ABC Cancels The View, Replaces It With Charlie Kirk Tribute Show — “We’ve Had Enough of These Toxic Hens”
In a move that sent shockwaves through the television world, ABC executives stunned viewers, industry insiders, and the cast of The View by announcing the immediate cancellation of the long-running daytime talk show. The network further fueled controversy by revealing its replacement: a new program honoring conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, framed as a tribute show meant to celebrate his life and message following his assassination.
The decision was delivered with unusual bluntness. An unnamed ABC executive, speaking to trade journalists under condition of anonymity, allegedly summarized the network’s stance in one sharp phrase: “We’ve had enough of these toxic hens.”
With that, an era ended — and another, far more polarizing one, began.
The End of an Institution
For more than 25 years, The View has been a daytime fixture, bringing together rotating panels of women to debate politics, culture, and celebrity gossip. Its format was often imitated but never duplicated, and its hosts became household names.
Love it or hate it, The View commanded attention. Barbara Walters’s original vision was to create a space where diverse female perspectives could challenge and complement one another. Yet over time, the show’s critics charged that it had devolved into daily shouting matches — partisan, combative, and, some claimed, outright toxic.
Ratings had fluctuated in recent years. While the show still drew millions of loyal viewers, executives privately fretted that its notoriety increasingly outweighed its value. Every clip that went viral seemed to feature screaming matches, eye rolls, or bitter walk-offs rather than thoughtful conversation.
Still, few expected ABC to swing the axe so suddenly. The announcement arrived late on a Friday evening, buried in a press release about “strategic programming changes.” But when news leaked about its replacement, social media lit up.
Enter the Charlie Kirk Tribute Show
The new program, tentatively titled Charlie: An American Voice, is framed as both a memorial and a platform. Designed to celebrate the life of Charlie Kirk following his shocking death, the show is expected to mix archival footage, interviews with allies, and commentary from conservative figures who admired him.
According to network insiders, the idea came together rapidly after Kirk’s assassination. ABC saw an opportunity: not only to honor a controversial but undeniably influential figure, but also to pivot away from the fatigue of The View.
“The timing was extraordinary,” one producer admitted. “We were already discussing how to reinvent our daytime lineup. Then the Kirk story dominated the news cycle, and it became clear the country wanted a different conversation. We decided to lead that shift.”
Explaining the “Toxic Hens” Remark
The leaked remark about “toxic hens” quickly went viral. It was crude, blunt, and instantly polarizing. Detractors slammed ABC for disrespecting the women who had carried the network’s daytime lineup for decades. Supporters, however, cheered the honesty.
For years, critics of The View — including politicians, celebrities, and rival networks — had accused the show of embodying the worst tendencies of cable-style discourse: interrupting, talking over, and demonizing opponents. In that sense, the “hens” comment tapped into an existing cultural narrative: that The View had become more spectacle than substance.
ABC has not officially confirmed the remark, but its silence has been telling. The network seems content to let the quote fuel publicity. After all, nothing builds buzz like outrage.
Reaction From the Hosts
The current panel of The View was reportedly blindsided by the decision. Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, Sunny Hostin, Sara Haines, and Alyssa Farah Griffin all learned of the cancellation within hours of the press release going public.
Goldberg, never one to shy away from blunt commentary, delivered an impromptu monologue on Instagram Live:
“They can call us whatever they want, hens or worse. But we know what we did mattered. We gave women a platform to be heard. If they want to replace that with a political tribute show, that’s on them. But don’t think history won’t remember us.”
Joy Behar, meanwhile, leaned into sarcasm. “I guess clucking chickens were just too scary for America. Well, now they get to eat Fox News for breakfast instead.”
Fans Erupt — On Both Sides
The cancellation instantly divided the public. Loyal fans of The View launched petitions demanding ABC reconsider, amassing hundreds of thousands of signatures in just days. The hashtag #SaveTheView trended across social platforms, filled with clips of past debates and tributes to Barbara Walters’s legacy.
On the other hand, critics of the show celebrated openly. Conservative commentators hailed the decision as “long overdue,” calling The View “a toxic brand that normalized hate disguised as talk.” Some praised ABC for finally offering programming that spoke to audiences they felt had been neglected.
The announcement of the Charlie Kirk tribute show only deepened the divide. Admirers of Kirk framed it as a rightful recognition of his impact. Opponents accused ABC of exploiting his death to chase ratings.
What This Means for ABC
For ABC, the decision is a gamble. The View was not only a cultural juggernaut but also a reliable ratings generator and advertising magnet. Replacing it with a politically charged tribute show risks alienating advertisers wary of controversy.
At the same time, network strategists see opportunity. In a fragmented media landscape, bold moves generate attention. By seizing the cultural moment and leaning into controversy, ABC may be hoping to capture an audience segment hungry for something different than the standard liberal-leaning daytime chatter.
It’s a high-risk, high-reward play. If Charlie: An American Voice flops, ABC could find itself accused of both alienating its core viewers and mishandling a sensitive legacy. If it succeeds, however, the network may have opened the door to a new era of politically driven daytime programming.
The Larger Cultural Battle
Beyond television, the cancellation reflects the larger cultural struggle over who controls the narrative in American media. For decades, daytime TV was considered a space for women’s voices, lifestyle programming, and softer fare. By scrapping The View for a politically charged tribute show, ABC is declaring that even daytime is no longer safe from the ideological wars shaping primetime news.
Critics argue this accelerates the politicization of everything, robbing audiences of spaces where politics can be set aside. Supporters counter that such neutrality is impossible, and that acknowledging the influence of figures like Kirk is more honest than pretending otherwise.
What Comes Next
In the weeks ahead, ABC will begin promoting the Kirk show with trailers, interviews, and promotional spots during primetime. Rumors suggest the network is lining up high-profile conservative guests for the premiere, including political leaders, celebrities, and former NFL players who admired Kirk’s outreach work.
Meanwhile, the former hosts of The View are expected to shop new projects. Streaming platforms may seize the opportunity to scoop up their loyal audience, giving them free rein to continue their brand of fiery debate without the constraints of network television.
Industry analysts are already speculating: could we see a View-style reunion on Netflix, Hulu, or even YouTube? Or will the format itself fade, replaced by something entirely new?
Closing Thought
The cancellation of The View marks the end of one of television’s most controversial yet enduring experiments in daytime programming. Its replacement with a Charlie Kirk tribute show signals not just a programming shift, but a cultural one — from a stage for clashing female voices to a platform for honoring a conservative icon.
Whether this gamble cements ABC as a daring innovator or alienates millions of viewers remains to be seen. But one thing is certain: the days of hens clucking at the table are over, and in their place, the echoes of Charlie Kirk’s legacy will soon fill the airwaves.
