It’s been months since Rosie O’Donnell left after her second short tenure as co-host of The View. And while the ship struggles to remain upright in the absence of Barbara Walters, ABC has finally found someone to take O’Donnell’s place. Raven-Symoné of The Cosby Show, That’s So Raven, and Empire fame is now officially a fourth co-host of The View.
Raven-Symoné was one of several women to step in after O’Donnell’s departure. But while Top Chef host Padma Lakshmi, the comedian Cristela Alonzo, Katherine Schwarzenegger, Michelle Collins, Martha Stewart, and ESPN’s Samantha Ponder were merely filling in, Raven-Symoné is here to stay.
Hers wasn’t the first name to be bandied about when ABC started looking for an O’Donnell replacement. Inside sources told Vanity Fair that former The View host Joy Behar and Monica Lewinsky were being considered for the fourth chair. But after 40 episodes in the guest-host role, Raven-Symoné’s chemistry with the rest of the hosts has proved to be the winning combination.
At age 29, Raven-Symoné is by far the youngest host on the panel which includes Whoopi Goldberg, Nicolle Wallace, and Rosie Perez. Perhaps ABC hopes she will appeal to a different demographic as the show continues to try to find its footing in the wake of so much turnover. The View creator Barbara Walters gave her blessing, saying, “Raven-Symoné is a welcome addition to The View. She is happy, amusing and well informed, and has already brought a unique perspective to the program that has resonated with our audience.”
Credit:E!
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