Manilow Disses Hasselbeck

Posted by Brian Tubbs Sep 19, 2007

Earlier this month, Barry Manilow decided that Elizabeth Hasselbeck is just too "dangerous and offensive" for him to share the same stage with her, so he called off his appearance on the TV show, The View.

In a prepared statement, Manilow explained: "I strongly disagree with her views. I think she's dangerous and offensive. I will not be on the same stage as her... I cannot compromise my beliefs."

Now, Manilow is frustrated by all the fuss and has apparently reversed his decision. He will, according to Whoopi Goldberg, appear sometime in the future with all the View's cast, including Hasselbeck.

Okay, let me see if I get this straight. What is Barry's problem??!! Liberals, I thought, were all for freedom of speech and expression, tolerance of other people's opinions, and a rejection of anything that smacks of censorship. Isn't that what liberals are supposed to be about? Or am I getting that all wrong?

Here we have Barry Manilow, a liberal and friend of previous View co-host Rosie O'Donnell (who is also not a Hasselbeck fan), refusing (at first) to come on a television show that has the audacity to put a conservative....a Christian conservativeon the stage. Oh my goodness! What is this world coming to?

Not only a Christian conservative, mind you, but an outspoken one as well. That's just too much for a conscientious liberal like Barry Manilow. Conservatives are apparently to be seen and not heard. Or, I guess, really Manilow would prefer they not be seen either.

Of course now, I guess due to public reaction, Manilow is changing course and will appear on stage with a conservative after all. I guess he figures there will be enough liberals on stage to keep in company. After all, he's got Whoopi Goldberg there, right?