Did Meghan McCain Drive Abby Huntsman Off 'The View'? Inside Their Explosive Feud
Huntsman said she's leaving the show to help with her dad's campaign. Is that the real story?
Getty Abby Huntsman announced this week that she will be vacating her spot at the table on The View. The conservative co-host told the audience that she was leaving to spend more time with her three children and to help her father with his campaign for governor of Utah.
Behind the scenes, however, there are multiple reports that Huntsman's decision was informed by her growing frustration with her co-host Meghan McCain. McCain's attention-grabbing antics on the show and aggressive arguing tactics have gotten on everyone's nerves and Huntsman didn't want to stick around as tensions only got worse backstage.
So why is Abby Huntsman really leaving The View? Did Meghan McCain drive Abby Huntsman off The View? Inside the Meghan McCain/Abby Huntsman feud.
1. Huntsman announced this would be her last week on The View.
On Tuesday, Huntsman announced that she would be leaving The View after almost two years sitting around the table. In a memo to the show producers, she wrote, "ABC has been my family for a long time and I am so thankful to have had a seat at the table on an iconic show like The View. After much deliberation over the holidays, I have decided to leave the show to dedicate myself full-time in support of my dad and his campaign for governor of Utah."
In her on-air announcement, she gave warm good-byes to all of her castmates and thanked the audience for their attention during her time with the show. But reports from behind the scene suggest that family commitments aren't the only reason she decided not to continue the coveted gig. In truth, the "toxic atmosphere" was too much for her and she didn't want to stick around any longer.
She announced her departure this week.
2. One of the major problems on the show Meghan McCain's behavior.
It's no secret Meghan McCain is often the cause of on-air arguments between the co-hosts. The volatile daughter of the late Senator John McCain brings a lot of fire — and a lot of viewers — to the show with her take-no-prisoners attitude.
She famously clashed with Joy Behar 2018 during a discussion about typical Trump voters. "I really come here every day open-minded, just trying to explain it, and it’s not a fun job for me every day.” When Behar responded with a sarcastic “aww” sound, McCain snapped: “Oh, don’t feel bad for me, b****, I’m paid to do this, okay?”
In 2019, she and Whoopi Goldberg got into it when Goldberg tried to prevent McCain from talking over everyone else at the table. McCain had tried to steamroll something co-host Sunny Hostin was saying, and Goldberg was attempting to moderate the discussion so everyone could be heard in turn. McCain petulantly complained that Goldberg was trying to silence conservative viewpoints, to which Goldberg napped, "Girl! Please stop talking! Please stop talking right now!”
“No problem. I won’t talk for the rest of the show,” McCain retorted. Goldberg responded, “I’m OK with that if you’re going to behave like this.” Producers reportedly had to speak with McCain during a commercial break to get her back on topic for the rest of the show.
3. Huntsman doesn't like McCain's know-it-all attitude.
Both Huntsman and McCain come from political families. McCain's father, John McCain, was a Senator from Arizona and was once the Republican Party's candidate for President, losing to Barack Obama in 2008. Huntsman's father Jon Huntsman also mounted an unsuccessful presidential bid and was also Governor of Utah as well as being Ambassador to China and Ambassador to Russia.
In a recent episode, their shared backgrounds clashed when McCain tried to make her own experience in politics the centerpiece of an argument about impeachment. McCain tried to brush off an opinion of Huntsman's, suggesting it was naive. Huntsman shot back, "Well, I’ve also been in politics. [It’s] my upbringing too, and a lot of people have been around politics or know politics, whether you have family or not … This show is about opinions.”
4. The so-called "baby fight" was one breaking point in the Abby Huntsman/Meghan McCain feud.
McCain has been open about her struggles to have a family of her own. She has written about a past miscarriage and her difficulties in trying to conceive. McCain allegedly spoke to Huntsman later to ask her not to talk about her kids on-air and be more supportive of McCain's feelings about the subject of children.
The "baby fight" was just one more moment where Huntsman felt McCain was getting on her case about something minor. "Abby was sick of being berated by Meghan for perceived slights," a source close to the show said. "She ultimately decided she didn't need this job and it wasn't worth it."
5. No one is talking to McCain right now.
The on-air sniping has caused all the relationships on the show to fray — not just Huntsman's. A source told reporters that McCain's petulant antics on air have left her isolated from the rest of the cast. She had counted on Huntsman to remain her friend and ally since they're both there to bring a conservative viewpoint to the show but now even Huntsman has lost patience.
“They aren’t speaking to each other. It’s been about a month. None of the ladies talk to Meghan now. Abby was the last woman standing. It’s bad. Meghan’s so rude,” the source told reporters just days before Huntsman announced her departure. "Abby tolerates Meghan, but she doesn’t genuinely like her. Their friendship has soured.”
6. McCain's acting like everything is fine.
In an Instagram post after Huntsman's announcement, McCain shared nothing but positive words. "Wishing my amazing friend and co-host @HuntsmanAbby nothing but the best on her next chapter!" she wrote. "@theviewabc is less without you and your light. I wish you, your family, & your father #JonHuntsman’s campaign all the absolute best. He’s lucky to have you officially lead his team!"
This kind of making nice after blow-ups is typical of The View. Whenever McCain has a spat with someone on-air, the show is quick to say they're all friends. Joy Behar has had to clarify their relationship in the past, as has Whoopi Goldberg.
McCain praised Huntsman.
6. Huntsman won't play nice now that she's leaving.
The reporting in the wake of Huntsman's departure has not been flattering to The View as a whole. Sources call the entire environment of the show toxic and say all the people working there feel the pressure and negativity swirling around behind the scenes.
ABC may have been hoping to quell those reports by having Huntsman talk about how things are better than reports indicate, but Huntsman isn't willing to do it. She reportedly asked Whoopi Goldberg's advice and the veteran of the show said Huntsman had said her kind good-byes already and she didn't need to do more if she didn't want to.
Friday will be Abby Huntsman's last day on the show. ABC will bring in a rotating group of guest hosts to fill her seat.
Rebekah Kuschmider has been writing about celebrities, pop culture, entertainment, and politics since 2010. She is the creator of the blog FeminXer and she is a cohost of the weekly podcast The More Perfect Union.