Joy Behar is facing backlash after an unexpected moment with a married Hollywood actor during “The View” left viewers divided.
The longtime co-host sparked criticism when she appeared to pull “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” star Anson Mount into a kiss.
Although the panel laughed off the incident and turned it into a running joke throughout the interview, many viewers argued the interaction crossed a line, with some calling it “disgusting.”
Anson Mount was making the rounds to greet the “The View” panel during Wednesday’s episode when the now-viral interaction unfolded.
The 53-year-old, who has been married to photographer Darah Trang since 2018, greeted Whoopi Goldberg and Sara Haines before reaching Joy Behar.
After sharing a hug, Mount kissed the longtime co-host on the cheek, but the greeting didn’t end there. Behar then puckered her lips, prompting the actor to lean in for a kiss on the mouth.
The television personality appeared to prolong the embrace by wrapping an arm around Mount before the two finally separated and he headed to his seat.
The spontaneous exchange immediately drew laughter from the live audience and became the focus of the segment before the interview had even begun.
Behar And Her Co-Hosts Turn The Awkward Moment Into Comedy
Rather than moving past the kiss, the hosts continued joking about it once Mount joined them at the table.
Sunny Hostin handed the actor a tissue so he could remove Joy Behar’s lipstick, teasing, “No wonder Joy has been talking about you all morning.”
Behar embraced the joke herself, quipping, “I’m old, but I’m not dead.” Mount answered with his own playful response, saying, “That’s it, Joy, because I am,” earning another laugh from the audience.
Goldberg also joined in, asking her longtime colleague whether she was “okay.” Still playing along, Behar replied, “I need a little bit of a touch-up,” keeping the lighthearted mood alive as the conversation continued.
The playful banter didn’t end with the kiss. Recalling Mount’s previous appearance on the daytime talk show, Behar joked that he had brought her flowers for her birthday and that “it’s never been the same between us.”
Mount quickly reminded her and the audience of one important update. “Well, I got married,” he said. “That’s what I mean!” Behar shot back without hesitation.
Although the exchange drew laughs inside the studio, viewers on social media were far less amused.
“Ewwww! That is simply DISGUSTING television. Are you f*cking kidding me? I’m far from a prude, just nauseated,” one X user wrote under The View‘s video showing the interaction.
Another angry fan shared, “Behar is one sick puppy!! So desperate to have someone kiss her that she has to pull in a married guest to fulfill her need! How DESPICABLE!”
A third fan echoed the same sentiment, noting, “If this had been a male host who did this to a female, he would be canceled and would never work in the entertainment business again. He would also probably be prosecuted. The hypocrisy is astounding.”
Fans Say Joy Behar Made Anson Mount Visibly Uncomfortable
Several viewers focused less on the kiss itself and more on what they believed was Mount’s reaction.
“You keep promoting this disgusting incident like it was some sort of charming display of affection. You could see he didn’t like it…he was grossed out. She looked like a desperate old hag. If a man had done that…” one fan shared.
Another commented, “Forcible touching at bare bone minimum. How disgusting. If he did that to her she’d be a bigger cow than she is.”
Amid the criticism, some fans argued the exchange had been blown out of proportion and praised the pair’s playful chemistry.
According to one user, “I love this! Amazing to be friends. So loving and beautiful but in a very friendly way.”
Another remarked, “So funny. I am jealous of Joy. He is a handsome man. Some of these comments are so sad, people need to get a sense of humor. It’s kinda tragic really what this world has become.”
Anson Mount Shares How His Wife Reacted To Viral Joy Behar Moment
While the on-air kiss sparked heated debate among viewers, the one reaction that may have mattered most to Mount turned out to be the least dramatic.
Speaking with TV Insider after the viral moment, the Hollywood star joked that his first priority was making sure the incident wouldn’t land him in trouble at home.
“I asked my wife to promise me she wouldn’t divorce me,” Mount said with a laugh, before revealing that she found the entire exchange “hilarious.”
He also reflected on reuniting with Behar for the first time in more than a decade, recalling that the last time he appeared on the daytime talk show, he brought the co-host flowers for her birthday.
“I guess I made an impression,” Mount joked, adding, “So, we’ll see what she does the next time.”