On today’s edition of “The View,” a discussion on the propriety of male nannies led Rosie O’Donnell to declare that she would never hire one to care for her adopted children. Barbara Walters asked her, “Are you worried about homosexual tendencies? Is that what you are saying?” O’Donnell replied, “No, pedophilia has nothing to do with homosexual” [sic]. To which Walters said, “Oh, pedophilia.” Shortly thereafter, O’Donnell asked Walters if she would have hired a male nannie for her daughter when she was growing up. Walters hesitated, and before she could speak, Joy Behar interjected with the comment, “A priest perhaps?” O’Donnell grimaced and the audience roared with laughter.
Catholic League president Bill Donohue outlined his strategy as follows:
“It is obvious that Barbara Walters is begging for a fight with Catholics. Consider it done. Over the past year, the Catholic League has registered several complaints with Walters, who is co-owner of the show, executive producer Bill Geddie, and Anne Sweeney, co-chair, Disney Media Networks and president, Disney-ABC Television Group. None has replied. While the anti-Catholic bigots have either been Rosie O’Donnell or Joy Behar (today’s culprit), the person most responsible for allowing this unrelenting assault on Catholic sensibilities is Walters.
“Accordingly, beginning in mid-June, we will commence a public relations campaign against Barbara Walters. When we’re finished, so too will be her once stellar reputation. Today was the last straw.”
