Erroneous comments from Hughley and Shepherd start at about 1:00
On June 22, The View had some of their first male co-hosts with both comic D.L. Hughley and openly gay MSNBC newscaster Thomas Roberts. I remember this episode well because Elisabeth and Joy had a somewhat rare bitchfight. Joy made the comment that prayer was dangerous when it took the place of logical thinking which of course set off Elisabeth’s hair trigger “I’m being attacked for something” alert. Joy wasn’t putting religion down and was making another point that of course went over Elisabeth’s head. Elisabeth called Joy’s remark “bigoted,” and Joy defended herself before eventually backing down when faced with Hasselbeck’s yelling. That girl gets pissed off about just about everything she doesn’t agree with or finds personally offensive. (To watch this fight, scroll to about 4:20 in this video for the context. The fight starts at around 6:30.)
That particular day on The View is getting press now for some comments that Hughley and Sherri Shepherd made about black men on the “down low” hiding their homosexuality from their female partners. It all started with a discussion on whether it was fair for the Red Cross to refuse blood from gay donors. They mentioned an article Slate ran on the controversy pointing out that HIV was more common among black people than white people and musing whether that kind of racial profiling in blood donation would also be acceptable. Hughley then referred to Slate’s coverage and made the erroneous claim that “when you look at the prevalence of HIV in the African American community it’s primarily young women who are getting it from men who are on the down low.” (That’s at 1:00 into the video above.) A whole conversation on the topic ensued, with Sherri agreeing with Hughley that this was spreading HIV in the African American community and that it was particularly hard to come out as gay when you’re black. Roberts countered that it was hard to come out in the white community too.
The only problem is that they were commenting on a myth. Data doesn’t support the notion that secretly gay black men are spreading HIV faster than other ethnicities. It’s just not true, and it’s not fair to target one community due to anecdotal evidence. GLAAD has called The View out on this and took out a full page ad in Variety requesting a retraction and apology.
GLAAD isn’t too happy with Barbara Walters and her roundtable.
The gay media watchdog group has taken out a full page ad in Hollywood trade magazine Variety blasting The View.
Why? Keep reading to find out…
During the June 22 episode of the daytime talk show, cohost Sherri Shepherd and guest host, comedian D.L. Hughley, blamed increased HIV rates among straight African American women on black men who are secretly gay, AKA “on the down low.”
“When you look at the prevalence of HIV in the African American community, it’s primarily young women who are getting it from men who are on the down low,” Hughley said.
Shepherd added, “It’s so big in the black community with women because they’re having sex with men who have been having sex with men.”
The Variety ad, cosigned by the Black AIDS Institute and the National Black Justice Coalition, reads in party, “The Centers for Disease Control has publicly disproven this myth. And since June 22, thousands of people have written to ABC, asking that The View provide correct information to viewers. Unfortunately, those requests have been greeted with silence from both ABC and The View.”
Shortly after the episode aired, GLAAD encouraged its supporters to contact ABC and show execs and demand an on-air apology and correction.
Walters, Joy Behar and Whoopi Goldberg have all been honored by the gay rights group with GLAAD Media Awards.
[From E! Online]
I really don’t know much about D.L. Hughley but I remember seeing this episode of the View and wondering how they chose him as moderator. He’s supposed to be a comic but he’s not particularly funny and I didn’t agree with most of what he said. It shouldn’t matter what this guy thinks, though. If they’re going to discuss something on the View a team of producers should make sure the topic is at least accurate. Maybe with Barbara Walters gone and so many people on vacation they dropped the ball. I’m sure they’ll say something about it today now that this ad has been published.
Their conversation about black men having to be on the down-low also perpetrates the negative stereotype that Blacks are more homophopic than other races.
Thomas Roberts is gay?
The View isn’t exactly known for being sensitive to many, if any, groups of any kind. They manage to piss everyone off nearly every day. Sherri Shepherd is quite possibly one of the most moronic people they’ve ever had on there. It doesn’t surprise me one bit that she had a hand firmly entrenched in this bit of crap.
