINK IT'S A VERY DANGEROUS TREND.

[00:02:59]ONE, BECAUSE IT IS ABSOLUTELY 150% FICTION, BUT WHAT'S WORRYING ME NOW IS THAT HIS SOCIAL MEDIA IS NOW TAKING ON A VIOLENT TURN, AND THAT WORRIES ME, BECAUSE WHEN YOU DO THAT AND WHEN YOUR MESSAGES ARE SO HATEFUL ARE WHEN YOU DEMONIZE PEOPLE, THEN YOU DO PROVOKE PEOPLE WHO ARE UNSTABLE, AND YOU CAN JEOPARDIZE PEOPLE'S SAFETY.

[00:03:25]>> Whoopi: NOW -- >> Joy: RIGHT.

[00:03:27]>> Whoopi: I'M GLAD WE'RE NOT SHOWING IT BECAUSE IT STUNNED ME AND ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, OH, WE HAVE TO TONE DOWN THE VICE AND -- I MEAN, I WAS KIND OF FREAKED OUT BY WHAT I SAW BECAUSE THIS WAS MORE, BUT I MEAN, PEOPLE ARE ASKING, ARE WE GOING TO SEE MORE CELEBRITIES AND REALITY STARS LIKE PRATT GETTING INTO POLITICS?

[00:03:48]IF THEY KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING, I WELCOME ANYBODY WHO KNOWS HOW TO DO THIS, BUT IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE LIKE THE GUY WHO'S ALREADY IN CHARGE, THANK YOU, NO.

[00:03:57]>> Sunny: YEAH, YEAH.

[00:03:58]>> Whoopi: THANK YOU, NO.

[00:03:59]I'M NOT HAPPY WITH WHAT'S GOING ON, AND I THINK IT'S -- JUST BECAUSE SOMEBODY IS FAMOUS OR IS FAMOUS FOR SOMETHING DOESN'T MEAN THEY KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON AND HOW YOU ARE THINKING AND HOW YOU'RE FEELING, SO -- [ APPLAUSE ] >> Sara: WHAT I LIKED ABOUT SPENCER PRATT THROWING HIS HAT IN THERE HE WAS AFFECTED BY THE CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES AND SAID HE WOULD DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.

[00:04:22]ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO GET INVOLVED I WELCOME THEM.

[00:04:26]WHAT I'M FOR OFFENDED BY A CONGRESS THAT HAS ITS LEAST POPULARITY APPROVAL RATINGS EVER AND WE KEEP PUTTING THE SAME PEOPLE BACK THERE.

[00:04:35]I WOULD MUCH RATHER SHAKE UP THE POT TO MAKE IT FRESH ENERGY, FRESH, NEW BLOOD IN THERE, BUT THE SCARIEST PART OF THE A.I.

[00:04:41]VIDEO WE SAW AND YOU'RE NOT SEEING RIGHT NOW WAS THE A.I.

[00:04:44]PART FOR ME, BECAUSE YOU'RE SEEING HUGH JACKMAN IN THERE AND OUR BRAINS AREN'T DESIGNED TO SAY, OH, THAT'S NOT REALLY HUGH JACKMAN SAYING THESE THINGS.

[00:04:53]>> Alyssa: AND HE HADN'T AGREED TO IT EITHER.

[00:04:55]>> Sara: HE DIDN'T AGREE TO HIS LIKENESS BEING -- >> Alyssa: ALL A.I.

[00:05:00]>> Joy: WHY HIM?

[00:05:01]>> Sara: YOU'D HAVE TO ASK.

[00:05:03]>> Sunny: WOLVERINE AND HE'S -- >> Sara: BATMAN THEMED THING.

[00:05:07]THE BIGGEST PART IS OUR BRAINS CANNOT SEPARATE AND WHEN THE MAYOR BASS TALKS ABOUT THE DANGERS THAT CAN IMPLY, I WAS NOT OFFENDED AS MUCH BY THE IMAGERY BECAUSE IT WAS VERY MUCH A PULL FROM COMIC BOOKS, AS IT WAS THAT THERE WERE PEOPLE THAT DIDN'T AGREE TO IT THAT ARE ALL OVER IT.

[00:05:24]>> Alyssa: THE A.I. OF IT DOES BOTHER ME.

[00:05:26]I LIKE SPENCER PRATT.

[00:05:27]WE HAD HIM HERE.

[00:05:28]I THINK HE'S COMPASSIONATE AND HAS AN INTERESTING STORY TO TELL BECAUSE I TALK TO MY SISTER WHO LIVES IN LOS ANGELES.

[00:05:33]PEOPLE WERE DEVASTATED BY THE WILDFIRES AND FRUSTRATED WITH THEIR LEADERSHIP AND I APPLAUD ANYONE GETTING THEIR HAT IN THE RING.

[00:05:39]LESS A PATH FOR SPENCER.

[00:05:41]I'D SAY IT'S STILL UPHILL JUST BASED ON THE VOTER REGISTRATION OF LOS ANGELES, BUT HERE'S MY THING, AND HE SAID THIS, I THOUGHT THIS WAS INTERESTING.

[00:05:48]I DO NOT REPRESENT A PARTY.

[00:05:49]I DON'T HAVE A CAMPAIGN MANAGER.

[00:05:51]I DON'T HAVE CAMPAIGN CONSULTANTS, THERE IS NO POLITICAL PARTY BACKING ME.

[00:05:54]I'M ALL FOR THE VIRAL APPROACH IF IT'S PUSHING FORWARD A MESSAGE AND SOLUTIONS FOR THE PEOPLE.

[00:06:02]I THINK INTRODUCING A.I. INTO CAMPAIGNS IN GENERAL IS SUPER DANGEROUS.

[00:06:05]I THINK IT CAN BE INCREDIBLY MISLEADING AND MAKES PEOPLE THINK TO SARA'S POINT THERE'S ENDORSEMENTS THAT AREN'T TAKING PLACE.

[00:06:11]THE NATURE OF IT, I WAS SHOCKED TO SEE SO MANY PEOPLE AAPPLAUDING IT.

[00:06:15]THERE IS THE LOWEST HANGING FRUIT THROWING TOMATOES AT DEMOCRATIC POLITICIANS WE DON'T LIKE.

[00:06:21]DO A LITTLE BETTER.

[00:06:22]SOMETHING WE LEARNED I BELIEVE THERE IS A PATH HE COULD GET ELECTED, BUT GETTING ELECTED IS THE EASY PART OF THE JOB.

[00:06:28]>> Whoopi: YEAH, YOU ACTUALLY HAVE TO KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING.

[00:06:32][ APPLAUSE ] >> Alyssa: AND FIXING WHAT IS A BROKEN SYSTEM.

[00:06:35]KAREN BASS HANDLED THE FIRES DISASTROUSLY BUT TO TAKE ON THAT ROLE.

[00:06:41]>> Joy: KAREN BASS WILL RUN AGAINST SPENCER PRATT.

