> At a Glance
> – Sherri Shepherd says she and Jenny McCarthy went topless on The View in 2014
> – They made sure Barbara Walters was absent that day
> – The stunt aired during a segment about Lena Dunham’s nudity on Girls
> – Why it matters: It shows how far the hosts pushed daytime-TV boundaries while protecting veteran anchor Walters from the fallout
Sherri Shepherd has pulled back the curtain on a 2014 View segment in which she and co-host Jenny McCarthy stripped off their tops-after confirming Barbara Walters would be out of the studio.
The On-Air Stunt
During the January 8 episode of her talk show Sherri, Shepherd recalled suggesting the topless twist while the panel discussed Dunham’s frequent nudity on HBO’s Girls. Producers cut to a clip from the series, then returned to the two co-hosts shirtless-black bars covering them from the waist up.
> Shepherd told her studio audience: “Barbara Walters was not there that day, because she would’ve had a fit.”
Behind-the-Scenes Timeline
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 2007-2014 | Shepherd serves as The View co-host |
| 2013-2014 | McCarthy joins for season 17 |
| 2014 | Topless segment airs on a day Walters is off |
Shepherd joked that the pair timed the moment precisely to avoid clashing with the show’s legendary creator.
McCarthy’s Political Discomfort
McCarthy has spoken openly about struggling with the program’s turn toward hard news. On January 6, she told The Katie Miller Podcast producers hired her for “light, fluffy, and fun” chatter, then asked her to debate hostage-ransom policy within a week.
Shepherd remembered McCarthy’s panic:
> “It’s no secret Jenny McCarthy hated being on The View… Jenny came into my dressing room… ‘Sherri, oh my God, what am I gonna do?'”
Key Takeaways
- The topless bit was Shepherd’s idea, executed only after confirming Walters’ absence
- McCarthy felt unprepared for the show’s political pivot
- Both hosts left the series after the 2013-2014 season
The revelation highlights the balance between The View‘s evolving tone and its hosts’ efforts to keep its founder happy.