Sherri Shepard is an idiot. She thought the earth was flat. seriously. Remember that? It is a bad stereotype but it is true that black people are more homophobic than white people. HOWEVER, the HIV spreading through gays is a myth
Can’t stand those women. And such a shame that a good idea ended up with this group of dare I say.. *******.
And really how could anyone know what they are saying.. They talk over each other and it really does sound like a bunch of HENS.. not the intent of the show I guess.
that’s the thing about opinions…everyone has one. an opinion isn’t fact…it’s subjective. the whole point of the show is a roundtable of different opinions…hence the title…’the view’.
not a fan of the show per se…howevs dl hugley is hysterical imo.
Clearly these people didn’t know what they were talking about when it came down to HIV statistics. Speaking from my own experience, there are, indeed, a lot of Latino and African-American guys on the down-low. As far as the HIV statistics, if they made an error, they need to come clean and correct it because we don’t need false stereotypes being strengthened by misinformation, especially if it’s giving African-American men a bad image. We don’t need any more negativity spreading about racial stereotypes that are not true. Come correct, The View.
The View commentators are idiotic beeotches but I find the show hypnotically addictive. Sherri Shephard is dumb as a rock. She will apologize and then someone else on the panel will say something stupid within the next few months.
Elizabeth is rude and angry, Sherri is desparate for a man and talks about how her uterus pulsates when she sees a good looking man. Whoopie and Joy are visably irritated and Barbara seems somewhat embarrassed. People constantly call for the removal of Sherri and Elizabeth but for some reason they are still there – maybe the catfights and stupidity bring up the ratings.
I tape it for the hot topics so I can see whats going on in 10 minutes but the show is changing from the View to Jerry Springer with Sherri and Elizabeth yelling and pulsating. Elizabeth has been rude to a number of guest. Very unprofessional but what do you expect from a survivor reject?
I quit watching this show a long time ago. I was not impressed with a bunch of women sitting in front of a camera spouting their views. It was judgemental and not at all interesting to me. I much prefer to go to another channel and watch Regis & Kelly. At least they project a lot of humor and if America needs anything at this time it’s humor!
Christ on the Cross Sherri Sheperd is not only dumb .. but hard to look at too!
Why is this even on the air anymore? This is embarrassing as all hell to pretty much everyone involved. Did they intentionally get any idiot who would do it and call them panelists?
Here’s what’s interesting to me about this though: This was a discussion started by the 2 AfricanAmericans present in the group and from experience I can tell you this is a very prevalent “fact” within the AA community. Why would they believe a negative stereotype of their own community if there were not some truth to it? Also, one study or not (where did they get AA men willing to go in for testing if they’re on the DL anyway?) is it more dangerous to dispell it as a myth and lift the idea that an AA woman needs to be more careful or allow them to believe it and therefore hopefully be more proactive in preventing the further spread of HIV?
agree with @snarf
In a way, that notion about “guys on the down low give it to women” is homophobic itself, unless they went to great lengths to claim that straight blacks are so homophobic that gay blacks can’t come out of the closet, because it’s basically saying “it’s the gay guys’ fault that these innocent women are getting HIV”.
Everyone should criticize the View, for being unwatchable. Ditto for Rachael Ray and Bonnie Hunt.
Like the old song says,
“There are men who love women who love men,
There are women who love women every now and then,
There are men who love men because they can’t pretend to be men who love women who love men…”
okay first of all they aren’t saying that all black men have HIV/AIDS because of gay sex and that is why majority of black women have HIV and AIDS they are saying that is one of the way the virus is spread through out the community. Which is true. They never generalized, the media did. So every one jumping down their throats is a little unfair.
The down low is not a myth it is a very true practice and the men who practice this kind of sexual activity do not see themselves as gay or bisexual. A lot of them don’t feel the need to wear condoms. Have you ever heard of a man named JL King? Look him up and see how he explains the secret the black community has known about for years, and you’ll see why Sherrie and DL believe what they believe.