[00:06:45]SO KAREN BASS HAS A JFK PROFILE IN COURAGE AWARD.

[00:06:48]SHE NAVIGATED CALIFORNIA THROUGH THE WORST ECONOMIC CRISIS SINCE THE DEPRESSION.

[00:06:53]SPENCER PRATT WAS SNAPCHATTER OF THE YEAR.

[00:06:58][ LAUGHTER ] AT THE 2018 SHORTY AWARDS.

[00:07:01]>> Sunny: YEAH.

[00:07:01]>> Joy: THAT'S ALL.

[00:07:02][ LAUGHTER ] [ APPLAUSE ] >> Sunny: WELL, I MEAN, I THINK YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT QUALIFICATIONS, RIGHT?

[00:07:10]>> Joy: YEAH.

[00:07:10]>> Sunny: AND THE PROBLEM THAT I HAVE WITH SOMEONE LIKE SPENCER PRATT THROWING HIS HAT INTO THIS PARTICULAR RING AS L.A. MAYOR, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A $14.9 BILLION BUDGET FOR THE CITY.

[00:07:22]IT'S THE SECOND LARGEST CITY BUDGET IN THE COUNTRY, AND HE IS NOT QUALIFIED FOR IT, AND WE SEE WHAT HAPPENS WHEN PEOPLE ARE NOT QUALIFIED FOR THEIR JOBS.

[00:07:31][ APPLAUSE ] AND THAT'S NOT TO SAY THAT THIS HASN'T HAPPENED BEFORE.

[00:07:38]WE'VE HAD RONALD REAGAN WHO WAS AN ACTOR, SOME PEOPLE WOULD SAY HE WAS A GREAT PRESIDENT.

[00:07:43]WE'VE HAD -- >> Joy: HE WAS THE UNION PRESIDENT -- >> Sunny: HE WAS THE UNION PRESIDENT.

[00:07:51]>> Alyssa: HE WAS THE GOVERNOR.

[00:07:53]>> Sunny: YOU HAD ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER WHO WAS AN ACTOR AND GOVERNOR AND BY MANY ACCOUNTS HE DID WELL BUT THESE ARE PEOPLE THAT I THINK SOMETIMES ARE ANOMALIES THAT THAT MAY NOT NECESSARILY BE THE CASE.

[00:08:04]SPENCER PRATT IS NOW COMPARING HIMSELF TO PRESIDENT OBAMA, AND HE SAID, [ LAUGHTER ] YEAH.

[00:08:12]HE SAID.

[00:08:13]>> Joy: WHAT, SNAPCHATTER OF THE YEAR.

[00:08:16]IS THAT THE SAME THICK AS THE HEAD OF THE LAW REVIEW AT HARVARD.

[00:08:20]>> Sunny: HE SAID I HAVE TWO AWARDS FROM MY COMMUNITY.

[00:08:23]PRESIDENT OBAMA DIDN'T EVEN HAVE ANY AWARDS WHEN HE WAS A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER.

[00:08:26]HE WAS ABLE TO BECOME A SENATOR AND THEN A PRESIDENT FOR EIGHT YEARS.

[00:08:30]SO I FEEL LIKE HIM AND I HAVE THE SAME EXPERIENCE.

[00:08:34]>> Joy: OH, PLEASE.

[00:08:35]>> Sunny: AND SPENCER PRATT, YOU DON'T HAVE THE SAME EXPERIENCE.

[00:08:38]YOU DON'T HAVE A LAW DEGREE FROM HARVARD LAW SCHOOL.

[00:08:42]YOU DON'T -- YOU WERE NOT A SENATOR.

[00:08:44]AND THERE ARE BABY STEPS YOU CAN TAKE LIKE WHY NOT RUN FOR CITY COUNCIL AND LEARN ABOUT THE CITY BUDGET AND THEN MAYBE BECOME PRESIDENT OF THE CITY COUNCIL AND THEN MAYBE BECOME THE MAYOR.

[00:08:55]>> Sara: PUSHING BACK ON YOUR QUALIFICATIONS THING, AGAIN, BACK TO CONGRESS, LOOK AT ALL THE QUALIFIED PROFESSIONAL POLITICIANS WITH ALL THE LEGAL DEGREES AND IVY LEAGUES WHO JUST BENT THE KNEE AND WERE COMPLICIT.

[00:09:07]I'D MUCH RATHER HAVE SOMEONE WITH LESS QUALIFICATIONS AND MORE, LIKE, CHUTZPAH.

[00:09:13]>> Joy: OF COURSE.

[00:09:13]>> Sara: THAN THAT.

[00:09:14]>> Sunny: HE'S ALSO A LIAR BECAUSE HE'S A REGISTERED REPUBLICAN AND RUNNING SAYING THAT HE HAS NO PARTY AFFILIATION AND THAT'S JUST ALSO NOT TRUE.

[00:09:22]>> Alyssa: MY THING IS THIS, BECAUSE I TEND TO AGREE LIKE I WILL TAKE ON AN OUTSIDER IF THEY'RE PASSIONATE AND INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY.

[00:09:29]>> Sunny: AND NOT QUALIFIED?

[00:09:30]>> Alyssa: I DON'T THINK A LAW DEGREE MAKES YOU MORE QUALIFIED.

[00:09:33]>> Sunny: A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER, A SENATOR.

[00:09:35]>> Alyssa: NO ONE IS ARGUING OBAMA IS MORE QUALIFIED.

[00:09:39]THAT STATEMENT IS ABSURD.

[00:09:40]>> Sunny: HE'S ABSURD.

[00:09:43]HE'S AN ABSURDITY.

[00:09:44]>> Alyssa: THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO FEEL COMPLETELY LEVEL BEHIND AFTER THE WILDFIRES.

[00:09:48]IT WAS A DISASTER.

[00:09:50]YOU COULD PLACE BLAME A LOT OF PLACES.

[00:09:52]HE POINTED OUT UNDER KAREN BASS' LEADERSHIP $17 MILLION WAS CUT FROM THE FIRE BUDGET.

[00:09:57]THAT IS A REAL WORLD THING THAT SOMEBODY SHOULD SOLVE.

[00:09:59]I THINK SHE SHOULD BE QUESTIONED.

[00:10:01]SHE SHOULD BE ANSWERING WHY IT TURNED OUT AS POORLY -- SPENCER MAY NOT BE THE ANSWER.

[00:10:06]>> Whoopi: NO, HE'S NOT THE ANSWER BUT HERE'S THE THING, NOBODY -- YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE BITCHED ABOUT THESE WILDFIRES AS LONG AS I'VE LIVED IN CALIFORNIA, IT'S ALWAYS BEEN -- IT'S ALWAYS BEEN A PROBLEM.

[00:10:17]BUT WHAT I DON'T LIKE IS IF YOU DON'T HAVE ANY SOLUTIONS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN ALREADY TRIED OR IF YOU'RE THROWING SHADE ON PEOPLE SAYING SHE DIVERTED WATER FROM THIS PLACE, I MEAN, YOU HAVE TO -- YOU HAVE TO HAVE SOME IDEA OF WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.

