Joy Behar has been a staple of The View for nearly three decades, but there was a time when she almost didn’t take the job that made her a household name. 

During a recent episode of The View’s Behind the Table podcast, the longtime co-host revealed that her agent originally advised against her joining the show in 1997.

A Career Path That Could Have Been

Before The View came calling, Behar was pursuing a career in sitcoms. She had previously appeared in Baby Boom, an NBC sitcom based on the 1987 film of the same name. 

Airing from November 1988 to July 1989, the series was short-lived, but Behar played the recurring role of Helga Von Haupt. 

After its cancellation, she was hopeful for another opportunity in the sitcom world.

At the same time, The View was coming together under the guidance of legendary broadcaster Barbara Walters. Walters, who co-created the show, was not only a co-host but also served as its executive producer for 25 years alongside Bill Geddie. When Behar was offered a spot on the panel, her agent was not enthusiastic about the opportunity.

“My agent told me not to take it,” Behar recalled, explaining that the job didn’t offer a lucrative paycheck at the time. However, money wasn’t her primary concern.

Choosing The View Over Hollywood

Despite her agent’s warning, Behar had her sights set on The View. “I said, ‘It’s in New York City with Barbara Walters. I don’t wanna live in L.A. I wanna live in New York City [and] work with Barbara Walters,’” she explained.

For Behar, working alongside Walters was a major draw. She recognized that with Walters at the helm, The View would be an intelligent and influential platform. This decision proved to be the right one, as she has remained one of the show’s most recognizable and outspoken voices.

Since joining in 1997, Behar has become the longest-tenured panelist, outlasting many co-hosts over the years. Her current fellow co-hosts include Whoopi Goldberg, Sara Haines, Sunny Hostin, Alyssa Farah Griffin, and Ana Navarro. Her impact on the show was further cemented in 2009 when she won a Daytime Emmy Award for her role as a co-host.

Facing Pushback Throughout Her Career

During the podcast, Behar also opened up about the resistance she encountered throughout her career, both in comedy and television. She recalled being told by network executives, agents, and other industry figures that she was “too New York.”

Behar believes that criticism of her New York background was, in some cases, a veiled way of saying she was “too Jewish or too ethnic.” This perception, she suggested, may have created hurdles for her in Hollywood and television.

However, as podcast host Brian Teta pointed out, Behar is not actually Jewish. “It doesn’t matter,” she responded. Regardless of her actual background, she felt that industry insiders viewed her as too regionally specific to have broad appeal.

She further explained that when she was being considered for The View, someone from her past reportedly told Bill Geddie, “Oh, she’s too local.”

Embracing Her Identity

Despite the feedback, Behar never changed who she was to fit a mold. Teta acknowledged that her Brooklyn accent and New York sensibility are defining characteristics, to which she responded, “But it’s part of the country… You can’t have everybody coming from Iowa.”

Her candid comments highlight her belief that television should reflect diverse voices and perspectives, rather than catering exclusively to middle America.

A Decision That Paid Off

Looking back, Behar’s decision to join The View was a turning point in her career. Not only has she become one of the show’s most enduring figures, but she has also cemented her place in daytime television history.

Her journey serves as a reminder that sometimes, going against conventional wisdom can lead to the best opportunities. If she had followed her agent’s advice, daytime television might have looked very different today. Instead, Behar trusted her instincts, took a chance on The View, and built a lasting legacy.

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