Air Head Alert: ABC Hires Former Playboy Playmate to Co-Host The View

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Category: Streaming, Cable

Published on Tuesday, 16 July 2013 14:46

Written by Janet Walker

Jenny McCarthy, former Playboy model and frequent guest host for the popular daytime talk show, “The View,” has been given a permanent host position in the wake of the departure of conservative Elizabeth Hasselbeck.

Barbara Walters, co-creator and long time anchor, of “The View” stated, "We are delighted that Jenny will be joining us as a permanent co-host," Walters says, adding McCarthy "brings us intelligence as well as warmth and humor. She can be serious and outrageous. She has connected with our audience and offers a fresh point of view."

The naming of Ms. McCarthy brings into question the views and direction of the ABC executive team. An advocate of anti-vaccinations, McCarthy has unfortunately been given the position to influence many with her unorthodox beliefs that will leave millions of young children at risk to disease and possibly death. Her anti-vaccine position negates the work of great scientists including Dr. Jonas Salk and medical professionals who have dedicated their careers to saving and improving the lives of children.

Her anti-vaccination views are considered dangerous by most of the global medical community and have been the motivation for many recent sponsorship and speaking offers to be withdrawn.

The choice, by the ABC Executives, in naming a former Playmate without secondary education reinforces the stereotype that sex is the way to success and negates the need for education. It also degrades the struggles millions of women, including Malala Yousafzia who was shot by the Taliban for requesting education.

Her position as co-host of “The View,” is powerful and its unfortunate the Executives at ABC decided to promote a loose cannon to one of the most coveted seats in the house.

The dynamics of “The View” were best when the women enjoyed strong debate over differing opinions. Who cares about the view when it one single liberal opinion? Yes, we know already Hillary in 2016. We, the public, understand the ABC news team is gearing up to reinforce a unified opinion in the upcoming presidential election. What better way than a gathering across all demographics including the bubble headed bleach blond with a sex for success reputation?

It’s not so much that everyone “stay in their respective lanes” as The Wrap TV editor Tim Malloy wrote, as that implies, I felt, educated women are ugly and celebrity women are beautiful and there is no middle ground. This idea negates talent such as Jody Foster who earned a degree from Yale, Meryl Streep; Vassar and Yale, Elizabeth Olsen; NYU, and the list continues.

The executives who hired Ms. McCarthy through their actions are simply stating sex gets you the job; sex sells your platform faster than education and dedicated pursuit. Sex still sells in 2013 faster than a degree from any university. False claims even better; a pretty face, deep cleavage and a glossy photo spread land the plum opportunities. Women, unfortunately, are still the sum of their parts.

And what is important to add is this is not a judgment on Ms. McCarthy for her Playboy spread or other sex sell efforts. It is however, a judgment on the executives at ABC who are at fault for once again trying to further an agenda that is distasteful, archaic and opposite of all the propaganda they preach when they want to promote the exhaustive line of consumer products purchased by parents geared to the profitable and highly influential toddler/pre-school/kids market.

The Magic Kingdom has double standards when it comes to their own princesses as never once have any of those that met their handsome prince taken off her clothes to land him. He is swept away by charm, brains, wit, humor, and attractiveness. In the Magic Kingdom, female parts are secondary to those qualities we instill as important to our very impressionable daughters.

For these reasons it is an insulting choice to the millions of viewers who enjoyed the sharp commentary, rapier wit and biting sarcasm that fueled intellectual debates.  

The statement from ABC, through the hiring, is simple: When it comes to women objectification is really our only concern.