'View' Source: Barbara Walters Would Take Meredith Vieira Back

By Rob Shuter Posted Jun 2nd 2011 04:00PM

Come next Wednesday, the great Meredith Vieira will be saying goodbye to NBC's 'Today' show, but if Barbara Walters has her way we might be seeing Meredith back on TV very soon.

"Barbara adores Meredith and would welcome her back on 'The View' in a second," a 'View' insider tells me. "Meredith returning home would be a great ratings boost and Barbara likes nothing better than ratings success even if it means asking one of the regular women to have a less active role."

Meredith was the talker's original moderator from its debut in 1997 until mid-2006 when it was announced she'd be taking over for Katie Couric at 'Today.'

Tired of getting up at 2:30 in the morning and wanting to spend more time with her journalist husband Richard Cohen, who has multiple sclerosis but is in good health, was the main reason Meredith decided it was time to leave. However, returning to a show like 'The View' which broadcasts live only four days a week (they record Friday's show on Thursday) would be a much easier schedule.

"Don't forget when the show started Joy Behar was part time. She wasn't on every day," a senior producer who has worked on 'The View' tells me. "Having Meredith back if only for a few days a week would make Barbara very, very happy. She never wanted her to leave in the first place."

Although for once it doesn't look like Bab's dream will come true. Meredith told me recently that she's dedicated to her NBC family ... a family she hopes to continue working with in a different position for many years to come!

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Tags: Barbara Walters, Meredith Vieira, The View

Comments

(97)

Friday 03 June

By jay

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I have not watched the show lately because I can't stand Sherry.
I love Barbara.
Whoopie is funny and insightful.
Joy Beyhar is funny and intellectually honest.
Elizabeth adds an intelligent aspect as well as a conservative point of view.
I don't see what Sherry adds to the show. She drags it with her own personal life things and is boring. Without this show she would be nothing.

By Suzanne

Get rid of Whoopie. She's a closet Republican and while I disagree with Elisabeth's politics, at least she's upfront.

Cannot stand Whoopie. I can't even stand to look at her.

I love Joy and while Sherrie's a religious fanatic, she's funny. Whoopie adds nada, nothing, zero to the show.

By frankerin

There dosn't seem to be a bottom to this woman at any cost media blitz as this program and several others (including the cable noise shows) are aimed at doing. Enough and more than enough.

By Michael

Return to "The View?"........ Really, who gives a "Piew?"

By mollyjlp

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I thought she was leaving the Today show to spend more time with her family, especially her very sick husband. Maybe the Today show fired her. I don't like the View--bunch of rude women yapping. They think they're a bunch of know-it-alls.

By S.

Fire Whoopi and get Meredith back. Whoopi ruins the show!!!!

By egl1637

I confess. I watched "the view' once for a total of 5 minutes. It seemed like a bunch of nobodies talking about nothing.

By Nancy

Well those bunch of no bodies has one of the highest rated daytime shows. If you don't want to watch, don't, they don't need you!

By Ezeestreet

I don't watch the show anymore for a long time. Elizabeth and Sherrie are most annoying and Whoppie looks like a slob.Cancel the show.

By Dan Tha Man

ANYBODY to replace loud mouth, and in my opinion VERY racist Whoopi Goldberg......Meredith would be a perfect "leveling" the playing field woman

By mike

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The View is pretty bad already,Meredith Viera would only make it worse

By starrsjavachat

Ahh, Meredith Vieira is so watchable as TV host, news anchor, and especially on the "Today" show. She brings niceness, congeniality, and a down-to-earth quality to her TV duties. I hope whatever decision Meredith Vieira makes for her continuing career will work out to be the right one for her. Yes, if she does return to "The View," I will probably start watching again. Keep Meredith (if she returns), Elizabeth (I noticed that Joy and Sherri hardly ever let Elizabeth get a word in, and that's why we often see her trying to get a word in), and Whoopie. I see Whoopie sometimes acting as peacemaker (whether purposely or not), calming down the ruckus and confusion, when everyone is talking at once. Anyway, good luck to Meredith Vieira and her career decision, because she is a likeable personality.

By jackie

get rid of the whole show I think they should all go

By Marianne

I think you should go!

By Laramie

If the show is without Barbara I will watch. She is so out of place with her seemingly knowledgeable opinions. I miss Rosie and Meredith, Sherri has no place in the discussions and needs a reality check, the god stuff and Christianity plugs are getting old....keep it to yourself! Always felt a gay guy on the panel would be so refreshing!

By Pat Kris

Bringing Meredith back would be a huge plus...she is awesome.
If you would REMOVE Elizabeth from the show I would return to
watching. I know many others that feel the same.

Sunday 05 June

By Vince

Meredith should give up TV altogether. She has enough money and she's far from fun to watch and listen to.

By Jean

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I think they all should go. That show has been on long enough. Tired of all the talking over each other.

By mildredbrownp

I like Whoppie!(THE BLACK LADY). If she is fired I will no longer watch the show. She is down to earth. Not all Upperity like Barbara Walters.

By Jojo

If Meredith came back I would watch the View again but only if Joy Behar and Whoopi were given their walking papers. Both women are ridiculous in their positions and will not tolerate anyone with different ideas than theirs. Worse, there is only one person who thinks Behar is funny. Who? Why Behar of course.

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