‘The View’ Shake Up: Michelle Collins In, Rosie Perez Is Out
Rosie Perez is out of The View rotation, and it looks like ABC wasted no time in finding her replacement. According to Variety, Michelle Collins is officially joining The View.
This shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone who regularly watches the daytime talk show, as the comedienne has been on the show many times. Moderator Whoopi Goldberg has even stated on the show that she hopes Michelle sticks around.
The news of Michelle Collins coming to The View permanently is on the heels of Rosie Perez’s emotional goodbye during today’s segment. As the Inquisitr reported, Perez cried as she addressed the news that she would be leaving in August.
It looked like there wasn’t a dry eye in the room as Rosie broke down in tears and thanked her co-panelists for the past year on The View. Nicolle Wallace, whose future on the show has been up in the air, as well, was distraught, and Goldberg could barely get her words out as Perez thanked her.
“You guys all heard [the news]. I’ve decided that it’s time to move on and I will say that today is very bittersweet for me. I am excited for what is to come but I am so sad to leave The View, the staff, the producers, ABC and especially these two ladies. I want to thank you for your friendship, Nicolle, and your intelligence and your wit and your sunshine.”
She continued, “Whoopi, I want to thank you for everything—your guidance, your professionalism and most of all your friendship. It’s a dream sitting here with you and you’re truly the captain of the ship.”
It sounds like The View has been testing Michelle Collins out for months now, simply biding their time until Perez announced her exit from the show. Prior to the news of Perez’s final air date hitting the web, we had reported that Michelle Collins was being looked at as a possible replacement. Back then, it was said that The View wasn’t so sure if it was replacing Rosie Perez and Nicolle Wallace, or just Rosie Perez. It was said that ABC wasn’t exactly happy with Wallace because she wasn’t the strong and fierce Republican they were looking for.
With Michelle Collins in place, it looks like Nicolle Wallace might be safe, but then again, anything can happen between now and August.
So far, we know that moderator Whoopi Goldberg is set to return, and so is newcomer Raven-Symone.
[Image via ABC]
