‘The View’s Joy Behar Defends “Blackface” Costume in Contentious Interview: “That Was an Homage!”

It’s not the Fourth of July, but The View just treated viewers to some major fireworks. On Friday morning, Republican congressional candidate Kim Klacik threw down with Joy Behar in a fiery screaming match that left her other co-hosts reeling. Things came to a head when Klacik accused Behar of wearing blackface in an old Halloween costume, an allegation that The View co-host vehemently denied. “That’s not true!” yelled Behar. “The Black community had my back!”

Klacik’s time on The View was relatively tame for about 15 minutes — she discussed her plans for Baltimore City, her campaign to fill Elijah Cummings’ congressional seat, and Trump’s COVID-19 response — but things heated up as the interview concluded. When asked about the pandemic’s disproportionate effect on Black communities, Klacik said that if not for “NAFTA and the Clinton administration,” biotech companies would have remained in the United States and played a larger role in the early days of COVID-19.

“Come on, Kim,” replied Behar after Klacik wrapped up. “[Trump] told Bob Woodward that it was a very serious issue and it’s airborne and that it was terrible, and then he went out and told the American public, ‘Don’t wear masks, it’s all going to go away.’ You have to put some blame on your president, I’m sorry.”

“Is this Joy speaking? The same Joy that paraded around in blackface not too long ago?” said Klacik, referencing a “beautiful African woman” Halloween costume Behar wore as a 29-year-old. “Come on, Joy, I don’t think you should be asking questions.”

The View host insisted that “that’s not true” and yelled that the Black community “know[s] that that was not blackface,” but an “homage.”

“The Black community has my back as well!” yelled Klacik.

And with that, it was time for backup. “The Black community has your back?!” asked Sunny Hostin. “The Black community did not vote for you! What planet are you living on?!”

Klacik attempted to argue that the moment in question came “during a special election while we were still under lockdown,” but it didn’t matter: the train had completely driven off the tracks. Hostin, Behar, and Klacik continued to yell over each other, as Meghan McCain and Sara Haines urged them to “be respectful” to their guest. Yikes.

“Listen, Kim, good luck to you,” said Behar, finally cutting the segment short. “That was very immature, but thank you for having me,” replied Klacik. I guess she won’t be returning to The View any time soon.

Watch Kim Klacik’s contentious View interview above.

Where to stream The View