[00:10:34]A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE AFFECTED BY THOSE WILDFIRES, A LOT OF MY FRIENDS, A LOT OF PEOPLE YOU KNOW LOST EVERYTHING.

[00:10:41]>> Sunny: RIGHT.

[00:10:41]>> Whoopi: SO THIS IS NOT, YOU KNOW, A HA, HA, LET'S DO AN A.I.

[00:10:46]VIDEO.

[00:10:46]THIS IS REAL STUFF.

[00:10:49]PEOPLE -- THIS IS PEOPLE'S LIVES AND SO BEFORE YOU'RE PASSING JUDGMENT, YOU NEED TO BE ABLE TO TELL PEOPLE WHAT YOU HAVE TO OFFER.

[00:10:58][ APPLAUSE ] SPENCER.

[00:11:01]>> Sunny: RIGHT.

[00:11:01]>> Whoopi: YOU KNOW, AND, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW WHAT QUALIFIES AS THE RIGHT WAY TO BE A POLITICIAN, BUT WHAT I DO KNOW IS THEY HAVE TO BE THE PEOPLE WHO UNDERSTAND WHAT PEOPLE ARE GOING THROUGH AND IF YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT PEOPLE ARE GOING THROUGH IN THE WAY THEY'RE GOING THROUGH IT WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT COMMUNITIES, WHOLE COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN BURNED OUT, WHOLE GROUPS, LEGACIES THAT ARE GONE.

[00:11:26]IT'S MORE THAN JUST THIS.

[00:11:27]IT'S ALL THESE THINGS.

[00:11:28]YOU GOT TO BE PREPARED FOR A LOT MORE STUFF THAN I THINK YOU -- IT IS A REALLY HARD JOB AND IN CALIFORNIA PARTICULARLY.

[00:11:36]>> Sunny: IN PARTICULAR.

[00:11:37]>> Whoopi: YOU KNOW, AND WE GOT HOMELESS ISSUES.

[00:11:40]WE'RE HAVING IT ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.

[00:11:42]WE'RE HAVING SHE'S ISSUES ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, SO MAYBE PERHAPS IF WE COULD GET WASHINGTON TO STOP CUTTING BUDGETS, MAYBE WE COULD GET MONEY.

[00:11:51]MAYBE WE COULD GET THE MONEY -- I SEE YOU.

[00:11:54]>> Sunny: THE RIGHT MAYOR CAN DO SOMETHING.

[00:11:56]PEOPLE TALKED ABOUT MAYOR MAMDANI'S QUALIFICATIONS BUT HE WAS ON THE CITY COUNCIL FIRST.

[00:12:00]HE WAS ALSO A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER AND ACTUALLY JUST BALANCED NEW YORK CITY'S BUDGET.

[00:12:05]IT WAS -- >> Alyssa: WE HAVE A BUDGET SHORTFALL.

[00:12:08]>> Sunny: BUT IT WAS $12 BILLION AND NOW IT'S 0 SO HE IS DOING THE WORK BUT HE ALSO HAD MORE QUALIFICATIONS THAN THIS GUY.

[00:12:17]>> Whoopi: WE NEED SOME MORE HELP HERE IN NEW YORK TOO.

[00:12:19]DON'T GET ME STARTED ON THE TRAFFIC, OKAY?

[00:12:22]>> Joy: AND THE POTHOLES.

[00:12:24]>> Whoopi: THE POTHOLES.

[00:12:26]I DON'T MIND THE POTHOLES BUT I MIND THAT YOU TAKE FIVE LANES OF DRIVING, NOT JUST THE BIKE, IT'S NOT JUST THE BIKES, BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENS NOW IS PEOPLE DOUBLE PARK, SO YOU NOW -- NOW YOU'RE DOWN TO ONE LANE AND GIANT TRUCKS TRYING TO GET -- I MEAN, YOU GETTING AROUND -- THERE'S A LOT TO -- THIS IS A CITY, BABY.

[00:12:46]THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS IN CITIES.

[00:12:50]IT'S A TOUGH JOB.

[00:12:51]I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE PREPARED.

[00:12:53]WE'LL FIND OUT.

[00:12:54]WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK.

[00:12:54][ APPLAUSE ] ♪ >> Whoopi: OKAY, JUST YOU HAVE TO BE READY FOR THIS.

[00:13:16]NICKI MINAJ JUST -- [ LAUGHTER ] JUST SAT DOWN WITH "TIME" MAGAZINE AND TALKED ABOUT WHY SHE WENT PUBLIC ABOUT GOING MAGA AND APPEARED ON STAGE WITH HIM BACK IN JANUARY.

[00:13:27]NOW, TAKE A LOOK.

[00:13:29]>> I DIDN'T KNOW NIKKI AND I'VE BEEN HEARING SHE IS A BIG TRUMP SUPPORTER AND TOOK HEAT ON OCCASION.

[00:13:37]>> I AM PROBABLY THE PRESIDENT'S NUMBER ONE FAN.

[00:13:41][ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] AND THAT'S NOT GOING TO CHANGE, AND THE HATE OR WHAT PEOPLE HAVE TO SAY, IT DOES NOT AFFECT ME AT ALL.

[00:13:55]IT ACTUALLY MOTIVATES ME TO SUPPORT HIM MORE.

[00:13:59]>> Whoopi: SHE SAYS HER POLITICAL CHANGE OF HEART WAS A MIX OF BEING DISAPPOINTED BY DEMOCRATS LIKE BARACK OBAMA AND GAVIN NEWSOM AND THE FACT THAT SHE THINKS YOU-KNOW-WHO IS HIS OWN VIBE SIMILAR TO LARGER THAN LIFE STARS LIKE MARILYN MONROE.

[00:14:18][ LAUGHTER ] I DID NOT SAY IT.

[00:14:25]THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID BUT MORE SHOCKING SHE JUST SAID TO ME -- >> Joy: WHAT?

[00:14:29]>> Whoopi: THAT "GREASE 2" IS BETTER THAN "GREASE 1."

[00:14:35]THAT'S WHAT SHE JUST SAID TO ME.

[00:14:36]I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DEAL -- I DON'T KNOW WHICH ONE TO TACKLE.

[00:14:39]>> Alyssa: THAT'S WILDER THAN NICKI MINAJ'S TAKE.

[00:14:43]>> Joy: I DON'T BELIEVE THAT IT'S ABOUT WHAT THE DEMOCRATS ARE DOING.

[00:14:46]I THINK IT'S PERSONAL WITH HER BECAUSE THIS IS ONE LITTLE FACT I FOUND.

[00:14:51]SHE -- NICKI MINAJ OPPOSED THE COVID VACCINE.

[00:14:55]IT'S ALL PERSONAL BECAUSE HER COUSIN'S FRIEND IN TRINIDAD HAD SWOLLEN TESTICLES.

