While Whoopi Goldberg recently denied The View feud rumors during an appearance on Late Night With David Letterman, there's no denying that there was a palpable tension on set today when the co-hosts debated over the headline-making Bill Cosby rape allegations.
The 77-year-old TV star has been accused of rape by multiple women. The decade-old allegations against the former Cosby Show star recently resurfaced after comedian Hannibal Buress referred to them during a standup set.
After the show played a clip of Cosby during an Associated Press interview, in which the star asked that the reporter "scuttle" the mentions of any sexual assault allegations, the ladies all took a stand against the matter, although they had starkly different viewpoints.
"Did you read any of the stuff overnight?" Rosie O'Donnell says to Nicolle Wallace, seemingly a bit annoyed after her co-hosts asks if there are new facts with regards to the controversy.
"Well, there are lots of allegations starting in 1969," O'Donnell continued. "There are many, many, many. And it's very hard I think for any of us to discuss Bill Cosby in this context because he is the beloved father image...that we as a society hold in some way and even for, you know, anyone who has been the victim of sexual abuse to believe that somebody that you love or know could do that is a very difficult thing. So to even talk about I think is hard."
"It's hard but not hard for people to talk about it on social media," Rosie Perez countered before referring to the Cosby fallout, which includes his comeback sitcom being killed by NBC in addition to TV Land pulling all the re-runs of The Cosby Show. "I think that that, to me, is the response of NBC and Netflix and TV Land because they're responding to the mob who are very upset with the allegations. You know, I think that that's a big, big statement. It's a really big statement."
After the two debated whether the corporations had the correct response to the Cosby allegations, O'Donnell seemingly expressed her disapproval over Perez's social media commentary.
"You think this is more about social media comments on the allegations, not about the allegations themselves and whether or not that's a subject for the...," she said before the conversation took an awkward turn.
"What's the matter? You mad?" she said to Goldberg, who innocently replied, "I was just moving my chair."
Perez then took issue with O'Donnell, who made her stance on the matter rather apparent. "I'm not being insincere towards the women who have made these allegations. If they're true, it's horrific and horrible and he should pay the price. That's not the issue, Rosie. I don't want you to put that on me. I don't think that's fair," she said.
After the back and forth, Goldberg proceeded to chime in, comparing the Cosby fallout to the Paula Deen scandal.
"I think there's a big difference between a rape allegation and Paula using the N-word," O'Donnell stated to which Goldberg replied:
"No, it is not. Because until you know if it's true, until you know that it's true, it's an allegation...It seems now you're guilty no matter what, even if you're innocent, you're guilty because once somebody accuses you of this, that's what you are."
O'Donnell's response? "It's harder when 13 women accuse you."
Thoughts on their heated debate? Hit the comments.