‘The View’ Bemoans “Cult Of Celebrity” Candidates Dr. Oz, Herschel Walker: “Anything Goes”

FOX News commentators breaking ranks over Donald Trump’s endorsement of Dr. Oz for the U.S. Senate races in Pennsylvania got the attention of the women on The View, as Joy Behar led off Thursday’s “Hot Topics” wondering what to make of it all.

Behar noted that Trump’s endorsement included the claim that Dr. Oz’s TV ratings counted as much as any poll. “No word about whether he can govern or anything like that,” she added.

Which led Thursday’s panel of Behar, Julia Haart, Sunny Hostin and Deborah Roberts to lament the “cult of celebrity” that’s trending across American politics.

“I was shocked along with a lot of people that Donald Trump won on his business record because he bankrupt casinos and he wasn’t a real businessman,” Hostin said. “It was fake, Celebrity Apprentice stuff, that was like a fake television show? And I’m surprised at Oz’s celebrity. Because people seem to forget that he was grilled on Capitol Hill about his fake pushing of a weight-loss drug. And he settled a lawsuit for over $5 million. He didn’t claim any responsibility, but he did settle that lawsuit, and so a lot of people, I think, are now questioning his credentials as a celebrity doctor.”

“Wasn’t he a very respected heart surgeon?” Behar asked.

Hostin replied: “He was, but then he had this television show, and he was sort of pushing these weight-loss drugs. And pushing other claims. And so I thought he sort of went into ill-repute. But that’s obviously not important to a lot of people. Certainly isn’t important to the former twice-disgraced, impeached president.” She seemed even more concerned about the U.S. Senate race in Georgia, where she said retired football player Herschel Walker led in some polls against new incumbent U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock. “And Herschel Walker lied about graduating from the University of Georgia. He said he was the valedictorian and he didn’t even graduate,” Hostin said.

Behar said that’s a claim that’s easily verifiable. “That’s a stupid lie.”

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, in fact, called Walker out on it back in December.

Roberts, who graduated from the University of Georgia in 1982 (the year Walker won the Heisman Trophy), remembered even then: “He was a very charismatic guy.”

Of Dr. Oz, Roberts noted that his TV audience appealed to women, including Oprah Winfrey.  “Last I checked, Oprah wasn’t conservative. So I don’t necessarily think it’s all about their credentials. I think it’s about their charisma,” Roberts said. “And sadly, people do buy into that in our society. And right now, we’re in this world where it seems like anything goes.”

Haart didn’t disagree, saying: “Just because someone has expertise in one arena, does not in any way ensure that they have expertise in another, right? I may know a lot about fashion. But put me in a room with a bunch of, you know, neuroscientists, I’m going to be in trouble.” She said she understood why people feel more comfortable voting for names they recognize, but expressed her hopes that people “look behind the screen of their public persona, and see what does this person actually stand for?”

They also all agreed that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, a former comedy star in TV and movies, might be the exception to the rule of celebrities in politics. Haart said Zelenskky was “doing an extraordinary job” leading Ukraine.

It all made Hostin nostalgic for days when people worked their way up the political ladder from the most local level. “What happened to the old-school politician that started on the city council, right? And then ran for president of the city council. And then became the mayor. And then became the congressperson and the governor.”

“People have decided they don’t want that,” Roberts replied. “The election of Donald Trump, I think, shows that. People are saying we want somebody who’s different, who’s not a politician.”

Behar closed the loop with a zinger, though, noting on Trump: “He lost the second time because people did wake up to how stupid he is.”

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