Do I agree with them? yes. Am I a bigot? No. I go by what I see and what I hear from gay black teens in the community. It is not easy to be a gay black teen (male or female). The black community shuns them, kicks them out, leaves them homeless where they have to fend for themselves which leads to a lot of prostitution and stealing. The horror stories that I have heard break my heart every time. Every story is different and harder to hear. From my understanding, the parents who aren’t accepting believe that this is a chosen lifestyle or that it is a mental condition. A lot of them don’t want to face it or try to beat the “gay” out of them. Out of all of 20 teens I’ve worked with 2 have been white, 5 have been Hispanic, the rest all black. The black teens all have very similar stories , hispanic very close, but when it comes to the white teens many of them aren’t forced to leave they leave on their own.
I don’t think what DL and Sherrie says happens all the time, but I do agree that it happens a lot.
I am a African-American gay man & definitely not on the down-low. I have always found Mr. Hughley & a whole slew of Black comedians (with the Exception of Chris Rock) offensive to gay men. Before I was “OUT” I went to their concerts & I had to sit & squirm while the audience roared with laughter at the routines that were rife with gay jokes.
Mr. Hughely and the other “Comedians’ really believe the stereotypical crap that they are spewing because that is what is being perpetuated throughout the black community. Its very dangerous and ignorant
I just can’t watch this show anymore, all of them talking at once, nobody listening. Joy is the only one with any semblance of sanity and I watch her CNN show now and then. I don’t know why she’s still hanging around at the View with the angry motormouth Hasselbeck, the dumb as a post Sherri Shepherd, the “all knowing” Barbara Walters. I suspect Joy is waiting for her contract to expire and then she’ll be out of there. Watch her dust as she leaves.
The View is just a midday gathering of women, with limited education, discussing topics that are beyond their scope. I don’t know how this show is taken seriously.
Any panel with Elizabeth and Sherri in it isn’t worth watching. I can’t stand their dumber than dumb approach to complex social issues.
I used to be a fan of this show, but can’t stand it anymore. I only watch it when they have a guest on I want to see; then switch channels. The only good decision they have ever made was to put Whoopi on. She is great! I agree with everything that has been posted about Sherri and Elizabeth. But I will go further and tell my View on Joy. I am so tired of her spouting her political views. She is so obsessed with Sarah Palin. No matter what the topic is, she always manages to bring Sarah into it. I have wondered if she actually has homosexual tendencies when it come to Sarah Palin. I don’t know why they get rid of the whole bunch and just let Whoopi have her own show with different guests every day.
What a great show it could be if the hosts were actually informed, intelligent women, capable of carrying on an adult discussion of differing opinions, without yelling and crying and being defensive.
That’s how the show was pitched when it started, and it has even come close to living up to it.
@#19 I agree with everything you said.
Right on, Shay.
one of the few episodes i have watched was with alicia silverstone (still love her!). the best part was when she walked on stage and right past hasselback.
the view can replace hasselback and sherri with respectable, smart women who can hold an intelligent conversation. they won’t tho.
i know joy is biding her time before she can jump ship.
Sheri is sooooooooooooo annoying. She has admitted to have numerous abortions and wants to sit on her throne in a PATHETIC attempt to make herself appear better than whomever.. she is shameful, laughable and ignorant.. SHAME ON THE VIEW for allowing that…
U should all read Jessica’s blog above. She exlained the whole down low thing. These are men who mess around with other men while married or dating a woman. itis prevalent in the Afican community. Oprah ahd a show on it with the men discussing this topic. If they do not wear condoms would they spread HIV to their spouses, yes. That is what Sherri and Hughley were trying to explain. They were not bashing all black men. Get a grip.
I am not here to bash anyone, but Joy, is not my favorite, she does not believe in the creation, God, his son Jesus, and the Holy spirit.
