Elisabeth Hasselbeck Threatens To Quit ‘The View’ In Shocking 2006 Audio

Elizabeth Hasselbeck’s time on The View wasn’t always easy. New behind-the-scenes audio from a 2006 show reveals that the co-host tried to quit after an on-air spat with Barbara Walters.

Variety reports that during a show on August 2, 2006, Elisabeth Hasselbeck got into an argument with Barbara Walters about the possibility of the FDA consenting for the morning-after pill to be made available over the counter.

The discussion got heated, as Hasselbeck felt very passionately about the issue. However, Walters cut her off and asked her to stop talking so that they could move on to the next segment, telling everyone, including her co-host, that they needed to be able to discuss things without getting crazy, even telling Elisabeth to “calm down.”

Hasselbeck can be seen ripping up her note cards as the show went to commercial break, and then the audio from her mic kicks in, revealing that she was furious with Walters for scolding her on air.

“F**k that. I’m not going to sit there and get reprimanded on the air. No, it’s not OK to sit there and get reprimanded on the air… I’m not going back out there. I’m not going back out there… I can take it in the meeting; I’m not taking it out there on air. I’m not taking that. I don’t even swear; she has me swearing. This woman is driving me nuts. I’m not… going back out. I can’t do the show like this. She just reprimanded me and she knew exactly what she was doing. Goodbye! I’m off,” Elisabeth Hasselback can be heard saying as her co-host, Joy Behar is heard trying to calm her down.

Executive producer at the time, Bill Geddie, rushed to get Elisabeth back on stage before the commercial break was over, telling her that she had to get back out there because she was a professional — and that he had already told Barbara Walters that she couldn’t talk to Elisabeth like that during the show.

Audio also reveals Walters’ reaction to Hasselbeck’s meltdown. Barbara can be heard saying that Elisabeth had to come back out on stage, and that she never wanted to broach the topic of the morning-after pill in the first place.

When Elisabeth comes back out on stage, the crowd can be heard cheering for her. Hasselbeck tells Walters that they’ll talk about it later, and lets her know she didn’t care for being scolded on air. Barbara then tells her that she’s so “emotional” about things.

When the show returns, Elisabeth Hasselbeck looks visibly upset, and she and Barbara Walters have a make up session on stage for all to see.