Joy Behar Supports Barbra Streisand After Melissa McCarthy Controversy

After Barbra Streisand drew criticism for questioning Melissa McCarthy about Ozempic use, the legendary star found an ally at The View roundtable.

In a Wednesday, May 1, discussion on the daytime talk show about Streisand’s social media faux pas — in which she left a public comment asking McCarthy, 53, whether she was using the weight loss drug — Joy Behar pushed back against the outrage.

Behar, 81, said, “As far as asking someone that question, I don’t think it’s rude.”

In fact, Behar joked she has her own way of asking whether somebody is using Ozempic, which uses the drug’s earworm commercial jingle.

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“Listen, if somebody’s lost a lot of weight and you want to know if they’ve taken the drug,” Behar explained, “you just go, ‘Oh-oh-oh-Ozempic!’ and if they respond, ‘Thank you,’ then that’s the end of the conversation.”

The View cohost Sara Haines took a bit more of a nuanced approach, acknowledging the hush-hush nature of Ozempic use.

“In the Hollywood world, it’s like ‘Who’s your agent?’” Haines, 46, said. “These days it’s like, ‘Are you on it? I’m on it. She’s on it!’”

Behar suggested New York residents don’t have an issue asking blunt questions about weight loss or how much people are paying for their apartments. However, Haines balked and said, “I would never ask someone ‘How much is your rent?’”

“You’re from Iowa!” Behar screamed.

Whatever the case, cohost Alyssa Farah Griffin argued, “I think if you’re an icon, you can get away with it.”

Streisand’s comment in question was made on a post McCarthy shared via Instagram on Monday, April 29. Underneath a photo of McCarthy and director Adam Shankman, Streisand, 82, wrote: “Give him my regards did you take Ozempic?”

The Oscar winner quickly deleted the comment, but the damage had been done.

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“OMG — I went on Instagram to see the photos we’d posted of the beautiful flowers I’d received for my birthday!” Streisand wrote via Instagram Stories on Tuesday, April 30. “Below them was a photo of my friend Melissa McCarthy who I sang with on my Encore album. She looked fantastic! I just wanted to pay her a compliment. I forgot the world is reading.”

To her credit, McCarthy was a good sport about the entire thing. When asked by TMZ on Tuesday what she thought of Streisand’s comment, she said, “I think Barbra is a treasure and I love her.”

McCarthy doubled down on the goodwill in a cheeky video posted via Instagram later on Tuesday. While holding a Streisand magazine in her hands, McCarthy left a message to the camera.

“The takeaway: Barbra Streisand knows I exist,” McCarthy gushed. “She reached out to me and she thought I looked good. I win the day.”