Barbara Walters: Star Jones Was Not 'Ambushed' On 'The View' (VIDEO)

Former "View" co-host Star Jones returned to the show she abruptly left on Wednesday, facing her former colleague and executive producer, Barbara Walters.

Jones joined the ladies of "The View" for two segments, the first of which was spent rehashing her stormy exit. When Walters first asked Jones to recount her departure, Jones asked, "Are we really going to go here, Barbara?"

Following the show, some wondered if Walters had gone too far and ambushed Jones by asking about the past. On Thursday's "Today" show, Donny Deutsch stood up for Jones and said he thought Jones was owed an apology. He likened the scene to "mean girls" picking on a "vulnerable girl."

Walters told the New York Post that Jones was not ambushed. Walters and "View" executive producer Bill Geddie insisted that Geddie made Walters bring up Jones' exit. Sources told The Post that the opposite was true: Walters insisted on bringing up the past, even though Geddie suggested otherwise.

Jones abruptly left "The View" in 2006 after ABC did not renew her contract. Walters and Geddie told Jones that they would let her decide how and when she would like to tell viewers that she was not going to return for the show's next season. The following day, Jones went on "The View" and stunned everyone behind the scenes, on camera, and in the audience when she announced that she was leaving the show. Walters did not allow Jones on the show the very next day, and a very nasty and public media frenzy ensued.

Watch the video of Jones' return above. Do you think Walters went too far? Vote in the poll below.

Quick Poll

Did Barbara Walters go too far in rehashing the past?

Yes! She should not have gone there. It was unfair.

No way. There were clearly matters to discuss.

VOTE

Share your vote on Facebook so your friends can take this poll

(H/T New York Post)

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• Whoopi, Barbara Confront Glenn Beck

Comments

[mnjlib]

03:39 AM on 03/04/2012

Walters is petty and bitter and has had too many facelifts. Jones was there to educate women about heart disease but Walters used it as an occasion to try to humiliate her. really ugly, stuff that shows Walters' smallness.

[ferlenzo]

12:59 PM on 02/29/2012

Dear Barbara,

I've supported you guys for years and really enjoyed the dynamics of which you all bring to a discussion or topic on The View. I understand business and how it can sometimes have things done in ways that are not easy to understand by outsiders. What puzzles me is, after all this time you guys decide to ambush one of your own. Don't fool yourselves most of your viewers like myself knew that Starr's contract was not renewed. It was very distasteful for you to publicly humiliate her when everyone already knew the true. What was your point? You gave her the heads up and you know self preservation is a dominate rule of nature. Why call her a lie when you guys were not forth coming with the truth from the beginning. Your time should have been spent trying to have her feel better about herself. You know she is a weak sheep and her spirit is beaten. You are blessed with the type of insight and experience only a few have attained in this world. That was wrong!!!! Sad to say, I strongly disapprove. That was an unforgiveable classless act. from a person I thought to be a class act.

Leni

[robjh1]

12:03 PM on 02/28/2012

Look folks it's a talk show that has a hot topic format as an opening segment. Naturally, people were curious about what happened six years ago and if the ladies made up, so it was all hatched out. Star is a big girl (no pun intended) and can hold her on (as she did). She would be naive if she thought her exit from the show in 2006 wasn't going to come up.

Barbara Walters and Bill Geddy both know how to work and play the media and viewers. They were successful in their latest attempt.

[UnRed]

10:33 PM on 02/27/2012

O'Really should be confined to the Fox News ghetto and the less he appears elsewhere, the better. Clearly, he is not ready to venture out in polite society.

[HeyJoeHere]

07:39 PM on 02/27/2012

I agree with all the folks here who are glad 'star' is gone.... she was a waste of time....

[NAMU2010]

04:26 PM on 02/27/2012

BW and Joy were childish, nasty and mean. Whatever happened so long ago should be left for the tell all book, and not used to bash a guest on the show. Petty, petty, petty

[Veneita]

04:23 PM on 02/27/2012

If there needed to be an airing of grievances, it could have been done privately.

[Hrover]

02:17 PM on 02/27/2012

Why is a jones even on TV?

[Frog in a pot]

01:19 PM on 02/27/2012

Star Jones is embarrassingly ignorant.I cringe everytime she opens her mouth.

[wetheenemy]

01:02 PM on 02/27/2012

Walters is intrinsically a mean nasty person. I wish someone would ask her how she felt when her father died.

[efell]

11:55 AM on 02/27/2012

I'm not a Star Jones fan but she got hosed on this one. Walters hiding behind Getties skirt on this one. It's her show. She does what she wants. Own it Barbara. She is so irrelevant. Just do everyone a favor and retire.

[shoegirl]

11:49 AM on 02/27/2012

It's interesting the ladies never spoke about the fact that there was an all male panel discussing women's vaginas....I would think that would be a perfect topic, but instead its all tabloid nonsense. Come on Barbara.

[harriettubman]

10:36 AM on 02/27/2012

BW and Cindy Adams are BFFs. Does anybody remember the critical, scathing article CA wrote about Star after the fracas on the show??? I thought it was so unprofessional.

[almchrl13]

08:59 PM on 02/27/2012

Cindy Adams played a flying monkey in The Wizard of Oz - without make up or special effects.

[harriettubman]

10:18 AM on 02/27/2012

BW needs to take responsibility sometimes. She's a great journalist but when she's backed into a corner it seems she doesn't hold herself accountable. If Geddie insisted why didn't she resist? Same thing with the Rosie/Trump mess. Donald was the one going around saying that BW told him things about Rosie.

Star was ambushed and although I've never been a fan of hers in the past, I don't think it was right. Regardless of how Star acted on the show that was 6 yrs ago and the info has been rehashed in People Mag, interviews, etc. Joy Behar was very disappointing too. She asked Star the very same questions they discussed on her HLN show so what were JB & BW bringing new to The View audience besides a bunch of cat scratching??? Meow, they were both wrong.

BW may have opened the door for many females but over time the accountability issue is diminishing her.

[juliepo]

09:46 PM on 02/26/2012

No surprise about interview here. Starr used "View" to shill for wedding, had colleagues lie about her gastric bypass surgery for years, blindsided them with an unplanned live resignation, then wrote a tell all book. She was LUCKY to be asked back!!! She owed them the apology for her behavior for years.

[jaye27]

09:05 AM on 02/27/2012

I agree. Whatever made Starr think they WOULDN"T ask her about it. It's the View for Heaven's sake, that's what they do.

[mnjlib]

03:50 AM on 03/04/2012

Uh...When they did not renew her contract they said she could handle it however she wanted, they DID NOT say she had to admit she was fired live on the show to provide public humiliation entertainment for people like you. Also, being on TV with petty co-workers you don't feel safe with, does not require you to disclose your medical records on national TV or promote dangerous medical procedures to millions of viewers.
Star was on the show to help educate women about a disease she almost DIED from.

[LogicalMathMan]

12:10 PM on 02/27/2012

My first fan this bright and sunny Monday morning...#7 juliepo.