[00:14:59]I'LL SAY NOTHING MORE.

[00:15:02]THAT IS THE REASON THAT SHE LIKES -- HER COUSIN'S FRIEND IN TRINIDAD HAS FROZEN TESTICLES.

[00:15:11]THAT'S IT.

[00:15:12]>> Sunny: I WOULD LIKE TO ADD TO THAT, JOY, IN TERMS OF WHY IT'S PERSONAL.

[00:15:15]AFTER SHE APPEARED WITH TRUMP, SHE MADE HEADLINES BECAUSE SHE ANNOUNCED THAT HER UNITED STATES CITIZENSHIP PAPERWORK WAS FINALLY BEING FINALIZED AND FAST-TRACKED.

[00:15:27]>> Joy: UH-HUH.

[00:15:28]>> Sunny: BECAUSE SHE WAS AN UN >> Sunny: BECAUSE SHE WAS AN UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANT FROM TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO AND CAME HERE WHEN SHE WAS 5 YEARS OLD.

[00:15:37]FURTHER, THERE'S SPECULATION THAT SHE IS SEEKING A PRESIDENTIAL PARDON FOR HER HUSBAND WHO IS A REGISTERED SEX OFFENDER AND WHO PLED GUILTY TO MANSLAUGHTER AND SERVED SEVEN YEARS IN PRISON OR PERHAPS HER BROTHER, WHO IS SERVING A SENTENCE OF 25 YEARS TO LIFE.

[00:15:54]>> Joy: WHAT A GROUP SUNNY HOSTIN IN THE NEW YORK STATE PRISON FOR PREDATORY SEXUAL ASSAULT AGAINST A CHILD AND CHILD ENDANGERMENT.

[00:16:02]SO I WOULD SPECULATE THAT PERHAPS THE REASON THAT SHE HAS GONE MAGA IS FOR PERSONAL REASONS.

[00:16:08][ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] >> Sara: OH, DANG.

[00:16:11]>> Alyssa: WELL, THAT IS DISTURBING.

[00:16:14]I DON'T CARE A TON ABOUT CELEBRITIES' POLITICS IN GENERAL BUT I DID A LITTLE DIG INTO THIS AND APPARENTLY IN 2012 SHE HAD A SONG WHERE SHE SAYS, QUOTE, I'M A REPUBLICAN VOTING FOR MITT ROMNEY, IT GOES ON I CAN'T SAY THE REST OF THE WORDS IN IT SO SHE MAY HAVE ALREADY KIND OF IDENTIFIED TO THE RIGHT FOR SOME TIME.

[00:16:30]I THINK THAT OFTENTIMES WE PAINT WITH TOO BROAD A SWATH OF EVERYONE WHO IS A CELEBRITY AND ACTOR, MUSICIAN MUST ALL BE DEMOCRAT.

[00:16:38]I THINK THERE'S PLENTY OF, LIKE, SNEAKY MAGA FOLKS THAT THEY DON'T -- >> Sunny: KID ROCK.

[00:16:44]>> Alyssa: MY THING IS THIS, THERE'S THIS BIG CONVERSATION AROUND WHY ARE WE -- WHY HAVE REPUBLICANS STARTED COURTING MORE OF THESE CELEBRITIES?

[00:16:52]IT'S REALLY AT TIMES THAT LIKE DEMOCRATS HAVE LOST SOME OF THEM SO THINK OF JOE ROGAN, THIS CONVERSATION OF HOW DOES THE LEFT FIND ITS OWN JOE ROGAN.

[00:17:00]JOE ROGAN WAS A LEFTY.

[00:17:01]HE WAS A BERNIE BRO AND COURTED OVER TO THE RIGHT SO THIS DOES EXIST.

[00:17:05]PEOPLE GO TO THE OTHER SIDE.

[00:17:07]>> Sara: ONE OF THE CRAZE SHIFT THINGS NICKI SAID ABOUT 20 TO ELECTION CLAIMS.

[00:17:13]OBVIOUSLY I DO NOT KNOW ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHETHER HE WON, BUT I KNOW THAT IF HE COMES OUT AND SAYS IT, THAT HE'S DONE HIS DUE DILIGENCE AND I THOUGH THAT HE'S NOT JUST MAKING IT UP.

[00:17:22][ LAUGHTER ] SHE'S A PERFECT TRUMP FAN.

[00:17:26]>> Whoopi: LISTEN.

[00:17:28]>> Joy: IT'S ALL ABOUT HER FRIEND'S COUSIN'S TESTICLES.

[00:17:32]>> Whoopi: PEOPLE HAVE THE RIGHT TO VOTE FOR WHO THEY WANT TO.

[00:17:35]THAT'S FINE.

[00:17:36]>> Joy: YEAH.

[00:17:36]>> Whoopi: BUT YOU HAVE TO JUST.

[00:17:39]>> Joy: DO YOUR RESEARCH.

[00:17:40]>> Whoopi: YOU CAN'T MAKE IT THIS EASY TO POINT OUT THE REASONS WHY YOU MAY HAVE DONE IT.

[00:17:44]THIS HAS -- YOU KNOW, ALL OF THESE THINGS HAVE LITTLE TO DO WITH HOW HIS BEING IS AFFECTING ALL OF US.

[00:17:54]BECAUSE WE'RE ALL IN IT TOGETHER.

[00:17:56]DOESN'T MATTER.

[00:17:57]WHITE WOMEN, BLACK WOMEN, IT'S SPANISH WOMEN.

[00:17:59]IT'S WHITE MEN, IT'S GAY FOLKS, IT'S ALL THESE PEOPLE.

[00:18:02]SO, LISTEN, HE'S HITTING FARMERS.

[00:18:06]HE'S HITTING EVERYBODY.

[00:18:08]SO, NICKI, IF YOU'RE OKAY, THAT HE IS DISMANTLING A LOT OF THE REASON YOU CAME TO THIS COUNTRY, THEN YOU DO WHAT YOU NEED TO DO AND WE, OF COURSE, WILL BE RIGHT BACK.

[00:18:20][ APPLAUSE ] ♪ >> Whoopi: OKAY, SO YOU REMEMBER HOW I SAID JUST SIT TIGHT FOR THIS LAST ONE?

[00:18:39]SIT EVEN TIGHTER FOR THIS ONE.

[00:18:42]APPARENTLY CONSERVATIVES ARE FREAKING OUT OVER CHRISTOPHER NOLAN'S CASTING CHOICES FOR THE UPCOMING EPIC "THE ODYSSEY."

[00:18:49]NONE OF THESE CHOICES ARE ACTUALLY -- WE DON'T KNOW WHO HAS BEEN CAST.

[00:18:54]IT'S NOT FINALIZED BUT THEY ARE FILMING OUT.

[00:18:57]ELON MUSK, YOU KNOW, THE MAN FROM SOUTH AFRICA WHO WAS OKAY WITH APARTHEID IS STILL RAILING AGAINST LUPITA NYONG'O PLAYING THE FABLED MOST BEAUTIFUL WOMAN IN THE WORLD HELEN OF TROY.