This show is old, I am sorry to say those who look to BW as a great newswoman, remember the ‘bunny suit’ she is popular for one reason and most know it, get around the gossip girls (Cindy, and the gang) and say Castro is sexy, she has got to retire, the rest all think they know everything, it is a small audience and I can not get over how many wish they had gone when Rosie was there, the GIFTS were incredible!!
@ blondie: i’m not sure if you’re joking about joy’s religious beliefs? if you are, then well played.
if not, um, well joy wouldn’t believe in jesus as she’s, you know, jewish. she’s also smart enough to realize that the world wasn’t created in seven days. even the catholic church has recognized the big bang theory as plausible fact.
if you are someone who genuinely believes every word from the bible, then take comfort in the fact that you and sherri have more in common than you think. she has stated that she legitimately believes every story including how jonah was swallowed by a large fish. for several days. and survived.
sorry for the quasi-rant everyone. religious bigotry in the morning makes me all kinds of ornery.
@ellie,
Well done, my friend. I was wondering if, and how, to respond to blondie’s idiotic statement…and also could not figure out if she was serious…
There are seriously some intellectually challenged beings among us. Sherrie and Elizabeth being among them.
At least Sherrie means well, bless her simple little heart.
Hey you Joy is anti Christian and pro muslim sorry pal your muslim loving a#s is just the ticket to defeating you and yours in November Loser!
Joy is not Jewish. Her manfriend of many years is. She is Italian
Oh I was just going to say the same thing. Joy is definitely not Jewish. She is Italian. She laughs about it sometimes as she says some people seem to think she is Jewish.
Italian is a religion?
There are just as many White men on the down low i.e Ted Haggard, Gov McGreevey etc. Sleeping with men and their wives go to Craigs List there are thousands of married men seeking men for casual encounters. If the man is white he’s in the closet. I guess
Whoopi’s my favourite. She knows I didn’t really rape that 13-year-old. I mean, the girl was asking for it. Begging, actually. Most 13-year-olds long for anal sex. It’s at the top of their fun-to-do list.
Whoopi understands that “artistes” such as me need anal sex with adolescent girls. In furtherance of their art, of course. I make great movies. So I’m entitled to have young girls.
As Whoopi said, “It’s not rape rape.”
Whoopi understands.
Now, that Hasselbeck witch…..SHE is a philistine.
This maybe off topic, but I just want to take this opportunity to say: I CAN’T STAND SHERRI SHEPHERD! That is all.
I hate when they have food on the show and watch Sherri just filling her fat mouth like she is homeless and no food in her house. I can’t stand to look at her eating all the time. Joy is a Marxist with her Nobama love and Elizabeth is the only one with brains. Whoopie is great also. Let Joy and the will eat anything Sherri go.
I can hardly watch The View anymore. I don’t even bother to watch Hot Topics. Joy Behar and Sherri Shepard are two of the most uneducated and crude women. First of all, what I cannot stand is Joy and her holier than thou attitude and her stereotypical view and rants on religion, especially Catholicsm. As a Catholic, I do pray and it is not against logic. If Joy bothered to research or look into anything before she opens her dumb mouth, she would know prayer is used as guidance. Prayer is meant to open your mind and heart, she would know that but since she is so against Christians.
Her and Sherri’s rants against conservatives and Republicans have reached new lows. I am friends with many liberals and none act or speak the way they do. None are as bigoted, hatefull and ignorant as Joy and Sherri are. I am glad the Elizabeth stands up for herself because Joy and Sherri are too busy with their own agenda.
For me, it is distasteful for Sherri and D.L. Hughley to dare perpetuate this stereotype. I do not know anything about being on the down low but they clearly are not as accepting as they say they are. They are bigots and the worst type of hypocrites. They just speak whatever ridiculous thought comes to their minds and they act as if they are the only smart ones and everyone else is dumb and uneducated.
Seems to me the primary reason for the high rate of HIV/AIDS in the African American community is not necessarily because some men are on the down low (although that is a contributing factor) but simply due to safer sex not being practiced – among all sexual orientations. Use condoms folks!
