'The View' alienates a fan: Longtime watcher pans show as Biden fan service in blistering NY Times essay
The reliably liberal daytime talk show was labeled a 'chorus of conformity' in a New York Times guest essay
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The left-wing TV talk show staple that is ABC’s "The View" received a scathing review in The New York Times on Friday, with contributing opinion writer Megan Stack trashing it in a guest essay as a "chorus of conformity."
Stack, who claimed to be a fan of the show and its ever-changing panel of co-hosts for years, argued it has cast off its previous showcase of "messy and fearless debate" and is now promoting talking points that virtually each one of the co-hosts agree on, like their admiration for President Biden.
Stack argued it comes off too conformist to represent an America in which "our many divisions obstruct coherent governance."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}WHOOPI GOLDBERG SHUTS DOWN ‘VIEW’ AUDIENCE FOR JEERING REPUBLICAN GUEST: ‘NO BOOING’
A New York Times guest essay criticized ABC's "The View" for being a "chorus of conformity." (Screenshot/ABC News)
The writer began her criticism of the show by mentioning how her friends don’t care for it because they’re under the impression the co-hosts are "always arguing." Stack mentioned the irony that nowadays that's hardly the case, and the show is worse off for it.
She claimed, "Which is funny because, if you ask me, the co-hosts don’t argue nearly enough. At least, not substantively. Not anymore. The freewheeling discussions that once evoked a spectrum of American opinion on everything from reproductive rights to foreign policy — those have mostly fallen silent."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Stack then provided a searing condemnation about the show which tries to present itself as a program where multiple viewpoints over a wide variety of topics are shared.
She declared, "’The View’ has become a chorus of conformity," adding, "The title of this show I’ve loved for years used to suggest messy and fearless debate. Lately, it seems like a command."
The writer explained that though the co-host list on paper shows diverse viewpoints, they mostly agree on major liberal policy points. She stated, "The hosts include centrist Democrats (Ms. Hostin and Ms. Behar), centrist Republicans (Ms. Farah Griffin and Ana Navarro) and one centrist independent (the TV journalist Sara Haines). But, anyway, they agree. They agree (or at least pretend to agree) that Mr. Biden is basically a good president."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Stack also said, "Even on topics notorious for splitting American opinion — the need for ‘common-sense gun reform,’ protecting L.G.B.T.Q. rights and funding the war in Ukraine — they don’t find much to debate one another about. Even those who privately consider abortion a sin agree that access should be preserved in some cases."
"The View" co-host Sunny Hostin defends Kamala Harris' speaking style, claiming it is based on a law school educational tradition. (ABC/The View)
Speaking of Biden, the column delved into just how unified the co-hosts’ support for him is, calling it "unabashed cheerleading." The column added, "The panel of ‘View’ hosts has been annoyed and dismissive of other Democrats who might vie for the nomination."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}It provided an anecdote for one time that Farah Griffin expressed reservation over voting for Biden and was swiftly shutdown by her colleagues.
Stack wrote, "Ms. Farah Griffin has said she’d write in another candidate before voting for either Mr. Biden or Mr. Trump, but her counterpoints tend to get interrupted or dismissed by the rest of the panel. Mr. Biden ‘needs another four years to finish the job," Ms. Behar said. ‘You can’t fight fascism in four years only. You need eight years for that.’"
The example continued, with Hostin chiming in, saying, "He has had a lot of accomplishments," along with Goldberg adding, "He brought us back from the precipice. Maybe it’s not a perfect country, but it’s better than where we were." Stack concluded the example, writing, "With that, the music came up and the audience applauded. The discussion was done."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The writer also noted that the co-hosts unified hatred of former President Donald Trump and the GOP seems a tad off as well, saying, "And there is no article of agreement more important — lending the show an intoxicating but oddly irreal flavor — as the ladies’ absolute disdain for Mr. Trump and, increasingly, anyone who belongs to his party."
"The View" co-host Whoopi Goldberg said Democrats need to get behind President Biden. (Screenshot/ABC/TheView)
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Stack declared that one of the major problems with the current iteration of the talk show is that it doesn’t represent the country: "We, the people, are split. Our many divisions obstruct coherent governance. But ‘The View’ continues to project a brightly lit illusion of accord."