Several weeks after Rosie O'Donnell ended her stint on ABC's The View, those working behind the scenes have beem scrambling to figure out what comes next. O'Donnell's tension with Whoopi Goldberg was palpable even on camera, so with her exit things are naturally a bit calmer, but the show is still hanging by a thread. The ratings have been absolutely awful and the environment at times is so toxic that even Barbara Walters refuses to return even as a guest host. While cancellation seems a good possibility, the producers are still trying to figure out what new talent really works at the roundtable, and a few front runners for regular spots have emerged. Who could replace her at on the daytime chatfest? According to a report by Radar Online, "They really like Raven-Symoné and [comedian] Mario Cantone could get a recurring contract. They will have a more in-depth selection process than last time. The panel that debuts in the fall fall will be the panel for the year. Ever since Rosie left, the cast is all at peace. Everyone really realizes the show isn't doing that well, but at least there's peace behind the scenes now," says an insider.
Raven has spent a few weeks with the ladies and really does seem to bring a unique dynamic to the discussion. She is younger, so she taps into a different demographic and, while fun, Raven does not hold back on her strong opinions either. Cantone has been a longtime favorite of ABC. Perhaps the biggest thing keeping him from inking a solid deal with the show is the fact that his own schedule is pretty busy.
Do you think anyone can save The View, or is it time for the network to just let it go? If it is salvageable, do you think Raven or Cantone have the ability to lure viewers back to the daily chatfest? Tell us your thoughts in the comments section below.