Oh, and I can’t stand The View at all. Whoever referred to them as a group with “limited education” hit the nail on the head.
I’m trying to figure out why this comment is homophobic. I have a gay friend of mine who says that there are so many men who are secretly seeing other men. Men with wives, and girlfriends, men you would never suspect. Now I will not say that is the only reason why HIV is high in the African-American community, but it IS a factor, along with (now I am going to get in trouble) The fact that so many women in our community as well as other ethnic groups act as though they cannot ever be without a man in their life. Really get to know a guy before you part your thighs. Don’t be shy ask for a HIV test not in the heat of the moment, but in the dating process before the bedroom. It sounds crazy, it sounds calculating and non-romantic, but it can save your life. Guys I strongly suggest you do the same thing. It could save your life too. Condoms are not 100%, 100% of the time. Peace.
This is one program I cannot stand! Joy Behar is the most arrogant, self absorbed person…I stopped watching the “VIEW” since she is the ONLY one who is correct…she shows her ignorance and has NEVER apologized or better still say…”yes you are right, I was not hearing the whole story”…Barbara Walters just tries to cover it all up…shh “do not mention it” The entire show is slanted one way…It is not a show it is a “cackle-fest” and Behar should go to a home for “old witches” she is not funny at all…and is too old for TV…and very predjudiced!
Carol: Yes, and Whoopi’s first guest could be Mel Gibson. After all, he isn’t racist.
IS THAT RIDICULOUS SHOW STILL ON.
WHAT A WASTE OF TIME.
NOT A SMART PERSON IN THE BUNCH,
BUT I DO LIKE WHOPPEE.
What he said wasn’t homophobic. Sorry. Racist perhaps, but not homophobic. GLAAD should back off. This isn’t their issue.
I really hate to defend any of these airheads(Woopie seems the smartest of the herd)but Joy B. should be awarded the moron crown when she came out & said “black friday was raceist” she is either compleatly out of touch with real people or as I suspect a” moron”.
I’m sure all Heaven and all that is Good keep a keen eye and pray for the repentance of Joy, because she always have something derogatory and evil to say about God.She has absolutely no love, respect or fear of God in her.Elizabeth is a courageous woman, Sherri thinks she knows everything,Whoopi is right sometimes and I like Barbara’s style.
WAIT A MINUTE…Sherri Shepherd thought the EARTH WAS FLAT?? YOU’VE GOT TO BE KIDDING
Hate to say it but their comments are true to a great extent. Being gay in the black community is a big no no and will get you shunned from church and family. Because of non acceptance, many gays in the black community are on the down low with girlfriends and wives to cover their homosexuality. Most people with their wife or girlfriend will not practice safe sex so there is a lot of sexually transmitted diseases being passed around. Another reason hiv is so high in the black community, sex is not talked about openly and alot of people feel that if a person can be intimate with them, they couldn’t possibly be interested in the same sex. I’ve known several women who contracted HIV from someone that they found out was living a secretly gay lifestyle on the down low. Gladd may not like the comment but I does have a lot of truth to it and until the black community opens up and talks about these issues and more, the highest group of women with HIV will continue to be from the black and latino communities. Sad but true.
Joy is Italian and was raised Catholic. Having a “Jewish accent”, or whatever reason you assumed she was Jewish, does not make it so.
The big problem with the View is called:Barbara!
Barbara is not one bit entertaining, she’s nothing but a sex loving home wrecker. Dump Barbara, find a real person and watch the ratings go up. (She had the gall to be interviewed on TV and brag about laying her buddy and ruining his hom and career, what a slut)
Anything Sherri Shepard says should be taken with a grain of salt. We are of course, talking about a grown woman who still believed the world was flat! Putting stock in anything she says would be like buying volcano insurance when you live in Ohio…ultimately foolish and quite wasteful. As for D.L. I’m not familiar with his work and there is probably a reason for that. He isn’t funny, and obviously isn’t a very intelligent person.
