Jenny McCarthy‘s time on The View may have been short, but it was long enough for her to decide whether or not she would be interested in returning to the show as a host.
The Masked Singer star was a panelist on the The View back in 2014, but left the show after less than a year. In a new interview, McCarthy says she was brought onto the show to cover pop culture rather than heavy political and current affairs issues. They wanted her to be the “light and fluffy” panelist.
“The reason why they wanted to bring me on was because they, quote, said it was ‘too polarizing.’ They thought it was too polarizing back then, you guys,” McCarthy recalled in a sneak peek clip of The Katie Miller Podcast’s Tuesday, January 6, episode, posted by Us Weekly. “And so, they’re like, ‘We want to bring you on for light and fluffy and fun, review people on Dancing With the Stars, talk about The Bachelor, have some fun.’”
McCarthy said her lighthearted pop culture commentary lasted only a week before the show’s discussion topics shifted. “Back then, I didn’t consider myself to be a political person, which is why I thought I was perfect for the job. After a week, when they said they wanted it political, I was like, ‘Oh, my God. What am I going to do?’” she shared. “They’re like, ‘Today, we’re gonna be discussing the hostage situation and whether the United States government should pay the ransom or not.’ And I was like, ‘What?’ I’m like, ‘I just know who won on Dancing With the Stars.’”
While McCarthy’s time on The View became “really difficult,” it also helped her grow and shape her own political opinions. “I’m much more political now in terms of having opinions because of, thank God, our latest administration has helped so much,” she explained.
ABC
As for whether she would return to The View‘s hosting panel? “They’ve asked me to come back for, like, reunion shows. And I was like, ‘Over my dead body would I ever step foot in that place,” McCarthy revealed.
McCarthy exited the series after less than one year on the show in 2014, shortly after cohost Sherri Shepherd announced her own departure. It was during her run on the show that she announced her engagement to her now-husband, Donnie Wahlberg, whom she wed in August 2014.
In the years since she left The View, McCarthy has cohosted several Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve specials, guest-hosted shows such as Entertainment Tonight, and starred alongside Wahlberg on the reality series Donnie Loves Jenny, which ran for three seasons on A&E from 2015 to 2016.
Her most notable gig since leaving The View has been as a judge on Fox’s singing competition series The Masked Singer. McCarthy has appeared on the series since its first season in 2019. Along with McCarthy, host Nick Cannon and judges Ken Jeong, Rita Ora, and Robin Thicke will return for the show’s 14th season, which premieres this week.
The View, Weekdays, 11a/10c, ABC
The Masked Singer, Season 14 Premiere, Wednesday, January 7, 2026, 8/7c, Fox
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