Elisabeth Hasselbeck had her last day on The View this morning. She’s moving on to join the team at FOX and Friends, a morning show on the FOX news channel.
Her departure may seem very sudden, but there had been rumors swirling that ABC declined to renew her contract, because viewers found her views “too extreme and right wing.” View creator, Barbara Walters, went on air to deny the show was firing her, but sources told US Magazine, who broke the story, that the denial was a strategy to save face for everyone.
FOX News confirmed that Elisabeth’s new gig in a press release. “She has proven to be an excellent conversationalist and I am certain she will make a great addition to our already successful morning franchise,” said Fox News chairman and CEO Roger Ailes.
I am pretty sure FOX viewers won’t find her views too extreme. Heh.
At the top of this morning’s The View, Elisabeth announced that today would be her last day, and said her goodbyes to her co-hosts, Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, Sherri Shepherd, and Barbara Walters.
“Whoopi . . . You are one of the most talented artists on this planet, but . . . you are even more loving than you are talented,” she said with tears in her eyes. “You are walking unconditional love . . . and I am just blessed to have gotten to call myself a friend of yours.”
“Joy . . . and I have spent the last 10 years sparring over politics,” she joked, but added that she has honored those conversations. “I even like when Joy as the ability to throw a one-liner in and make me laugh even when I don’t want to. So, I love you. I truly do.”
“Sherri Shepherd, your protest of absence is not working,” Hasselbeck joked to the camera of her missing on the show. “You’re my sister in Christ, my friend for life.”
“Barbara, I did some math last night — and I could be wrong — but I think had more than 3,000 days working by your side,” she said. “Truly because of all that you have taught me, I was prepared to interview political candidates. I feel more than prepared at this point — because of all that you have given me — to move forward. I couldn’t have asked for a better leader and mentor.”
Elisabeth, as the most conservative member of the panel, would often get into it with the left-leaning Joy and Woopie. Indeed, Elisabeth seemed a bit uncomfortable at times as she said her goodbyes.
You may remember that Elisabeth actually was introduced to television viewers as a perky, blonde and very popular contestant on the CBS Survivor series. She starts her new gig on FOX News in mid September. I can’t wait to see which SNL actor plays her in their hilarious parodies. Hee.
Joy Behar is also set to leave The View and grande dame, Barbara Walters plans to retire in 2014.
Watch Elisabeth say her goodbyes below.
http://youtu.be/nP5ITs7Ykq8
