Deja Vu on 'The View': Former Co-Hosts Reunite for Barbara Walters' Farewell
May 15, 2014— -- intro: It was deja vu on "The View" today as all 11 co-hosts gathered for the first time in the show's 17-year history to say farewell to Barbara Walters as she officially retires from daily television.
Meredith Vieira, Star Jones, Joy Behar, Debbie Matenopoulos, Lisa Ling, Rosie O'Donnell and Elisabeth Hasselbeck joined current co-hosts Sherri Shepherd, Jenny McCarthy and Whoopi Goldberg on stage to share their favorite memories of Walters ahead of her final show on Friday.
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"I love you all," Walters said. "I'm so proud that we are still friends. Not everyone can say that and work with everyone and still love them."
Like all good friends, the co-hosts first took a moment to catch up.
quicklist:title: Meredith Vieiratext: Walters asked Vieira about her husband Richard and their three kids.
"My husband had a scare with a clot recently, but he's fine," she said. "The kids are all grown...and about as far away from us as you can imagine."
Later, Vieira said her favorite memory of Walters was the time she dressed as Marilyn Monroe.
"It was funny, yet disturbing," she said.
quicklist:title: Star Jonestext: Jones also talked about her family, including celebrating her father's 75th birthday and her grandmother's 95th.
She also showed a picture of her "silly little dog," as Walters called it.
"She is very good. Thank you, very much," Jones said.
Jones joked that her favorite memory of Walters was how much she plugged her work on "20/20" and her specials. Joking aside, Jones added that Walters taught her, "If you care about the work that you've done, you need to tell people about it."
quicklist:title: Debbie Matenopoulostext: Matenopoulos, who recently revealed that she was pregnant and married to 36-year-old photographer Jon Falcone, showed off her 5-month baby bump during the reunion.
She also got very emotional while sharing the story of her audition for "The View" at age 22, when she was a pink-haired VJ for MTV. "I show up and there is a sea of famous women," she recalled. "One woman made a snide comment me ... and I turned around to walk out of the door and there stood Barbara Walters." Walters put her arm around Matenopoulos and told her she was glad that she came, as they walked in the room together.
"You gave me the confidence and courage to continue, especially that first day, and every day on the set," Matenopoulos said, wiping away tears.
quicklist:title: Joy Behartext: Behar told a couple funny stories about her grandson, Luca, who is now three-years-old. She later cracked that the love fest was "like the last supper" with Walters.
She also had everyone in stitches recalling the disagreements she and Walters used to have and how Walters could never be wrong.
quicklist:title: Lisa Lingtext: Ling showed a picture of her one-year-old daughter and husband, as she recalled the best advice Walters ever gave her: "Don't neglect your personal life." Ling said. "My daughter Jett has changed our lives in such profound ways."
Later, she recalled the one time she saw Walters "show fear" -- behind the wheel of a golf cart.
"One thing Barbara doesn't do very well is drive," Ling said.
quicklist:title: Elisabeth Hasselbecktext: Hasselbeck also talked babies -- specifically how she had her three children during her 10-year tenure on the show.
"This show got me pregnant three times," she joked, adding that her children all say "hello" to Walters.
Hasselbeck, now the host of "Fox & Friends," said the greatest lesson she learned from Walters was "be prepared to be unprepared. That has really helped me in so many situations."
quicklist:title: Rosie O'Donnelltext: Asked what she missed most about the show, O'Donnell quipped, "Fighting with the skinny one here" -- pointing to Hasselbeck who was seated next to her.
O'Donnell also shared pictures of her new wife and baby and her four other children, while the women complimented her on her slimmed-down figure.
"I had a heart attack; I had surgery," she said, referring to a gastric bypass. "I walk into Lane Bryant at the mall just to hear them say, 'We don't have anything to fit you.'"
