I am not sure that Barbara Walters could have ever imagined the current incarnation of “The View” as it is today. Initially, it was just a well-rounded cast that representated women of different age groups, ethnicities and opinions. But let’s face it, besides Star Jones and Walters herself, there wasn’t too much opinion going on—although Joy Behar was definitely good for a laugh or two. Enter Rosie O’Donnell and the opinion portion was like a runaway train that even Walters couldn’t keep from going off the rails. Walters turned to Whoopi Goldberg to get things back on track but I wonder if she knew that Whoopi was going to make “The View” into an unexpected treat—yes, even if Elizabeth Hasselback and Sherri Shepherd are in the mix. (Although Sherri doesn’t bug me as much as she used to.)

The way that the comic turned view moderator calmly confronted commentator Glenn Beck on yesterday’s show was priceless. Barbara was trying to keep her head as a journalist by asking questions about factchecking but Whoopi was more direct saying, ‘why did you lie?’ . Then she called him  ’a lying sack of dog poo.’ (Just for the record, like Beck, Whoopi doesn’t consider herself a journalist per se so she’s not bound by any journalist rules.)

It is in these moments —when Whoopi just says what’s on her mind and sometimes goes into a rant —that “The View” is at its best.  That’s when the show breaks free from the mold of formulaic daytime television into something infinitely more interesting. This isn’t the first time that Whoopi has gone off when something has gotten on her nerves. On one occasion she was highly annoyed about how smokers are unfairly vilified and ostracized but the same can’t be said for drinkers. (She definitely had a point.) Then shortly after the Oscars she took some fashionistas to task after they did an article on her offering her fashion advice. Essentially she became the sister next door, you know the one who is taking names and no prisoners—calling  them anonymous bitches. (For the record, I have often wondered and written about the comic’s choices in clothing but now have a healthy respect for her ‘I don’t give a flying f@*# point of view.) 

But it’s not just Whoopi, the opinionated black woman who has no tolerance for bullcrap, that makes “The View” so watchable. It’s also the sister who makes no bones about having no interest in Twitter (or any other ‘it’ thing of the moment). Or the one who invokes her Valley Girl character when discussing “American Idol” or the other reality shows her co-hosts are so enthusiastic about. This is especially funny when it is clear that Whoopi could care less. Or the woman who can say it all in a look, especially over her small eyeglasses. But it is also the Whoopi who shows her vulnerability, like her fear of flying (and the desire to overcome that fear) that gives the show some much needed depth. 

I also like the fact that Whoopi is surprisingly tolerant of Elizabeth Hasselback’s right wing leanings as well as Sherri Shepherd’s sometimes nonsensical ramblings (except when either causes the moderator to roll her eyes or put her head down on the desk).

And I think that it is this mix that gives “The View” a good chance of actually nabbing a Daytime Emmy for best Talk Show Host. But it doesn’t matter if they snag the award or not, with Whoopi in the mix, the show definitely has a winning formula.

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