[00:19:10]NEWSMAX IS ALSO LOSING IT OVER RUMORS THAT ACHILLES WILL BE PORTRAYED BY ACTOR ELLIOT PAGE.

[00:19:17]AGAIN, NONE OF THIS -- NOBODY KNOWS WHO HAS BEEN CAST, BUT CHECK THIS OUT.

[00:19:22]>> THE MOST FAMOUS WARRIOR IN HISTORY NOT JUST GREEK HISTORY ALL OF HISTORY ACHILLES IS ABOUT TO BE PLAYED BY A TRANSGENDER WOMAN IN A BRAND-NEW MOVIE.

[00:19:31]THAT'S THE PERSON THAT'S GOING TO BE PLAYING THE GREATEST WARRIOR IN HISTORY BECAUSE TO THE LEFT THAT IS NORMAL.

[00:19:37]THAT'S OKAY.

[00:19:38]AND TO TOP IT ALL OFF, PLAYING HELEN OF TROY, WHOSE BEAUTY WAS UN UNPARALLELED, A WOMAN WHO WAS DEFINITELY WHITE IS GOING TO BE PLAYED BY LUPITA NYONG'O, AND I'VE GOT NOTHING AGAINST LUPITA, BUT I DO HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE COMPLETE REWRITING OF HISTORY.

[00:19:56]>> Whoopi: SO LET ME DO THIS FIRST, BECAUSE I KNOW I WILL UPSET PEOPLE.

[00:20:03]I DON'T KNOW THAT HE WAS AN APARTHEID APOLOGIST.

[00:20:05]I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT HIM EXCEPT THAT I'M NOT A FAN SO I TAKE IT BACK.

[00:20:09]>> Joy: AND HE WAS THERE DURING THAT TIME.

[00:20:10]>> Whoopi: I'M NOT SAYING THAT HE WAS THERE.

[00:20:12]I DON'T KNOW THAT HE WAS THERE.

[00:20:14]I WASN'T THERE.

[00:20:15]BEFORE Y'ALL FLIP OUT, MY QUESTION IS WHY IS THIS UPSETTING -- WHY DON'T YOU JUST NOT GO TO THE MOVIE?

[00:20:23]>> Alyssa: THAT'S AN EASY SOLUTION.

[00:20:24][ APPLAUSE ] >> Sara: THAT'S AN EASY SOLUTION, BUT IT'S -- >> Sunny: YOU KNOW, I THINK RACISM REARS ITS UGLY HEAD OFTEN ON -- AND MORE OFTEN NOW THAN EVER, I THINK, IN OUR COUNTRY, BUT IF YOU ARE A STUDENT OF HISTORY, YOU KNOW THAT SCHOLARS HAVE DEBATED FOR DECADES THE EXTENT TO WHICH GREEK MYTHOLOGY AND CIVILIZATION WERE INFLUENCED BY ANCIENT EGYPT AND NORTH AFRICA.

[00:20:51]IT IS VERY CLEAR THAT AN DOM DA IS DESCRIBED AS AN ETHIOPIAN PRINCESS.

[00:20:58]WE HAVE OTHELLO, THE MOOR, THE GREEKS, THIS IDEA WAS ALSO EXPLORED IN A BOOK CALLED "BLACK ATHENA."

[00:21:05]I THINK PEOPLE SHOULD READ IT WHICH ARGUES THAT CLASSICAL GREEK CULTURE IS INDEBTED TO NEAR EASTERN ROOTS.

[00:21:13]I TAUGHT GREEK MYTHOLOGY TO EIGHTH GRADERS AND SO I COVERED THIS SO PEOPLE THAT ARE SAYING THAT HELEN OF TROY COULD NOT POSSIBLY BE PLAYED BY A BLACK WOMAN DON'T KNOW HISTORY.

[00:21:24]>> Whoopi: BUT WHAT IS -- WHY NOT JUST NOT GO TO THE MOVIES?

[00:21:28]>> Alyssa: IT'S LIKE WHEN "THE LITTLE MERMAID" AND THERE WAS AN UPROAR.

[00:21:32]ELON MUSK HAS MULTIPLE COMPANIES VALUED OVER A TRAVEL DOLLARS.

[00:21:34]HOW DO YOU HAVE THE TIME TO WORRY ABOUT THIS AND ALSO SAID CHRISTOPHER NOLAN, ONE OF THE FINEST DIRECTORS OF OUR TIME JUST WANTS THE AWARDS.

[00:21:43]HE'S GOT PLENTY OF AWARDS.

[00:21:44]>> Sunny: HE SURE DOES.

[00:21:46]>> Sara: WE'RE TALKING OF HELEN OF TROY BEING THE MOST BEAUTIFUL WOMAN IN THE WORLD.

[00:21:50]CAN YOU FLIP UP THAT WOMAN PICTURE AGAIN OF HELEN OF -- NO, NO, NO.

[00:21:55]THAT'S -- BECAUSE.

[00:21:57]>> Whoopi: SHE MEANS THE OTHER ONE.

[00:21:59]THE CLASSICAL ONE.

[00:22:00]>> Sara: THE MOST BEAUTIFUL WOMAN IN THE WORLD.

[00:22:03]>> Whoopi: THE BLOND.

[00:22:03]THE BLOND LADY.

[00:22:05]>> Joy: FICTITIOUS ALSO.

[00:22:06]>> Whoopi: YES, THEY'RE ASKING FOR IT AGAIN.

[00:22:08]>> Sara: YEAH, BECAUSE THAT -- THAT JUST ARGUABLY AND BEAUTY IS SUBJECTIVE.

[00:22:14][ LAUGHTER ] I'D LIKE YOU TO PROVE TO ME THAT -- >> Alyssa: THAT'S THE FINEST.

[00:22:20]>> Sara: SHE CAN EVEN HOLD A CANDLE TO LUPITA NYONG'O IS LIKE THE ARGUMENT I WANT TO HEAR.

[00:22:29]>> Alyssa: AW.

[00:22:30]>> Whoopi: SHE LOOKS LIKE ELVIS.

[00:22:32]>> Sara: COULD THEY HAVE NOT PULLED A BETTER PICTURE TO MAKE HIS POINT.

[00:22:37]>> Joy: SHE'S NOT BAD LOOKING.

[00:22:40]SHE'S JUST MAD.

[00:22:41]>> Sara: SHE'S NOT BAD LOOKING?

[00:22:42]>> Whoopi: IT IS SUBJECTIVE.

[00:22:44]YOU KNOW, MY POINT IS WHAT -- I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY YOU FEEL THE NEED WHEN THERE'S SO MUCH GOING ON IN THE WORLD, WHY THIS IS WHAT'S UPSETTING YOU.

[00:22:53]THIS -- THESE ARE OFTENTIMES FICTITIOUS CHARACTERS.

