ABC probably hoped to give its 17-year-old “The View” a shot in the arm by bringing in Jenny McCarthy, Playmate turned anti-vaccine vixen.
But McCarthy’s premiere on Monday’s show steered clear of anything remotely resembling controversy — or news. Talk of twerking and hash-tags were about as topical as Barbara Walters and her team cared to get.
Whatever negative posts the show’s Web site had for the last few weeks — “Seriously? Jenny McCarthy?” — they were drowned under Monday’s cries of “Jenny! Jenny!” from the audience, and a blizzard of balloons.
“I feel like I just won the Publishers’ Clearinghouse!” McCarthy giggled, her pneumatic perky self a switch from dour Elisabeth Hasselbeck, the show’s recently departed token conservative.
But, at least for now, she’s playing it safe: When crooner Michael Bublé burbled on about his baby boy, one tensed for a soundbite about the perils of vaccination — one of McCarthy’s causes (which she links to autism).
But no: All he got was a onesie.
Gone, too, is Joy Behar, who might have suggested Syria, the mayoral race or anything more timely than guest Donnie Wahlberg’s résumé. Turns out, Wahlberg — whose thinning hair and vest suggest he’s brother Mark’s CPA — is dating McCarthy, who let out a naughty “I love his buns!” while he plugged his burger franchise.
Though she introduced herself as a single mother — cue clip of son Evan, saying “Good luck, mommy!” — in her horn-rimmed glasses and tight dress, McCarthy looked more like your classic sexy librarian. Her sky-high stilettos did her no favors. When Sherri Shepherd coaxed her to come out from behind the desk to do some twerking, McCarthy just barely shook her booty. (“Very Hawaiian,” Whoopi Goldberg noted.)
Given its commercials — for training pants, anti-depressants and Nicorette, though none of McCarthy’s e-cigarette ads — one wonders if anyone but stay-at-home moms are watching these days. Dated and disingenuous — really, Barbara, you missed the Miley Cyrus fiasco? — “The View” needs more then Jenny McCarthy to inject some life into the proceedings.