What did Joy Behar say about East Palestine? The View host sparks outrage with incendiary comments

Comedian and The View co-host Joy Behar recently found herself in hot waters after she made some controversial comments on the show on Thursday, February 23, 2023.

The host started a discourse on political ramifications and culpability for the train derailment that took place on February 3 in East Palestine, Ohio, its subsequent aftermath, and Republicans' criticism of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg’s response to the disaster.

Speaking about regulations, co-host Alyssa Farah-Griffin remarked that the Norfolk-Souther lobbies for both parties and added that the Central Ohio region is 'Trump country.' This prompted the comedian to respond:

The audience can be heard gasping at Joy Behar's statement. Referring to Trump's recent visit, the 80-year-old, exclaimed:

"It's the projection of contempt and disregard of life": Netizens bash Joy Behar over insensitive comments

Internet users were disgusted and shocked at the comedian's heartless and callous comments. They called her ignorant, soulless, and vile, and demanded that she be fired from the show.

Many users simplified the intent behind Behar's comments, stating that she was immoral in implying that people "got what they deserved because they voted for Trump." User @reagenfan1, remarked:

Twitterati was upset that the conversation was headed towards a Republican vs. Democrat debate, despite the residents of East Palestine suffering. One user, @amuse, pointed out ironically:

Joy Behar's comments come after Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg's visit to Ohio

On February 3, 2023, a freight train derailed close to East Palestine. Eleven of the thirty-eight cars were carrying hazardous materials.

The incident led to large amounts of toxic material being released into the air, ground, and water. Residents in the area soon reported feeling unwell and there were reports of wildlife and fish dying.

According to engineers on board the train, they unsuccessfully tried to bring the train to a halt after receiving alerts that a wheel bearing was 254 degrees above the normal temperature.

On Wednesday, February 22, former U.S. President Donald Trump visited the area along with water, canned food, and cleaning supplies for the affected residents.

In his speech, he told the residents, "You are not forgotten," and condemned the Biden administration for not doing enough to help the affected people, stating:

Pete Buttigieg had previously criticized Trump's visit as a "photo-op" for his 2024 presidential campaign. He eventually visited the site on February 23, almost three weeks after the tragic disaster.

About the author

Nirali has been a popular culture writer at Sportskeeda for the past 1.5 years, covering celebrity/influencer trends and profile/histories, political news, crime reports, and lifestyle. She completed her Bachelor's in Architecture from University of Mumbai and Masters in Heritage Conservation from University of Southern California. Professionally, Nirali has a strong 7.5-year experience working as an architect, an Assistant Archivist and a Digital Archivist across three companies.

Nirali’s educational qualifications and unique career trajectory put great emphasis on research and writing, which along with her personal interest in popular culture, led her to the current role at Sportskeeda. Her specialties are researching histories, crime stories, and developing general knowledge pieces.

The most crucial step in Nirali’s reporting is rigorous fact-checking, and she relies on information from primary sources only for her news. In the absence of a primary source, Nirali double, and even triple-checks information from multiple sources before presenting them to her readers. Strictly anti-AI, she believes in giving credits wherever necessary.

Nirali’s favorite celebrities are Mark Ruffalo and Dolly Parton, and she admires them for their support of humanity and advocacy for what is right. An avid reader, Nirali can be found nose-deep in a new book when she is away from her keyboard. Nirali also loves to illustrate in her free time.

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