NEWSWhoopi Goldberg and Joy Behar Have Awkward Moment on 'The View' While Announcing Sara Haines' Absence: 'She's Not Sick'
It's unclear when Sara Haines will return.
Sept. 16 2026, Published 5:29 p.m. ET
The Wednesday, September 16, episode of The View got off to an awkward start.
As the show began, Whoopi Goldberg quickly noted co-host Sara Haines was absent, but she refrained from revealing why.
"As you see, Sara is out today. She’ll be with us, maybe, tomorrow. We’ll see," the actress vaguely shared. "But there's lots to talk about."
'She's Not Sick'
Joy Behar told fans Sara Haines' absence wasn't due to illness.
However, before Goldberg could introduce the first Hot Topics segment, Joy Behar said of Haines, "She’s not sick."
The EGOT winner seemed confused by Behar's clarification, taking a pause before replying, "Ok."
"Because people get worried when someone disappears," Behar said of why she made the clarification.
"All we’ve got to tell them is that she’s not here," noted the Star Trek alum. "They’ll notice it, but we mention it because we don’t want them to think we don’t notice it. You know what I mean? So, that’s why we say what you already can see."
'The View' co-hosts didn't reveal why Sara Haines was absent from the Wednesday, September 16, episode.
Haines, Sunny Hostin and Alyssa Farah Griffin are the only co-hosts who appear on five episodes a week, as Goldberg has off Fridays, Behar skips Mondays and Ana Navarro doesn't appear in at least one episode per week.
When Season 30 of the series kicked off on September 8, Behar was congratulated, as she had "officially hosted more seasons of an American talk show than any other woman," Goldberg announced.
"All I can say is that I was here when the show was in black-and-white," Behar joked. "I said to [show creator] Barbara [Walters], ‘We’re going to get old on this show.’ She said, ‘You’re going to get old anyway!’"
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Joy Behar Jokes About Her Longevity
Joy Behar was on the very first episode of 'The View,' which aired in 1997.
"I'm here longer than the Jolly Green Giant," the former Late Night Joy host continued. "It’s ridiculous."
Behar then gave a shout-out to Goldberg for being on The View for 20 years, quipping of the star, "She used to be white. I mean, things change here!"
'You're Our Fearless Leaders'
Season 30 of 'The View' kicked off on September 8.
Hostin chimed in to praise her costars.
"It’s been lovely, because when I first came on, you said this is a game of volleyball. You get the ball, and you hit it; don’t keep it too long," the attorney expressed. "Whoopi would always say, don’t look at the comments on social media, don’t do that to yourself. Don’t read the press, just be honest with yourself and who you are, and you’re our fearless leaders."
