Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar look back at 25 years of 'The View' on 'Behind The Table'

On the special podcast series "Behind The Table," Whoopi Goldberg and Joy Behar reflect on their time co-hosting "The View."

For 23 seasons, since "The View" premiered in 1997, Behar has been making viewers laugh. She is the longest-running host in "View" history and brings a mix of her comedy and strong political opinions to the table every day.

EGOT Goldberg joined the show in 2007 as moderator and has been at the helm of the table ever since. She's the show's longest-running moderator and was honored in 2017 with the Disney Legends Award, which celebrates artists whose work has significantly contributed to Disney's enduring reputation for creative excellence.

Taped from their respective homes while wrapping up the show's 24th season in July 2021, the longtime co-hosts discussed their reasons for joining the Emmy Award-winning daytime talk show, memories with show creator Barbara Walters, as well as filming a live show fully remote amid a global pandemic.

On March 11, 2020, "The View" made the decision, for the first time, to not have a live studio audience as the situation surrounding coronavirus developed. Two days later, Behar decided to take time off from co-hosting as a precautionary measure against the virus.

By April 1, 2020, the entire panel and most staff was helping put on a live show from their homes.

While Goldberg and Behar are back at the Hot Topics table in the studio alongside the rest of the panel and enjoy being able to have in-person conversations again, they look back on their time working from home.

They both admitted to enjoying the comforts of home, and discussed the conversational aspects amongst the panel lost while working remotely.

"We're supposed to be having a conversation. I'd like to respond to something you might say, or vise versa," Behar said.

"Folks don't take a breath, and I am guilty of it. We're all guilty of it," Goldberg said of how the panel handled Hot Topics discussions while remote. "It's the only way I think they felt comfortable with me stopping stuff."

"With the pandemic, you learn something about yourself. You learn that you could be not in New York City, for example, for long periods of time and it's not going to be a tragedy," Behar said of her personal experience working from home, adding that she got to spend more time with her children and husband.

Goldberg and Behar also looked back on working with journalist legend and show runner Walters.

"When we look back on her, I think that her life was difficult in many ways," Behar said. "She is an amazing survivor. The way she survived in this industry -- she was up against some of the worst misogyny in the history of television."

"The thing I remember about Barbara is that it fascinated her to meet other women like her," Goldberg said. "It's one of the things I realized Barbara was very, very intrigued by how you did it."

"I can't imagine it was easy when she started," she continued. "I can't even imagine what what they said to her, the things that they said to her."

The two also reminisced about having dinner with Walters at her home before brining Goldberg on as moderator.

Goldberg recalled when Walters visited her radio show, "Wake Up with Whoopi," and bringing up that "The View" was "thinking of maybe adding another person" to the show. She said Walters asked her, "Would you ever be interested in that?"

Immediately, Goldberg remembered telling Barbara that she had been outcast by many in the entertainment industry and told her, "I would not want to bring trouble down on you." She said Walters told her it wasn't a bother and to join her for dinner.

On the ninth episode of "Behind The Table," Behar and Goldberg recount their dinner with Walters and Rosie O'Donnell, share why they joined the show and recall the moment that made them into a Hot Topic.

Listen to Whoopi Goldberg and Joy Behar's "Behind The Table" podcast episode:

The View's original podcast series "Behind the Table" is available for free on major listening platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts, iHeartRadio, Stitcher, TuneIn, Audacy and the ABC News app.