[00:22:57]THEY'RE PUT INTO THE ZEITGEIST TO EXPLAIN HOW THINGS HAPPEN IN THE WORLD.

[00:23:02]WHO KNOWS?

[00:23:02]NONE OF US WERE THERE.

[00:23:03]REMEMBER HOW I SAID I WASN'T THERE WHEN -- [ LAUGHTER ] >> Joy: YEAH.

[00:23:08]>> Whoopi: I DIGRESS, YOU WERE THERE.

[00:23:10]>> Joy: AND SHE LOOKED JUST LIKE MY AUNT ROSE.

[00:23:13]I TELL YOU RIGHT NOW.

[00:23:15][ LAUGHTER ] >> Whoopi: YOU KNOW, JUST DON'T GO TO THE MOVIE.

[00:23:17]DON'T GO TO THE MOVIEMENT.

[00:23:19]IF IT'S NOT A MOVIE -- IT'S LIKE THIS SHOW, IF YOU'RE NOT A FAN OF THIS SHOW, YOU DON'T NEED TO WRITE US ALL THE TIME AND SAY YOU DON'T LIKE THE SHOW, JUST DON'T WATCH.

[00:23:28]>> Joy: MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS.

[00:23:29]>> Whoopi: I MEAN, IT'S OKAY.

[00:23:29][ APPLAUSE ] IT'S OKAY.

[00:23:32]SO ONCE AGAIN, I APOLOGIZE FOR INSINUATING SOMETHING THAT I DON'T HAVE ANY FACTS TO BACK UP.

[00:23:40]WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK.

[00:23:41][ APPLAUSE ] ♪ >> Whoopi: WELCOME BACK.

[00:23:55]THE INCOMPARABLE JOHN LITHGOW IS TAKING CENTER STAGE AT THE HIGHEST GROSSING NEW PLAY THIS SEASON ON BROADWAY.

[00:24:02]HE STARS AS THE CELEBRATED AND VERY COMPLICATED CHILDREN'S AUTHOR ROALD DAHL IN THE FOUR-TIME TONY-NOMINATED "GIANT."

[00:24:11]PLEASE WELCOME JOHN LITHGOW.

[00:24:11][ APPLAUSE ] ♪ >> Joy: HOW ARE YOU?

[00:24:35]>> WONDERFUL TO BE BACK.

[00:24:37]I FEEL LIKE I'M IN THE LIVING ROOM.

[00:24:38]>> Sara: I JUST SAW "GIANT" YESTERDAY AND I HAVE TO SAY, BRAVO.

[00:24:43]YOU ARE INCREDIBLE.

[00:24:44][ APPLAUSE ] >> THANK YOU.

[00:24:47]>> Sara: NOW, JUST FOR BACKGROUND, HE WAS THE AUTHOR -- NOT HIM, ROALD DAHL WAS THE AUTHOR OF BELOVED CHILDREN'S BOOKS LIKE "MATILDA," CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY" "JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH" AND ALREADY HAD A DARK SIDE AND YOU WON AN OWE LIVIER AWARD FOR THE WEST END PRODUCTION OF THIS AND NOW NOMINATED FOR A TONY SO A HUGE CONGRATULATIONS.

[00:25:11]>> THANK YOU.

[00:25:12]>> Sara: AND ONE JUST HEARING YOUR NAME AND YOU WERE NOMINATED I ALREADY AGREED WITH THAT BUT SEEING YOU UP ON THAT STAGE AS RA R ROASLD.

[00:25:27]YOU WERE PHENOMENAL.

[00:25:28]I HEARD YOU WERE SLEEPING WHEN THEY ANNOUNCED YOUR TONY.

[00:25:30]>> IT'S TRUE.

[00:25:31]IT'S TRUE.

[00:25:32]I ALWAYS THINK IT'S BEST TO COMPLETELY IGNORE THESE THINGS UNTIL THEY HAPPEN.

[00:25:36]>> Sara: YEAH.

[00:25:37]>> AND I LITERALLY -- I TRIED TO CULTIVATE MY OWN OBLIVION WHEN IT COMES TO AWARD NOMINATIONS AND SURE ENOUGH, I WAS FAST ASLEEP.

[00:25:48]>> Joy: CRITICS TOO, RIGHT?

[00:25:50]JON CRYER YES, I IGNORE THEM UNLESS THEY'RE WILDLY ENTHUSIASTIC.

[00:25:55]YEAH, THEN I READ THEM SEVERAL, SEVERAL TIMES OVER.

[00:26:00]>> Whoopi: I HAVE TO ASK YOU, BECAUSE THIS IS -- THIS IS AN INTERESTING PROBLEMATIC PLAY IN MANY WAYS.

[00:26:08]IT TAKES PLACE IN 1983 AFTER A SCANDAL OWE CORRUPTS OVER HIS ANTI-SEMITIC ARTICLE THAT ROALD DAHL WROTE.

[00:26:17]WHAT WAS IT ABOUT THIS -- WHAT -- WHAT GOT YOU?

[00:26:21]>> WELL, FIRST OF ALL, IT CAME TO ME FROM SIR NICHOLAS HEITNER WHO IS A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE AND A BRILLIANT DIRECTOR, AND HE HAD HELPED THE PLAYWRIGHT MARK ROSENBLATT GET MOVING WRITING THIS PLAY.

[00:26:36]HE HAD NEVER WRITTEN A PLAY BEFORE.

[00:26:38]HE WAS A DIRECTOR.

[00:26:39]>> Whoopi: WOW.

[00:26:39]>> WHO HAD COME TO NIC ASKING HIM TO FIND A WRITER BUT PITCHED HIS IDEA IN SUCH DETAIL NIC TOLD HIM THIS HAS TO BE YOUR PLAY.

[00:26:50]NIC SENT ME AN EARLY DRAFT OF IT.

[00:26:53]THEY WERE AFRAID THAT I WOULD SLIP AWAY, I WAS ALREADY IN NEGOTIATIONS TO DO ANOTHER JOB IN THE SAME TIME PERIOD, AND IT WAS -- THE SCRIPT THAT HE SENT ME WAS NOT YET EVEN PLAYABLE.

[00:27:09]IT WAS TOO -- TWICE AS LONG AS THE ONE THAT'S ON BROADWAY RIGHT NOW.

[00:27:13]IT NEEDED A LOT OF WORK, BUT IT WAS CLEARLY BRILLIANT.

[00:27:16]AND IT WAS GOING TO BE DIRECTED BY A BRILLIANT MAN, AND MARK ROSENBLATT, YOU COULD JUST TELL FROM THIS -- OVERLONG PLAY FULL OF EXPOSITION THAT WE NO LONGER NEED NOW THAT ISRAEL AND PALESTINE ARE IN SUCH HEADLINE NEWS, YOU COULD JUST TELL THIS IS A BORN PLAYWRIGHT.

[00:27:38]YOU SAW IT, SARA.

[00:27:40]>> Sara: YES.

