Rosie Perez Leaving ‘The View’, Other Show Changes On Horizon [Report]
Rosie Perez has been absent from The View during the month of January. Her departure was planned so she could appear in the Broadway show Fish In the Dark. Now Variety is reporting that Perez won’t be coming back to The View.
The reason for the move was not disclosed in the Variety report, although sources told the publication that Perez “never got a hang of the show’s mixture of hard and soft news, and she had trouble reading from a TelePrompter.”
Insiders also told Variety that other changes are expected, both in front and behind of the camera, at The View. The show had declined in viewership over the past several years, but this year has met last year’s ratings numbers. Perez and fellow newcomer Nicolle Wallace were part of a revamp of The View last September, which saw the exit of Barbara Walters, Jenny McCarthy, and Sherri Shepherd — and the return of Rosie O’Donnell.
There have been various reports this season that another shake-up was on the way due to infighting between the hosts. The Daily Mail reported in November that Perez was in conflict with both the other co-hosts and the behind-the-scenes staff.
Perez created controversy of her own in October by misstating an aspect of Catholic doctrine during an on-air discussion. She apologized in the form of a prepared statement the following day. She was quoted in the New York Post as saying she was unprepared for the reaction.
“It’s a weird thing, because it’s just my opinion and that’s why I was hired: Just to put my opinion out there. I didn’t understand that I had to ready myself for the backlash, and still wake up in the morning and do it again and stand my ground.”
Perez had been handpicked at the last minute by Bill Wolff, executive producer of The View.
Rosie Perez’s exit has not been officially announced. The veteran actor seemed to be reassuring her fans on Twitter as late as yesterday that she would be back on the ABC daytime program.
“@lilablue22: @rosieperezbklyn @TheView. OK Rosie! It’s time to come back. You’ve been away too long!!! Miss you!” Very sweet… Soon.
— Rosie Perez (@rosieperezbklyn) January 13, 2015
“@KennedyStronger: @rosieperezbklyn miss you on @TheView, is your play on broadway?” Yes! Starring #LarryDavid @FishInTheDark… And TY:)
— Rosie Perez (@rosieperezbklyn) January 8, 2015
Broadway World reports that Fish In the Dark debuts in the spring and Perez will be seen on-screen in Five Nights in Maine.
[Rosie Perez image: Wikimedia Commons]
