NETWORKWOMEN.COM: COVER STORY, NOVEMBER, 1999

NOVEMBER, 1999 COVER STORY
STAR JONES and JOY BEHAR

CO-HOSTS, ABC's "The View"

BY CHRISTINA D. MORRIS

STAR JONES and JOY BEHAR Co-Hosts, ABC's "The View"

By: Christina D. Morris

Bringing the co-hosts Joy Behar and Star Jones of "The View," a hot TV property, to the East End created enormous interest as a result of the daytime television program's phenomenal success.They came to Georgio's at Fox Hill for the Central Suffolk Hospital's grand finale to their Annual Fall Women's Wellness Series on Thursday evening October 28. Prior to "The View on the East End," sponsored by North Fork Bank, VIP guests mingled with the co-hosts, Joy Behar and Star Jones, of the award winning daytime show. Ms. Behar is a popular stand-up comedian, appearances on Broadway, off-Broadway and film, and host of HBO specials.

Star Jones, an attorney with a decade of covering high profile cases, is probably best known for her interpretation for the television viewing audience of the O.J. Simpson trial.The show, the brainchild of diva interviewer Barbara Walters, was described recently by Ian Mohr in the September edition of Variety as, "an idea to cross a 1960s yakker (sic) with Sunday morning political punditry. The result: five women, one table and lively roundtable gabbing ranging from politics to panty lines." Ms. Walters co-hosts several times a week and she is showcased in a completely different mode than viewers have come to know her. Viewers enjoy seeing a somewhat different personality as she takes on a den mother role with her animated co-hosts. In addition to Ms. Behar and Ms, Jones, the show is further bolstered by the personalities of six-time Emmy award-winning journalist Meredith Vieira, former chief correspondent for ABC News' "Turning Point," and Lisa Ling, a dynamic young reporter with former reporting assignments for Channel One News in more than two dozen countries including Russia, Afghanistan, Iraq and Vietnam.Networking wanted to know more about the two dynamic personalities who came to the East End to be part of the Central Suffolk Hospital's Women's Health Series. Neither Joy or Star knew Barbara Walters prior to auditions, but expressed their delight in discovering how warm and welcoming she was. Star Jones added, "She wrote a note to all of us who were auditioning which said that the one thing she couldn't produce was the chemistry of the co-hosts ... that would come naturally, When we sat down for the first time together ... it was obvious that she was right." Joy remarked "She (Barbara Walters) was a guest at a party for Milton Berle, I performed there and she says that she hired me based on that appearance." As far as chemistry goes, Joy admitted they have "excellent chemistry" and Star had this to say, "We don't have to try hard because we respect and genuinely like each other."Joy revealed she had a brief Long Island connection when she took her MA. in English education at Stony Brook. A Brooklynite by birth, she began her career in the teaching field, Joy claims her voice sounds, "like I have Jimmy Hoffa in the back of my throat," and she strips thevarnish off pretensions. In mixing with audiences or interviewing politicians and artists, she dives into absurd juxtapositions, her aim being not to sneer, but to uncloset absurdities- "especially those perpetrated by big guys on little ones." Pursuing comedy professionally, she received bookings in many New York clubs including Catch a Rising Star and Caroline's.

Along with her many award-winning roles on television, Joy's film career also took off, appearing in "Cookie" with Peter Falk, "This is My Life," directed by Nora Ephron and in Woody Allen's "Manhattan Murder Mystery," and with Renee Taylor in "Love Is All There Is." She earned rave reviews in the starring role of the off-Broadway hit, "The Food Chain." She has also appeared on Broadway in "Comedy Tonight" with Mort Sahl and Dorothy Loudon."I don't have much time to do movies, I appear on TV shows often, such as "Politically Incorrect? and "Hollywood Squares," and I write new material regularly for stand-up," she adds, "I enjoy the show immensely, It'snot stressful (as stand up comedy can be), I like the spontaneity." She admits that stand-up comedy is the most difficult. It is also the most rewarding.Has life changed since she appears five-days-a-week on national television? "Yes! More people recognize me when I go shopping, I don't mind the attention, except when I'm eating. I wear sunglasses and hats, but they still recognize my behind," she quips. Her family is very happy for her and she adds, "the show has allowed my family to enjoy a new house."

Future notes on Joy are her book Joyshtick published recently. It will appear in paperback in May, 2000, and she will be appearing at Avery Fisher Hall for the Marshall's "Women in Comedy Festival" on November 10th at 8 p.m. which will honor Phyllis Diller with Bebe Neuwirth hosting.

Star Jones is certainly "star" material, Born and raised in Badin, North Carolina and Trenton, New Jersey, she graduated from American University and received a law degree from the University of Houston, Upon graduation, she took a job in the District Attorney's office in Brooklyn, wanting to be on the front lines of the criminal justice system in one of the biggest (and, most criminally active) places in the world. After three years in general trials, she moved to the Homicide Bureau, where her efforts earned her a promotion to senlor Assistant District Attorney in 1991.It was during her attention-getting run in the courtroom that she began moonlighting as an analyst for Court TV. As one of the leading prosecutors in the country, she felt she had reached a point in her legal career where she could either continue her commitment to public service along the path of more of the same, or move into a more administrative position- Hence her burgeoning television career and the chance to explain the workings of our criminal system to a mass audience. Star Jones involvement with television included senior correspondent mid chief legal analyst for the syndicated news program "Inside Edition." As legal correspondent for NBC News, she covered the Mike Tyson trial and for the "Today" show, the Rodney King trial, She had her own syndicated program called, "Jones & Jury" from 1994-95. Having moved to Los Angeles for the pre-production of the show, American television viewers came to know her very well following her exclusive interviews with O.J. Simpson and other principals in the case which won her a loyal following among audiences and talk show producers, as well as in the legal community. She was a frequent guest on issue driven talk shows such as CNBC's "Rivera Live," "The Charles Grodin Show," PBS's "The Charlie Rose Show," and CNN's "Larry King Live" and "CNN & Co." In September of 1998, Star's first book,You Have to Stand for Something, or You'll Fall for Anything, received widespread acclaim. It is a collection of autobiographical essays wherein she writes of her strong family upbringing, her near death experience, her faith in God, her work in the courtroom and her own self image. Star mentioned, "I am very involved in issues that involve women, victim's rights and youth," Topical issues of concern for women are often sustenance for exploration on the show and it was no different at Giorgio's. Of extraordinary interest to women on Long Island is the incidence of breast cancer due to the region's higher than national average. Star's individual segment in October on "The View" - "Star's Heart to Heart" - included two breast cancer survivors who shared their survival stories and how they were actually thriving. Joy has an interesting point of view as to the reasons for the show's success; "I think that "The View" is catching on for all the obvious reasons, but 1 also would not underestimate the attraction to criticizing and psycho-analyzing us!" She has a point.

The co-hosts, including Ms. Walters, willingly reveal to the audience many personal foibles which characterize these women as being awfully human. For example; Star has a shoe fetish, and Joy is a cement lover, no strolls along the beach for her. The camaraderie between these two dynamic women is worth mentioning as it appears so natural, even ad lib! "Once we hit the air, it is all unscripted and you have to hang on for the ride," Star told Networking. A topic of interest to both women is the media's treatment of women. The subject evoked this response from Joy, "I don't think that most shows on TV accurately estimate the level of intelligence of women watching, There is a way, and I think we come close on "The View" of entertaining women at a high level." Star's comment reverberates among many women as she stated, "I would like the media to get over its obsession with thinness. it makes women feel we have to conform to some standard of beauty that is unattainable for a majority of women, instead of celebrating the beauty of diversity." Networking could not agree more!

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