The View's past and present co-hosts are paying tribute to Bill Geddie, who co-created the program and passed away on Thursday at the age of 68.
On the ABC talk show's episode airing on Monday, Whoopi Goldberg praised Geddie and the late Barbara Walters for doing something novel on television. Geddie worked as the program's executive producer for 17 seasons.
"He and Barbara met while working at GMA in New York, where they were a team for 27 years before deciding to do something else, you know Bill." Goldberg shared, aged 67. "And thanks to Barbara's original action, that is how we all ended there at the table. And they refer to it as The View.
Geddie "could be crabby," she continued, "but he was fair and he was funny."
Bill Geddie, co-creator and executive producer of "The View," dies at age 68.
Sherri Shepherd, who co-hosted the ABC talk show from 2007 to 2014, joined the discussion panel. She said that Geddie "absolutely changed my life" because, in 2007, when he asked me to appear, I was a newly divorced single mother. comedian on stage. had no knowledge of politics. He also thought that I would appeal to people in some way.
After making a mistake on-air and implying she didn't know whether the Earth was round or flat, she recalled a chat she had with Geddie during her early days on the talk show.
I informed Bill, 'Oh, I do know, I need to go back and say.' He responded, "No, baby, this is about ratings!" Ratings are in! He was quite tough on me, but he always stood up for me, Shepard, 56, recalled. "And every time I messed up, I would dash into his office and tell Bill that we needed to issue a statement. I have to apologize as soon as the show starts.
"Sherri, if we apologize for everything we said, this would be called The Apology Show," she continued. It isn't. It is known as The View.
When Shepherd received her own talk program, Sherri, Geddie offered her tips on how to "get these numbers up and to get people watching you."
Nearly every week, he texted me advice, and whenever something nice happened, I would phone him and say, "Bill! Bill!" He was also my undisputed champion. He was also a friend. He also assisted me in finding my voice, she said.
JOHN GEDDIE
GEDDIE, BILL. via GETTY, LOU ROCCO/ABC
'The View' Panelists Joy Behar, Sherri Shepherd, and others Pay Tribute to Bill Geddie After His Death, Goldberg also recalled how Geddie came to her defense following two on-air controversies: the first occurred in 2007 when she defended NFL player Michael Vick for engaging in illegal dogfighting, and the second occurred in 2022 when she was suspected of being fired from the program for two weeks after asserting that the Holocaust was "not about race" (for which she later apologized).
Without going into further detail, Goldberg merely stated, "I was asked to stay off for a week or two." 'You know, this is the nature of our show, which is why we brought you in,' Bill wrote to me. We'll pay you. To do this, we compensate you. We'll pay you to share your viewpoint.
Shepard continued, "Bill would call me in the office and say, 'You just sat there,' if you didn't voice your view at this table.
Sunny Hostin recalls finding out that Geddie expected all the co-hosts to participate after she "barely said anything" during her audition for The View.
"What was that?" he said as he summoned me to his office in the basement of the old structure. Were you enjoying a game of ping pong? You watching any tennis? You weren't supposed to be watching the show; you were meant to be on it. The 54-year-old Hostin said, "It was pretty bizarre.
Geddie had "good leadership," according to Ana Navarro, who also noted that "He treated everyone with decency." He also created a family that is still intact today. So many of the individuals he employed are still a part of his life today.
He was still active for the majority of our lives, Hostin continued. Three or four weeks ago, we texted. I saw the show, he added. What's going on? I ordered you to lean in, but you're leaning out. And we just had a pleasant conversation.
I found it hard to comprehend that he still thought I needed advice. He was also the first to think I could host a major television show, she added. "I had repeatedly been told that I lacked the necessary skills, and he asked, 'Who told you that?'" They are foolish. Don't stress over it. You nailed it. You have to lean in.
Producer of "View," Barbara Walters' longtime show, recalls how "she kicked sexism and ageism square in the ass."
We are heartbroken by the tragic passing of Bill Geddie, wrote Joy Behar in a tweet in response to her absence from the Monday episode. He was a great producer who kept us all together and cared deeply about his team. Bill enjoyed a delicious cigar as well as comedy and lots of laughter. I will always be appreciative to him and Barbara for giving me the chance to appear on the View. Adieu, "VIEWMASTER."
According to his daughter Allison, Geddie passed away on Thursday at his Rancho Mirage, California, home from a "coronary" illness.
"The best man I ever knew was my father. He was a positive person who loved to joke around, Allison said in a statement. "Everyone wanted to hear his opinion when he had one, and they trusted what he had to say. He made everything he touched golden. He exhibited unwavering honesty and was compassionate and helpful. Although this loss has left us devastated, we are incredibly happy to have had this amazing man in our life for as long as we did.
The View, a panel discussion that featured Walters, Behar, Meredith Vieira, Star Jones, and Debbie Matenopoulos, was co-created by Geddie and Walters, who won four Emmy awards.
He continued to host the chat show until 2014, during which time he received 13 Daytime Emmy nominations. At the 39th Daytime Emmy Awards in 2012, he was given the Lifetime Achievement Award.
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Weekdays at 11 a.m. ET, ABC broadcasts The View.