Regarding Amy’s comment about Joy having no fear of God:
I will never understand a religion that tells it’s followers that God loves them and forgives them for anything, yet in the same breath, tells them to be fearful of his wrath. If your God is all loving, won’t he forgive Joy for her agnostic ways?
As far as calling the things she says evil…don’t you think you’re reaching just a bit? Questioning one’s existence isn’t evil…it’s simply the mark of an intelligent person. You find me one person out there who has never questioned the existence of a higher power and I will lick a public toilet seat of your choosing. That’s how sure I am that you are wrong.
@#42:”Carol: Yes, and Whoopi’s first guest could be Mel Gibson. After all, he isn’t racist.”
Well, he isn’t *racist* racist.
Joy Behar is right – all of this is George Bush’s fault. All of it.
Honestly, it’s sooooo frustrating because sh-t that man has made rain down upon my incredibly competent administration is interfering with my golf game.
@#47 Tami: “Having a “Jewish accent”, or whatever reason you assumed she was Jewish, does not make it so.”
A Jewish accent? Is there really such a thing? Wow.
Hey, is there also a Presbyterian accent? How about an Assembly of God accent? Disciples of Christ? Buddist? B’hai Faith?
If the men are on the DL, how can it be proven that they are not spreading the virus if they aren’t admitting they are even sleeping with men?
I loathe Joy, uneducated twit. I turned this show off a long, long time ago. My communications teacher swears it rots the brains of those who do watch it, I am starting to agree.
Yuck I can’t stand any of these women. They are just so vile.
Give me The Circle any day! (The Circle is the Aussie version)
Everyone has a right to their opinion but if you’re going to post it online especially about someone being dumb, uneducated or along those lines then please learn how to spell or at least use spell check. Many of your responses had simple spelling errors and to me that makes you look dumber and even more uneducated than the person you’re criticizing!
Diana, I f-in love you.
I’m in for the toilet-seat-lickfest-for-independent-thought.
If you discount someone’s beliefs about everything based on their lack of religious dogma buy-in, you’re wrong. Critical thinking for the win.
I don’t watch The View anymore, but think it has gone the way of American culture. The show used to have Meredith Viera and Lisa Ling as co-hosts. Now it has Sherry Shepard and Elizabeth Hasselbeck. The former were women who were grounded in hard news and brought an educated POV to the discussion. The latter are poorly educated and hopelessly ill informed.
I do remember when Sherry Shepard said wasn’t sure that the world was round. That was the day I stopped watching. Time is too short to waste it with these bimbos.
Any interest group that is based on rationality/logic has a valid claim against The View. It should be called The View from the Idiot-asylum. Sadly, though, this sort of complete lack of expertise/knowledge is rampant in most TV news in the US now. Not that I think The View is news; I’m just pointing out how rampant this sort of problem of saying things unsupported by any evidence is.
@ Raven — I completely agree.
No patience for this at all.
Don’t blame down low men!
Blame dumb ass women for not demanding regular HIV tests and condom use!
I have been with my boyfriend for almost a year and a half and I have had 2 HIV tests and the third will be before the end of the year.
Take responsibility for your sexuality and your own damn actions….
I can’t believe the bigoted comments I’m reading. People are quick to say they aren’t blaming black men, only the GAY black men. WTF? Are you all really that homophobic? When all else fails, blame it on the gay people. Do you all assume that straight men (or women) don’t ever cheat? Besides, what’s with the tired myth that gay people are the only ones spreading HIV? You bigots have certainly been drinking your haterade.
This show should have been taken off many “moons” ago.
It is such a waste of space on TV…It is one-sided, bigoted and disgusting!
I have not watched this program in two years.Joyless Behar, Whoppie, Sherri, and Barbara are totally out of control and talk over each other.I find no interest in women talking over each other.Behar annoys me more than anyone else! I never thought she was funny and yet to sit and watch her laugh at her own jokes? No, time to shut the TV off!