Joy Behar: from the View to the Joy Behar Show

Battling Controversial Topics with a Comedic Edge, Behar Proves Why She's Meant to Be There

The Joy Behar show premiered in late September 2009 on CNN's sister station HLN. Tackling topics such as racism, sexism, politics and religion Behar proves to keep the HLN lineup of women interesting.

This Italian talk show host began her professional career has a teacher. She has told many stories of the many jobs she had from teaching to getting fired from Good Morning America. Joy's background as a single parent and her Catholic up bringing are often a piece in her comedic material. After years of performing on the stand up comedy circuit and then corporate events Behar gained a fan in Barbara Walters.

In 1997 The View debuted with the intent of having Joy be a part time co host. She immediately proved she had staying power and a fan base and was almost instantly made full time. Besides Walters, Behar is the last of the original co hosts of The View. The list of respected and controversial former co hosts of The View includes Meredith Vierra and Lisa Ling to Star Jones and Rosie O'Donnell. Star Jones and Joy Behar had their own on air spats. It was Joy herself who was stuck between co hosts Rosie O'Donnell and Elizabeth Hasselbeck's live, split screen and much publicisized disputes.

After being a guest on Larry King Live, Joy filled in for him to host the one hour show by herself. Now with her own self titled show Joy has proven she can battle hot topics all by herself. Interviewing guests such as Bill Maher and Ann Coulter it's easy to see that she the subjects of politics and religion are hot buttons for her. But it's also the not so talked about topics that are gaining her exposure. While interviewing Kathy Griffin the two women focused on sexism in comedy. That show alone has fueled blog posts from fans and critics alike.

HLN's week night prime time line up is banking on women - Nancy Grace, Jane Velez-Mitchell and now Joy Behar.

Sources: www.theview.abc.go.com
www.joybehar.blogs.cnn.com