Star Jones Slams Barbara Walters As An "Adulterer" In The "Sunset Of Her Life;" Barbara "Will Not Dignify" Comment With Response

Update: Barbara's rep has responded to Star's war of words, telling UsMagazine.com, ""I will not dignify this with a comment. Barbara's written words say it all!"

Original Post: In her new book, Audition, Barbara Walters opens up about Star Jones, saying she lied to protect Star's secret about her gastric bypass and that Star became a bridezilla as her wedding to Al Reynolds approached.

"She was clinically obese," Barbara said of Star on Oprah yesterday (video below). "She could barely walk onto the set." But when Star chose to keep her gastric bypass operation secret, Barbara claimed "The View" co-hosts "had to then lie on the set everyday, because she said it was portion control and pilates."

Barbara also claimed that Star "wanted the biggest extravaganza wedding — she wanted to be a princess" and that she wanted to promote her wedding to get things paid for.

Today, in an exclusive statement to UsMagazine.com, Star Jones is hitting back, slamming Barbara as an adulteress in the "sunset of her life." Her full statement:

It is a sad day when an icon like Barbara Walters, in the sunset of her life, is reduced to publicly branding herself as an adulterer, humiliating an innocent family with accounts of her illicit affair and speaking negatively against me all for the sake of selling a book," Jones told Us. "It speaks to her true character."

Watch Barbara discuss Star on Oprah yesterday:

From ABC, 5/6

In the book, Barbara also comes out publicly for the first time about her 1970s affair with married Senator Edward Brooke.

Comments

[ChiGuy]

This self-important, materialistic, egomaniac has the GALL to question Walters' character????

Go back to the practice of law, Star Jones.
The people don't care about you any more. (IF they ever did)

[tora]

Hey Barb - What is the point of acting like a pathetic troll and trash talking about people in your past and bragging about infidelity at the age of 70? Was your life that miserable and sad that you had to take it out on others? Have you lost your dignity? . good luck, old lady.....

[bac]

She is 76! Really old!

[edsel]

I may not care for the woman, but she's 100% correct.

[ChiGuy]

No actually, she's not.

The segments to which Jones refers to as "all for the sake of selling books" are brief, 4 to 6 page entries in a 600 page book filled with FAR more important things than Jones, and Walters' affair.

Walters was/is a pioneer in the news industry, and overcame detractors at every turn while forging a name that will go down in history as one of the greatest journalists ever.
Yes, yes, I know that much of her later career is propped-up by celebrity interviews, but she has had many stellar moments in the business.

I'm not even a big fan of Walters, and I recognize the significance of this book.

[michelv]

Maybe the old fogies who were not used to seeing and working with women back in her day got confused by their lust and thought she was an exceptional journalist. Today, as women are a dime a dozen in the business, she comes across as mostly mediocre. Her interviews are pathetic, but when you interview so many people, you get lucky once in a while. She is and has been closer to being a tabloid style journalist.

[babybabybaby]

Why are those 4-6 pages the only ones she's discussed in her press tour?

[edsel]

No Starr is right. She is an adulterer and she is in the sunset of her life.

[Leper]

"Sunset of her life"

Isn't that an Eric Clapton song?

[Arguman]

Nonono. She's in the "Twilight of her career". She will start using HGH and steroids within a year to increase her career and prove Dan Duquette wrong.

[hilaritee]

Star who? nuff said...

[TakLoufer]

Star Jones: most famous for being obese former celebrity who married a handsome younger gay man in a desperate attempt to boost her self image.

Wait, isn't that the Judy Garland story? Except that Judy could sing, dance, and act up a storm.

[michelv]

At least Star is being polite by not calling Bawawa a skank or a just a plain flat out whore, which is exactly what she is.

Btwy, what comment could Bawawa make against Star's factually correct accusation that she is an adulterer? Was she going to excuse her affair by saying I reaaaallly need a stiffy up my ....?

[NicoleAnonymous]

What is with all the "whore" accusations? What is this - 2008 or 1908? You can disagree with BW but leave the self-righteous, judgemental insults out of it. Unless of course you use that word for a man who commits adultery - but we all know "whores" are only female.

And "whores" actually serve a useful purpose - if it weren't for "whores" there would be many more divorces and ruined relationships.

[dennybop]

And, like, Newt Gingrich is "a skank or a just a plain flat out whore", too.

[newshawk14]

I could care less about how many affairs one has been involved with, but I don't think much of
anyone that becomes involved with a person that you know is married. To me it indicates a
total lack of principle, and writing about it in her book is even more damning in terms or character.

[leftear]

I agree with the person that said that Joy Behar is worth listening to. EH is a twitty idiotic bubblehead, that new one (don't care to learn her name) is beyond stupid. Whoopi is good though
But BW and Star Jones are two boring women with not much to say about anything important. BW should retire with her book $$$and Star Jones should go back under the rock.

[sklfcats]

Star Jones needs to go eat a donut.

[NicoleAnonymous]

That was so funny! You must be a comedien or something - seriously, have you thought about becoming a writer on a sitcom show?

But seriously has anyone else noticed that HP has been taken over by children lately?

[Phillyboy]

The show could be called "The Nicole Humorless Show". Another reality show.

[Vergadoce]

I think she can't just eat ONE donut. More like a baker's dozen.

[SOOKOOYAH GURL]

First of all if BARBARA WALTERS were MADONNA, DIANA ROSS or SHARON STONE, she would be called a W**** for having an 8 year affair with Senator Brooks.

Further, to even include Star Jones' weight issues in her book is beyond comprehension. trust me - the American public weren't that affected by STAR's need to keep her own freaking business "PRIVATE"!!!

