Jenny McCarthy opened up to Vulture about her tumultuous time co-hosting on The View, detailing her battle with Barbara Walters over vaccines, and everything in between. “Every day I went home and I was miserable,” McCarthy said. “It really was the most miserable I’ve been on a job in my 25 years of show business.” McCarthy joined The View after gaining celebrity from her book about treating her son’s autism—which she claimed was triggered by vaccines—through a combination of a gluten-free diet, vitamins, and behavioral therapy. Before McCarthy had sat down at the host table, Walters, along with TV critics, vehemently opposed the show giving her unscientific views a national platform. McCarthy, who insists she’s not anti-vaccine, but “pro-safe vaccine,” denies ever claiming the treatment is a cure for autism. McCarthy described one instance when Walters allegedly screamed at her over her views on her son’s autism. “This lasted for about seven minutes... one of my heroes just chewed me a new asshole, and I’m going on live TV,” McCarthy said.
When McCarthy joined the show, the 83-year-old Walters was unwillingly on her way out, she said. “Imagine a woman like Barbara Walters... it’s her last year and she doesn’t want to leave... and I’m the new bitch there,” McCarthy explained. According to McCarthy, Walters was highly critical of her: constantly telling her to change clothes, and lashing out over minor issues. “When I’d hear the shuffle of her feet, I knew that Barbara was after me. It would get faster. Oh my God—she’s coming! Based on the speed of the shuffle, I would go hide or get on the phone.”
