Comparing Behar's situation to Megyn Kelly's, people are wondering why ABC has not fired the 'View' co-host after she admitted on the show in 2016 that she dressed up as an African woman at a Halloween party.
- Feb 8, 2019
AceShowbiz - Joy Behar has been under fire after an old photo of her dressing in blackface resurfaced online. The photo, taken at a Halloween party decades ago, showed her sporting her own curly hair with her skin looking a little darker.
The Wrap media editor Jon Levine brought this up on Twitter, sharing a clip from a 2016 episode of "The View" where Behar and her co-hosts talked about her actual hair. Behar admitted in the footage that she dressed up as a "beautiful African woman."
Her co-hosts were stunned and Raven-Symone, who was a co-host at the time, asked Behar, "Joy, are you black?" She jokingly asked again, "Joy... are you my auntie, Joy?" Behar said she "was so cute" back then. When Raven-Symone asked her if she used tanning lotion, Behar responded that she wore makeup "that was a little bit darker than my skin."
Joy Behar admitted during a taping of The View in 2016 to dressing as a “beautiful African women” at a Halloween party when she was 29 which involved makeup “that was a little bit darker than my skin”
— Jon Levine (@LevineJonathan) February 6, 2019
The show even ran an image of the old photo pic.twitter.com/qKQqzDPxyn
After the clip was brought into attention, many Twitter users slammed Behar for wearing blackface. "I can't really get too bothered at this blackface-lite costume because it was 1971 and people didn't even know what microaggressions were. I'm more flabbergasted by her willingness to pull this photo out and proudly show the world as if it's totally cool in the year 2016," one wrote.
"Back in the 70s, The View's Joy Behar talked in adoration of trying to look the part of a 'beautiful African woman' - Diana Ross, when she put on makeup to look 'black'," another commented. "So this is ok? Somebody please, write down these rules again."
Back in the 70s, The View's Joy Behar talked in adoration of trying to look the part of a ‘beautiful African woman’ — Diana Ross, when she put on makeup to look "black"
— Wayne Dupree 🎧 (@WayneDupreeShow) February 7, 2019
So this is ok? Somebody please, write down these rules again. https://t.co/lmVgMv8fqk
Many others compared Behar's situation to Megyn Kelly's. The latter was fired by NBC after she suggested that it's okay for white people to wear blackface on Halloween on "Megyn Kelly Today". One wrote, "Megyn Kelly was fired from her show for asking a hypothetical question about blackface. Joy Behar actually wore blackface, and admitted it, and showed a picture of it on TV, yet she still has her job."
Megyn Kelly was fired from her show for asking a hypothetical question about blackface. Joy Behar actually wore blackface, and admitted it, and showed a picture of it on TV, yet she still has her job. https://t.co/dIJdoMmhmz
— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) February 7, 2019
Another similarly added, "Wow ... @megynkelly was fired for just raising a discussion about blackface, not wearing it herself!"
Wow ... @megynkelly was fired for just raising a discussion about blackface, not wearing it herself! https://t.co/e159loDPKo
— Amber Athey (@amber_athey) February 6, 2019
Another slammed Democrats' double standard in judging people wearing blackface. "Now Democrats are trying to 'normalize' blackface when done by a Democrat," the said user claimed. "Megyn Kelly didn't actual DO blackface. She merely spoke of a friend who did it. Joy Behar condemned Megyn. Double standards are WRONG!"
Now Democrats are trying to "normalize" blackface when done by a Democrat.
— John 🐘🗳️ (@NobamaDotCom) February 7, 2019
Megyn Kelly didn't actual DO blackface. She merely spoke of a friend who did it.
Joy Behar condemned Megyn.
Double standards are WRONG! https://t.co/Skh39rY3yk
There are a few, though, who still defend Behar. "Note to all the racist POS that think this is blackface. IT IS NOT!!!! Joy Behar DID NOT use black shoe polish and she clearly looks like herself, not a mockery of a black person! Y'all are reaching because you hate her so much but this is just ri-damn-diculous!" one explained.
Note to all the racist POS that think this is blackface.🗣IT IS NOT!!!! Joy Behar DID NOT use black shoe polish and she clearly looks like herself, not a mockery of a black person! Y’all are reaching because you hate her so much but this is just ri-damn-diculous!😡 #JoyBeharpic.twitter.com/u1HQcgySF7
— Ericka Strong🧩 (@asize12) February 7, 2019
Behar and ABC have not responded to the backlash regarding her blackface photo.