Where is it written that STAR had to tell the world that she had gastric bypass surgery??

And why can't anyone see how NASTY it was of Barbara to include Star's difficulty with weight in her book? It was no one's business!!

I counsel people with weight issues and I can only imagine what STAR was going through. Barbara even mentioned that STAR couldn't walk from her dressing room to the stage. IS THAT SUPPOSED TO BE FUNNY? And the gullable American mass are just eating it up at someone's expense (STAR JONES).

Obesity and food addiction are no different to someone that is addicted to heroin, meth, gambling, hoarding, or sex. These are serious psychological issues and I am disgusted that Barbara chose to do this to Star Jones. She could have talked about the wedding, but the weight issue was totally uncalled for.

I wonder if BABS would disclose the fact that she may have slept with big wigs to keep her job? A W**** is a w****!

[marc1antony]

I agree with you about Star Jones, I don't especially care for her, but Barbra has no business dissing her to make money. She's been doing it all week - so she deserves for Star to respond. Did she expect her to just sit back and take it? Now that she's done spewing, she won't "dignify" it - what a LAUGH - another damned ELITIST who thinks she sh!ts ice cream.

[molsongrrrl]

Why does everyone just assume BW didn't warn the Senator she was going to reveal this in her book? Besides, it was so many years ago - what is the big deal now?

No one can ever know what goes on in anyone's marriage ... to immediately paint BW as a homewrecker is ridiculous. Should people have affairs? No of course not, but no one should stand in judgement since we are all capable of such mistakes.

I'm not a fan of BW or Star ... but it doesn't seem like BW said anything about Star that wasn't true. The woman was trying to act like her weight loss was due to something other than an operation and her wedding was a diva-like train wreck.

[NicoleAnonymous]

I don't think the issue is that she didn't warn him she would be telling everyone about their affair - the issue is more that this is such a blatant attempt for publicity.

Although the people calling her a "homewrecker" do seem a little judgemental, it's a really emotional topic for lots of people because it hurts so many people, often including children if there is a divorce and they really are the only innocent victims of affairs. Usually it's just a tragic situation for everyone involved - the person who is cheated on and also the people cheating. Often people are repeating patterns from early in life without realizing it and they almost can't stop acting in a self-destructive way and sometimes when you really start getting deep into the issues, you realize the person who was cheated on chose someone who at some level they knew would cheat on them.

A more important question is how much is BW and The View paying HP for this constant publicity? They have at least two stories on The View every day, today they have a story on Elizabeth Hasselbeck posting for a magazine although nobody really cares. So how is this a "newspaper" when you can just pay them to write about you? I know BW is VERY close to AH but this is really excessive.

[bikerdude]

Did anyone ask Mrs. Brooks what she thought about this outrageous announcement just to sell a couple more books? Discretion, Babs, is much more admirable.

[MildenHall]

Is this what they mean by "Cat Scratch Fever"?

[NABNYC]

Star Jones? Doesn't she have a new TV show of her own? Oh that's right -- it was already cancelled.

Let's see: I'll bet night law school, got a job working 15 hour days in some district attorney's office doing night court arraignments of hookers and people who drink in public (even if it's in a paper bag, it's still illegal). And then, for whatever bizarre reasons, Barbara Walters gave Star Jones this amazing opportunity to change her life. TV, daily show, regular paycheck, no more criminal courts, no more shopping the sale racks to find a new ugly suit to wear. Even made enough money to have her stomach removed. And her theighs, butt, flabby arms.

So how does Star Jones repay Barbara Walters? Attacks her? Demeans her? Barbara Walters may have fired Star Jones -- but half the country couldn't stand Jones, so it was a good call. But Barbara Walters never spoke badly about Star Jones.

So who's the classy lady? Barbara Walters.

And who has returned to her origins: Star Jones. (Who?)

[jojojo]

Babs classy? You're kidding, right?

She waited until she could make money off an old fling--then threw Brooke--AND HIS EX-WIFE--under the bus for $$$.

She said she got a nice note from Brooke. Did she bother to tell his ex what she was about to do?

What an unclassy homewrecker!

[S1m0n]

It's more than time for the entire universe to stfu about ANYTHING under a bus.

[chirps]

Sunset of her life? Why she doesn't look a day over ninety.

[SugarMan]

At least get the headline right. It was Barbara who slammed star on Oprah. Star just retaliated.
The word on the street is that Barbara has a terminal illness. Too bad this is how she chooses to go out - without style.
I wonder why she is spilling the beans on her black friends.
RACIST

[JNo]

Play the race card!

[arsphidius]

Don't most racists have years-long affairs with black people? That makes perfect sense. All those people in mixed-race marriages are actually racists! Ooh, that's sneaky.

[Mekarri]

I don't doubt that BW is probably racist but yes a lot of racist have years long affairs with black people. Strom Thurmond had a black daughter, need I say more? I don't think that Star race have much to do with it. Star got on everyone nerves and that is on her. But BW started this fight with Star not the other way around. You don't have to like Star (I don't) but just because I don't like her doesn't make her wrong. She has every right to defend herself. She have NEVER said anything bad about BW and for that she have my respect because I couldn't have been as gracious. BW piss on her own legacy and she did without the help of Star Jones, Rosie and other people I'm sure she stabbed in the back . So why BW and OW congratulating themselves on being the other woman and not the mistress( as if they are not one in the same) I'm enjoying people seeing BW for the old slimebag she is.

[NicoleAnonymous]

Why would you repeat a rumor about her medical history here? That is really lame.