Ladies Who Punch by Ramin Setoodeh

Ladies who Punch is the behind the scenes story of The View.  It is caddy, scathing, petty and humiliating…and I loved every word!

Unless you are a fan of The View, which I have been from its conception almost 20 years ago, you won’t really enjoy this book.  BUT for those who lunch with the ladies as I have over the years, this will be your bible on how the show works, or doesn’t, how the ladies get along, or don’t, and how the staff and talent try to sabotage each other, and they do.  Here are just a few of the highlights:

Rosie O’Donnell was hated by just about everyone on the staff and crew both times she was on the show.  Some producers and even a director refused to be in the same room with her.

Elisabeth Hasslebeck struggled to find her place at the table and was humiliated live on air by Barbara Walters and during the commercial break actually got up and left the stage and quit.

Star Jones was so stunned when her contract was not renewed she went out and hired the REAL woman who was portrayed on the television series Scandal and they devised a plan where Star actually announces her departure without telling anyone she is doing it while at the same time People magazine comes on the stand with a story about her departure.

Barbara Walters while an icon, always seemed to start the chaos but always made sure someone else took the blame for it.  As she neared her retirement from the show she began to get a bit confused and after one particular segment about Jenny McCarthy who was sitting next to her asked McCarthy who Jenny McCarthy was.

Filled will stories and dirt some which had been rumored over the years and some which had been deeply buried Setoodeh had access to most of the hosts throughout the years as well as the producers and staff.  This tell-all is a real tell all!

I highly recommend it!