Meghan McCain is reportedly considering leaving 'The View': 'Not worth the emotional toll'
The days of Meghan McCain sparring with Joy Behar on The View may soon be over.
Sources close to McCain, 34, told the Daily Beast that she’s considering walking away from her TV gig — for which she is the prominent conservative voice and makes a lot of headlines — because she is drained. She’s been on the ABC daytime show since 2017, but may not be back in September for season 23.
A McCain “pal” told the website she feels like “a caged animal” on the show. Battling it out with liberal co-hosts Behar, Whoopi Goldberg, Sunny Hostin and others, it’s “getting to the point where it’s not worth the emotional toll every week,” the source said.
There have been lots of headline-making incidents on the show in recent months. In June, McCain yelled at Behar during a heated discussion, saying, “Don't feel bad for me, b****!” Back in April, she told Behar that part of her job “is to listen to me,” sparking uproar. She’s also had a tumultuous year in general — her father, Senator John McCain, died last August and she’s been publicly grieving.
The Arizona native, who lives in NYC while making the show, reportedly feels “so exhausted and defeated,” especially by the bad press. Tabloids regularly report on alleged diva behavior and portray her as entitled. One recent tabloid story claims that producers have nicknamed her “Manic McCain” due to meltdowns, crying fits and other drama on the set. However, it’s not just tabloids. John Oliver dubbed McCain the “most embarrassing” child of a politician in May.
McCain declined to speak with the Daily Beast for the article. However, Hilary Estey McLoughlin, The View’s senior executive producer, said, “We don’t want people to attack Meghan. We’re happy to have Meghan there. I think she does want to be there. I think she wants to be on the show. She realizes it’s a very good platform for her and we love having her there. I feel like she will come back.”
McLoughlin acknowledged, however, that the negative stories about McCain “don’t seem to go away.”
If McCain doesn’t renew her contract, “she will find other work,” the McCain source told the Daily Beast. She has been earning under $1 million a year, according to reports.
Twitter has been abuzz over McCain’s potential departure. There have been a lot of John McCain mentions:
It’s wild that Meghan McCain is considering leaving The View, considering her job there really lets her play to her strengths: saying her dad’s name and being wrong all the time.
— Josh Gondelman (@joshgondelman) July 3, 2019
John McCain stayed captive in a cage for five and a half years constantly beaten and tortured. Meghan McCain can’t stand to stay on stage with a group of liberal yentas for a few seasons? Kids today.
— Jeremy Newberger (@jeremynewberger) July 3, 2019
Even more folks are pointing out the unfortunate use of the word “caged” considering the migrant detention camps crisis:
Dear @meghanmccain: If you’d like a real example of human beings being treated like caged animals, I’m pretty sure there’s a few floating around this week... https://t.co/P0hjjmx8Bs
— Charles Gaba (@charles_gaba) July 3, 2019
Caged like the children on the border? Caged like that, @MeghanMcCain?
— Julie K (@ProfJulie616) July 3, 2019
decent Americans of all political orientations must demand the Red Cross be given immediate access to The View facilities in order to inspect the conditions in which Meghan McCain is being kept! https://t.co/lp976csRON
— Patrick Blanchfield (@PatBlanchfield) July 3, 2019
Some also think it’s all a ploy for a better contract:
SOUNDS like contract negotiating time again ..@MeghanMcCain .. You are just with woman who are SMARTER than you .. Just saying https://t.co/rk3Q7OZhFm
— Nancy Mitchell (@NancyWonderful) July 3, 2019
Others worry about her potential replacement:
We definitely don’t want Sarah Sanders to replace Meghan McCain.
— deray (@deray) July 3, 2019
And, yes, some would miss her:
We don't share political views but @MeghanMcCain is the reason I watch @TheView. She's passionate, a fellow millenial & won't be silenced. Having lost my mom to cancer I know the pain of living w/ losing your best friend & trusted source of love & leadership. I hope Meg stays https://t.co/RRk1vU1t4p
— Ameshia Cross (@AmeshiaCross) July 3, 2019
A rep for McCain has not yet responded to Yahoo’s request for comment. A show spokesperson tells us, “The co-hosts and The View have had an incredible season and we expect them all back for an epic year ahead.”
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