[00:27:41]>> THE DIALOGUE IS JUST NOT WHAT YOU HEAR THESE DAYS.

[00:27:45]HE'S A BRILLIANT WRITER.

[00:27:46]SO IT CAME TO ME, AND I SAID, OH, YES, WHAT ARE THE DATES?

[00:27:50]I'LL BE THERE.

[00:27:51]LET'S WORKSHOP IT.

[00:27:52]LET'S WORK ON THIS, AND LET'S GET IT DONE.

[00:27:54]>> Joy: WE'RE ALL HAPPY ABOUT THAT AND THE PLAY TAKES PLACE 40 YEARS AGO.

[00:27:58]>> YEAH.

[00:27:59]>> Joy: RIGHT?

[00:28:00]BUT IT'S ESPECIALLY TIMELY GIVEN THE RISE OF ANTI-SEMITISM AROUND THE WORLD AND MODERN ERA OF CANCEL CULTURE.

[00:28:08]IT'S VERY RELEVANT TO THAT AND YOU SAID OUT OF 25 SHOWS YOU'VE DONE ON BROADWAY, YOU NEVER GOT THE KIND OF AUDIENCE RESPONSE BEFORE LIKE THIS ONE.

[00:28:16]HOW WAS THAT?

[00:28:17]WHY?

[00:28:17]>> WELL, IT'S -- IT'S AN EXTREMELY ENTERTAINING PLAY AS PRICKLY AND DIFFICULT AND CHALLENGING AS IT IS, BUT IT THROTTLES AN AUDIENCE.

[00:28:30]I MEAN, SARA, YOU DESCRIBED THE EXPERIENCE PERFECTLY.

[00:28:37]IT IS ABOUT SO MANY THINGS THAT ARE AT THE FRONT OF OUR MINDS THESE DAYS.

[00:28:42]THE FACT THAT IT IS ABOUT ISRAEL'S INCURSION INTO LEBANON IN 1982 WHEN THERE HAVE BEEN TWO ISRAELI INCURSIONS INTO LEBANON WITHIN THE LAST TWO YEARS, YOU HEAR THE DIALOGUE AND YOU THINK, THIS IS NOT 1982, IT'S ABOUT RIGHT NOW.

[00:29:02]>> Sara: YES.

[00:29:02]>> SO THAT THE AUDIENCE IS JUST -- THEY'RE ALMOST -- YOU CAN ALMOST HEAR THEM GASP AT HOW -- >> Sara: LOTS OF GASPS.

[00:29:10]>> Joy: YOU DON'T EXPECT A CHILDREN'S BOOK WRITER TO BE AN ANTI-SEMITE.

[00:29:14]I MEAN, THAT'S A SILLY REMARK.

[00:29:16]ANYBODY COULD BE ANYTHING BUT IT'S JUST DISCORDANT IN A WAY, MARRIED TO PATRICIA NEIL, A LOVELY PERSON.

[00:29:22]YOU KNOW, I KNEW HER.

[00:29:24]>> Alyssa: SOMEONE SO BELOVED.

[00:29:25]>> Joy: TO BE SUCH A HATEFUL PERSON.

[00:29:27]>> WELL, HE WAS HATEFUL, AND HE WAS ADORABLE.

[00:29:31]I MEAN -- >> Joy: COMPLICATED.

[00:29:33]>> HE WAS EXTRAORDINARILY WITTY AND INTELLIGENT AND SOPHISTICATED.

[00:29:37]MY OWN SENSE OF HIM AND I LEARNED AN AWFUL LOT ABOUT HIM BY PEOPLE WHO KNEW HIM WELL IS THAT HE WAS A MAN WHO LIVED WITH DEMONS, LIVED WITH TERRIBLE DAMAGE, TERRIBLE TRAGEDY, A LOT OF IT YOU LEARN ABOUT FROM THE PLAY, AND IT'S LIKE A MEDITATION ON CRUELTY, HATEFULNESS, BIGOTRY AND ANTI-SEMITISM, WHERE DOES IT COME FROM?

[00:30:01]IT COMES FROM DAMAGE.

[00:30:04]AND MY JOB IN LIFE IS TO GET INSIDE CHARACTERS, FIGURE OUT WHAT MAKES THEM TICK.

[00:30:09]>> Joy: YOU DO IT VERY WELL.

[00:30:10][ APPLAUSE ] >> Sunny: YEAH.

[00:30:16]>> Sara: VERY WELL.

[00:30:16]>> Alyssa: QUICKLY I DO HAVE TO ASK YOU ABOUT A PODGE I'M SO EXCITED ABOUT.

[00:30:19]YOU ARE GOING TO BE PLAYING DUMBLEDORE IN THE HBO "HARRY POTTER" SERIES WHICH, I MEAN, TALK ABOUT ICONIC ROLES TO TAKE ON BUT I UNDERSTAND HAD YOU SEEN THE MOVIES OR READ THE BOOKS BEFOREHAND?

[00:30:30]>> I HAD BEEN KIND OF OBLIVIOUS OF HARRY POTTER.

[00:30:35]>> Joy: YOU WERE SLEEPING.

[00:30:38]>> I KNEW GENERALLY A LOT ABOUT IT BUT I CERTAINLY WASN'T A POTTER HEAD.

[00:30:42]IT CAME TO ME AND I JUST SORT OF ENTERED THAT MAGICAL WORLD, LEARNED ALL ABOUT IT AND WAS PER SITUATED BY SOME MARVELOUS PEOPLE.

[00:30:53]>> Sunny: YOU'RE SO PERFECT FOR IT.

[00:30:54]>> WELL, IT TURNS OUT I'M JUST -- I'M A GOOD DUMBLEDORE.

[00:30:58][ APPLAUSE ] >> Sunny: YES.

[00:31:00]>> Alyssa: OF COURSE VERY ICONIC, DUMBLEDORE IS -- I UNDERSTAND THAT CAN COME WITH WARDROBE MALFUNCTIONS.

[00:31:06]>> MY BEARD GOES DOWN TO MY KNEES AND IT GETS TANGLED IN ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING.

[00:31:12]MOST NOTABLY YOUR FLY.

[00:31:14][ LAUGHTER ] >> Joy: LIKE OUR BOOBS, WHOOPI.

[00:31:23]LIKE OUR BOOBS.

[00:31:24]>> Whoopi: YES.

[00:31:28]JOHN, IT IS A PLEASURE ALWAYS TO HAVE YOU AT THE TABLE.

[00:31:30]IT JUST -- YOU ARE JUST -- YOU ARE THE ACTOR MANY OF US STRIVE TO BE.

[00:31:36]>> THANK YOU.

[00:31:37]FROM YOU, MWAH AND THIS SHOW, LONG MAY IT REIGN.

[00:31:43]>> Whoopi: OH, YES, AND YOU CAN CAN'T GIANT GIANT AT THE MUSIC BOOKS THEATRE RIGHT NOW THROUGH JUNE 28th.

