About a week ago, we covered the report that Jenny “40 is the new 15” McCarthy was in very serious talks to replace Joy Behar when the current season of “The View” came to an end. Most of you responded that Jenny was ill-equipped to discuss serious issues in a public forum, but of course the ladies of “The View” aren’t exactly known for being the most informed bunch on television.

Now Jenny has been “officially” revealed as a permanent co-host of the show starting next season. She will bring many things to the show — big hair and big boobs among them — and will certainly be on her anti-vaccine soap box at every opportunity. That’s the thing about Jenny. She will not stand idly by and let anyone else dominate the conversation, but I guess this will make for some semi-interesting arguments. And I guess that means that producers will be getting what they’re paying for with this hiring announcement:

Less than two weeks after Us Weekly reported that Jenny McCarthy was “in serious talks” to join The View as Joy Behar’s replacement, Barbara Walters confirmed that the 40-year-old blonde has been hired as a new co-host during the July 15 episode the ABC talk show. McCarthy has appeared 17 times on The View (including eight as a guest co-host) and will officially begin appearing on the show when its 17th season premieres Monday, Sept. 9, at 11 a.m. EST.

“We are delighted that Jenny will be joining us as a permanent co-host on The View starting in September,” said Walters, the only panelist who’s been with the show since its 1997 debut. “Jenny brings us intelligence as well as warmth and humor. She can be serious and outrageous. She has connected with our audience and offers a fresh point of view. Jenny will be a great addition to the show as we usher in an exciting new chapter for The View.”

McCarthy — whose late-night chat fest, Vh1’s “The Jenny McCarthy Show”, is on hiatus — added, “I’m beyond thrilled to be joining Barbara and the other amazing women at the table. I’d like to thank ABC for this great opportunity. I’d also like to give a big thank you to Vh1 for their support and for allowing me to fulfill this lifelong dream. I look forward to helping make hot topics a little bit hotter, and showing my mom that my interrupting skills have finally paid off.”

[From Us Weekly]

This cast will be virtually unrecognizable next season other than Whoopi Goldberg and Sherri Shepherd. Along with Joy, Barbara Walters previously announced that she was leaving after this season, and last week’s somewhat sudden departure of Elisabeth Hasselbeck provides a further shakeup for the show, castwise, but I have no doubt that producers will choose replacements that will be “controversial” and therefore bring in some much needed ratings. As for Jenny, I’m sure she’ll get on everyone’s nerves with her “zany” and obnoxious humor, but I guess it could be worse … like if they hired Kirstie Alley.

Photos courtesy of WENN