‘The View” has a new feud.
“View” co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck ambushed comedian Bill Maher on the morning show yesterday — payback, it seems, for a joke he made about her last February.
“Forgive the idiotic Republican for bringing this to your brilliant mind,” Hasselbeck said launching into the comic, who had come on the show to promote a new book.
After the Egyptian government detained CBS reporter Lara Logan in the days before Hosni Mubarak’s downfall, Maher — on his HBO show — facetiously offered a prisoner swap of Hasselbeck for Logan.
“You can’t sit here right now and tell me I’m wrong for saying that wasn’t that funny,” Hasselbeck said.
“You are a public figure,” Maher, who’d been seated directly next to her, replied. “It was not aimed at you personally . . . [but] you’re fodder for comedians.”
“Would you say that again?” Hasselbeck shot back as the exchange grew hotter. “Would you [make a joke about] that same trade of women?”
“If I saw it in my crystal ball, and I knew I was coming here to spend my whole segment talking about it, no, it really wouldn’t be worth it,” Maher replied. “Really, I feel like I’m in high school sitting next to you.”
“How long ago was that?” Hasselbeck replied.
“The View” has had some famous feuds in the past — sometimes between cast members themselves.
But it has been a while since the show has witnessed a scene like yesterday’s and video of squabble was all over the Internet within hours.