The View Hosts Make Jokes About Anorexia and Bulimia, Whoopi Goldberg Says They Did Not Intend to Offend

Whoopi Goldberg, Paula Faris, Candace Cameron Bure and Michelle Collins make light of eating disorders

By Zach Johnson Nov 19, 2015 7:15 PMTags

The ladies of The View claim they never intend to offend anyone, but that's exactly what happened then the co-hosts made light of eating disorders on Thursday's show. The trouble began when Michelle Collins mentioned that presidential hopeful Donald Trump had revealed People that campaigning "has been so good to him that he has lost 15 lbs., ladies!" Paula Faris wasn't too surprised, explaining, "I thought something was different about him. It's the weight loss." Collins agreed, telling her, "It's the weight loss. His hair's looking great. But he says that it's all the chatting...Why am I not getting thin? I do this every day and I've not lost a pound."

Joy Behar teased Ben Carson, joking, "He says it's because of the excitement at his events that causes him to lose weight. So, by the logic Ben Carson should be 400 lbs. Right?" The co-hosts and the audience laughed, and Collins added, "I would love for him to big. Like wheel him around on a bed. Remember that guy in TLC who had that special and he couldn't get out of bed? Anyways, you guys...DVR it."

Faris said she could relate to the story about Trump's accidental weight loss. "When you guys are really busy, though, do you take the time to eat, or do you end up eating a lot late at night and gaining weight?" she asked. "I know that I kind of forget to eat during the day, but then I'll have a huge meal at the end."

"That is such a lie," Behar said. "I see you eating all the time."

"I said when I'm super, super busy," Faris replied.

"I see her eat all day long, and she's skinny," Behar said. "That's why we hate her."

"Don't hate me!" Faris pleaded.

"Don't hate Paula because she's beautiful," Candace Cameron Bure said.

"You're sweet," Faris replied, to which Behar added, "And skinny!"

"I'm not skinny. I am not skinny," Faris insisted. "I am thin, I would say. But I think there's a big difference." In response, Collins asked the group, "Is there a difference between skinny and thin? Because I've never been in that in-between area."

Cameron Bure and Faris argued that yes, there is a difference.

"Thin is healthy," Faris argued. "Thin is healthy."

"Skinny's not healthy?" Collins asked.

"Not always," Faris replied.

"Ooh, girl," Collins said. "They're gonna come for you for that, I'll tell you right now." Faris apologized, but soon after, the conversation took a turn for the worse. "We were just discussing whether it's better to become bulimic or anorexic backstage," Behar informed the audience. "What do you girls think?" Collins fired back, "Definitely bulimic. You get to enjoy the meal." Then, singling out a woman off-camera, she said, "She's nodding. We have two bulimics here. They agree."

"Please know that while this is in jest, as someone that has dealt with an eating disorder, I don't want to make light of anyone that has it," Cameron Bure told viewers. "But we were talking about it." Goldberg explained that they "were kidding" about the touchy topic, while Collins argued that the "are always kidding."

"Just know that, everyone," Collins said. "No, but it's a disease."

Cameron Bure clarified, "I think I can joke about it because I've been about it."

"Wait, should I say…? Never mind," Collins said before switching the subject.

After discussing more Hot Topics, The View went to commercial break. When it returned, Behar wanted to right her wrongs—well, in the only way that Behar knows how. "You know, we always offend someone on this show. We're always in trouble—the comedians, in particular, are always in trouble. Although you got in trouble recently," she said, pointing to Faris. "We keep getting into trouble on this show. We upset some people. We understand that bulimia is a serious illness. We're just trying to have some fun over here. So, you know…and then I got a text from my accountant saying, 'Don't worry, Joy. Your IRA is in tact, Signed, Bernie Madoff.' So, there you have it." Goldberg added, "As Candace pointed out, she knows what this is like. We know. We understand. And, of course, we never want to offend anybody."

More simply, as Behar put it, "We don't do it on purpose."