Joy Behar Brings ‘The View’ to Stunned Silence During #MeToo Discussion: “You Can’t Help Yourself Sometimes”

It’s rare that a co-host stuns the The View‘s audience silent, but Joy Behar managed to make it happen on Thursday morning. During a discussion about #MeToo and workplace dating policies, Behar created a tense moment when she insisted that “there’s no danger” at The View, as the show’s staffers are “all gay or married.” After an incredibly awkward silence, the audience half-chuckled, and Abby Huntsman attempted to correct the veteran host. “We have a lot of single, young producers on the show,” said the conservative panelist. “No, we don’t. Do we?” replied Behar. “I never see them. They hide them from me.”

After missing a few days due to a cold, Behar returned on Thursday for a big day of Hot Topics. During Thursday’s second segment, the panel discussed millennials’ attitudes towards workplace relationships, with Huntsman arguing for them and Sunny Hostin and Meghan McCain joining forces on the opposite side of the debate. Behar initially argued that there could be an issue “if the person that you’re sleeping with has more power,” but she then flipped sides.

“You can’t help yourself sometimes,” she said, attempting to make a joke. “You’re totally attracted, like I am to Brian [Teta, The View‘s executive producer].” McCain offered a fake smile at Behar’s bizarre remark, while Hostin laughed. The veteran View host doubled down and insisted that she has to “control herself every day” around Teta, and McCain continued to smile awkwardly. “Okay,” she finally said, attempting to move the conversation out of dangerous territory.

A few minutes later, after McCain insisted that she’d “rather be celibate than date anyone” she works with, Behar made things even worse. “At our show, there’s no danger. They’re either gay or married,” she said. There was an uncomfortable pause, and half the audience let out a reluctant laugh (McCain looked at them as if to say, “Are you guys hearing this?”). Huntsman attempted to correct her by saying that The View has “a lot of single, young producers,” but Behar failed to see any issue with her comment. “No, we don’t. Do we?” she asked. “I never see them. They hide them from me.”

Finally, McCain began talking over her in an attempt to save the discussion. “I was so against getting married for a long time. Thank god I’m married,” she said. “Thank god that I don’t have to ever date again because this is way too confusing for everyone.” Especially Joy Behar, it seems.

Watch The View‘s terribly awkward #MeToo discussion in the clip above.

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