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Entertainment January 16, 2017
“Elections you win or lose on one day, but democracy you have to try to win every day,” @VanJones68 speaks on moving forward post-election. pic.twitter.com/x7WsL0QUGG
— The View (@TheView) January 16, 2017
For better or worse, it suddenly seems that anything can happen in Trump-era America, even a male co-host for “The View!”
Van Jones is certainly making a good case for himself to get such a job. The CNN political commentator is beloved by the current co-hosts, has appeared on the show a number of times and impressed once more when he joined the women again on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
There have long been rumors that a man could join the morning chat show, especially since it has been in such constant upheaval in the last few years, and those only grew after this latest appearance with Whoopi Goldberg wishing he could join them every day. “Sometimes I just want to put a ponytail on you and make you sit at our table,” she joked, to a chorus of laughter from Jones and her co-hosts.
READ MORE: Donald Trump’s Volatile History With ‘The View’ in 8 Tweets
Back in 2014 Barbara Walters had suggested “The View” might add a male co-host, after she herself retired from the panel and ahead of the exits of Jenny McCarthy and Sherri Shepherd.
“‘The View’ is entering its 18th year. I thought when I created it, the show might last two years. These women are wonderful, and I don’t know, maybe, maybe we’ll add a man… ah, what a thought,” Walters told Extra.
She added, “I think we’ll try some different people, and I think it would be nice to add a man, stay tuned.” Of course, Rosie O’Donnell then returned for the 18th season, along with Rosie Perez and Nicole Wallace, all of whom have since left the show.
There has since not been any more discussion about men joining “The View,” despite the show having consistent turnover for its co-hosts, aside from Goldberg who has been on the program since 2007.
While no man has been a permanent fixture around the table, the show has had part-time male guest co-hosts before, such as E! personality Ross Matthews, sports commentator Jesse Palmer and conservative ESPN commentator Will Cain – all of whom had reportedly been considered as permanent co-hosts back in 2014.
In light of that, Jones makes perfect sense for the table as he fits right in with the opinions of the majority of the women – especially being anti-Trump. Though at times he is at odds with conservative Jedediah Bila.
Jones particularly moved the co-hosts in speaking about his series of occasional specials on CNN, “The Messy Truth.” “I feel like the conversation has gotten so polarized. And the whole structure of the American discussion now is I’m right, you’re wrong…,” he explained of the town hall discussion format series.
“And so we decided, let’s do a show where we can actually have surprise and confession and discovery together and not always put each other into boxes,” he said, to a warm response from Goldberg and the rest of the co-hosts.
READ MORE: Oprah Winfrey, Ava DuVernay Cope With Election: ‘I Can’t Say the Words ‘President Trump”
He is also experienced with facilitating discussion. For example, he recently joined Oprah Winfrey and Ava DuVernay leading a panel discussion to discuss the latter’s documentary “13th.”
At the event, he talked about Trump in addition to the documentary, at one point agreeing with an audience member who suggested a psychologist should discuss “Trump’s insanity,” reports Deadline.
With views like that, he would certainly be on par with co-hosts Goldberg and Joy Behar in sharing controversial one-liners that make headlines.