[00:31:48]DO YOURSELF A FAVOR.

[00:31:49]IT'S NOT THE EASIEST PLAY TO WATCH BUT YOU WILL BE CHANGED BY WATCHING IT.

[00:31:52]WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK.

[00:31:54][ APPLAUSE ] >> Sara: RECENT STUDIES ON HOW HORMONE THERAPY BENEFITS WOMEN IN MENOPAUSE LED TO THE FDA LIFTING THEIR PLAQUE BOX WARNING.

[00:32:12]IT'S ALSO LED TO AN INCREASE DEMAND THAT'S CAUSING SHORTAGES OF ESTROGEN PATCHES SO WHAT'S GOING ON AND HOW CAN PEOPLE LEFT IN THE LURCH GET THE MIDS THEY NEED?

[00:32:23]LET'S ASK CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER FOR OUR SPONSOR MIDI HEALTH, DR. KATHLEEN JORDAN.

[00:32:29]WELCOME.

[00:32:29]>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

[00:32:31]>> Sara: I NOTICE WE WERE ABLE TO SNAG THE LAST BOX AVAILABLE.

[00:32:37]THERE'S BEEN CONFUSION OVER HORMONE THERAPY.

[00:32:41]FOR YEARS THE FDA HAD A BLACK BOX WARNING ON MENOPAUSE DRUGS WHICH MADE MANY WOMEN HESITATE TO USE THEM SO THEN LAST YEAR AFTER RE-EVALUATING THE DATA THE FDA REMOVED THE WARNING FINDING THE RISKS HAD BEEN OVERSTATED.

[00:32:53]IS THAT SHIFT WHAT'S DRIVING THE SHORTAGES OF THESE PATCHES?

[00:32:57]>> EVIDENCE SHOWS THAT TODAY'S FORM LAYINGS ARE REALLY SAFE AND EFFECTIVE FOR MOST WOMEN.

[00:33:03]NOT ALL LIKE I DO WANT WOMEN TO BENEFIT FROM EXPERT CARE AND IT'S WHY I WAS PART OF FOUNDING MIDI HEALTH WHICH ACTUALLY DOES EXPERT HEALTH FOR WOMEN IN MENOPAUSE SO WE USED TO TELL WOMEN THAT THEY MAYBE HAD TO STOP HORMONE THERAPY AFTER FIVE YEARS OR TEN YEARS OR AT AGE 60, BUT NOW WE KNOW THAT ACTUALLY YOU HAVE SUSTAINED BENEFITS AND WOMEN DON'T WANT TO COME OFF.

[00:33:24]SO WOMEN NOW TAKE IT INTO THEIR 60s, THEIR 70s, THEIR 80s.

[00:33:30]THE SYMPTOMS START BEFORE MENOPAUSE, SO A PHASE WE CALL PERI-MENOPAUSE.

[00:33:35]MOST WOMEN IN THEIR 40s AND THE BONE LOSS ACCELERATION STARTS IN YOUR 40s IN PERI-MENOPAUSE AND YOU GET TROUBLE SLEEPING, MOOD CHANGES, PERIOD CHANGES SO ALL SORTS OF SYMPTOMS START.

[00:33:48]>> Sara: ALL THE GOOD STUFF IS WHAT I HEAR YOU SAYING.

[00:33:51]>> RIGHT SO BECAUSE OF THAT WE HAVE WOMEN STARTING EARLIER AND HAVE WOMEN STAYING ON IT LONGER.

[00:33:56]THAT'S MORE WOMEN ON HORMONE THERAPY BUT IN ADDITION WE HAVE IMPROVED ACCESS AND I'M PROUD TO BE PART OF THE MIDI TEAM BECAUSE WE TOOK WHAT YOU USED TO ONLY BE AVAILABLE THROUGH REALLY EXPERT CARE THAT WAS GIVEN IN CONCIERGE PRACTICES WHO DO A WONDERFUL JOB BUT WE BROUGHT THAT ACCESS THROUGH INSURANCE COVERED CARE ONLINE THROUGH A TELEHEALTH PLATFORM.

[00:34:18]>> >> Sara: SO FOR PEOPLE TRYING TO GET HORMONE THERAPY BUT CAN'T WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE?

[00:34:23]THAT'S MUCH NEEDED RELIEF FOR SO MANY PEOPLE.

[00:34:26]WILL THE SHORTAGE LAST HOW MUCH LONGER?

[00:34:30]>> YES, BUT WHAT I WANT WOMEN TO KNOW THERE'S ALTERNATIVES SO DON'T STOP YOUR THERAPY.

[00:34:36]>> Sara: OKAY.

[00:34:37]>> AND DON'T HESITATE TO START BECAUSE THERE'S LOTS OF ALTERNATIVES THAT CAN HELP YOU SUSTAIN THE THERAPY.

[00:34:42]YOU CAN TALK TO YOUR CLINICIAN OR YOU CAN MAKE AN APPOINTMENT AT JOINMIDI.COM.

[00:34:49]THERE ARE DIFFERENT FORMULATIONS.

[00:34:50]YOU CAN USE A GEL, A CREAM OR A ONCE WEEKLY PATCH INSTEAD OF A TWICE WEEKLY.

[00:34:54]THERE'S COMPOUNDED SOLUTIONS, THERE'S VAGINAL RINGS SO ALL SORTS OF CARE SOLUTIONS SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO GIVE IT UP.

[00:35:03]GIG G BIG PICTURE, WE NEED MANUFACTURING TO STEP IT UP SO MEETING WITH THE FDA THIS WEEK AND ALSO MEETING WITH OTHER MANUFACTURERS TO TELL THEM, LIKE, THE CLINICAL EVIDENCE IS THAT WOMEN ARE BENEFITTING FROM THIS AND THE DEMAND IS HERE TO STAY.

[00:35:17]>> Sara: I WAS GOING TO STAY THE DEMAND IS THERE AND WILL BE BECAUSE MENOPAUSE ISN'T GOING ANYWHERE.

[00:35:21]>> I THINK THEY'RE REALIZING DEMAND IS HERE TO STAY EVEN ONLY GROWING.

[00:35:25]>> Sara: A BIG THANK YOU FOR SHARING THIS WITH US.

[00:35:27]THANKS TO DR. JORDAN AND OUR SPONSOR MIDI HEALTH.

[00:35:32]CHECK WITH A CLINICIAN BEFORE MAKING ANY TREATMENT PLAN.

[00:35:36]WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK.

[00:35:41]>> Whoopi: ANA'S BEHIND IS ON >> Whoopi: ANA'S BEHIND IS ON OUR "BEHIND THE TABLE" PODCAST.

[00:35:45]TAKE A LITTLE TIME TO ENJOY THE VIEW AND, YOU KNOW, WE'LL GET THROUGH ALL OF THIS AS LONG AS WE DO IT TOGETHER.

[00:35:51]WE'LL SEE EACH OTHER TOMORROW.

[00:35:51][ APPLAUSE ]