Thursday's episode of The View with President Barack Obama drew the biggest ratings EVER in the history of the daytime talk show.

Despite disapproval of his appearance from some critics, the episode was watched by 6.6 million viewers.

President of Daytime Television for Disney/ABC Brian Frons said:

"It was wonderful to have Barbara Walters back for the interview with President Barack Obama, her first interview since her heart surgery, and together all five co-hosts did what they do best, ask the questions that are on our viewers’ minds.”

Perhaps viewers were waiting for Elizabitch Hasselbeck to open up her big mouth and embarrass herself in front of the President??

[Image via WENN.]

This morning, President Barack Obama sat down with the ladies of The View, including Barbara Walters, for a full hour interview.

It marks the first time a sitting President makes an appearance on daytime television, but the critics are focusing more on the venue than the achievement.

Before Obama even stepped foot onto the set yesterday, critics were harping on his decision to do the show. S.E. Cupp of the New York Daily News summed up the sentinment pretty well, writing an editorial titled, "Two wars, oil crisis, crashed economy and he's whooping it up with Whoopi." In the article, she writes:

"Obama will surely discuss the state of the nation on The View, in between coos and leg pats from Sherri, wisecracks from Joy and earnest pseudo-journalism from Elisabeth, but it's unlikely he'll change the minds of voters who are increasingly unimpressed that our President is a wiz at self-promotion, but no good at steering the nation through these tricky straits."

This seems to be a shared view of former View co-anchor, Rosie O'Donnell. On her XM talk show yesterday, she tore into the President, saying: "I don't really think sitting presidents should do fluffy daytime TV shows."

Are those the sour grapes talking or is that really how you feel?

Personally, we're going to wait to watch the interview before we make a decision, though we do see everyone's point that he has a lot more important stuff going on that he should focus on.

What do U think?

Always looking for a way to hate on Babs!

[Image via WENN.]

Wowsa!

President Barack Obama will appear on The View this Thursday making him the first time a sitting United States president will visit a daytime talk show.

Barbara Walters will be back on the show for the first time since undergoing open heart surgery in May.

The two of them along with the rest of the gals will have a political discussion about his administration accomplishments, jobs, the economy, the Gulf oil spill and his family life.

Barbara says:

"We are so pleased and honored that President Obama will be a guest on The View. The President last appeared on the program in March 2008 while he was still a Senator, and First Lady Michelle Obama was a featured guest co-host in June 2008. This shows that both the President and First Lady feel that our show is an influential and important source of information and news."

The show will be pre-taped on Wednesday to air on Thursday.

We wonder if Elizabitch will be up to her usual shenanigans in front of the President!

Will U be tuning in?

[Image via WENN.]

And we're not surprised!

Joy Behar told The Insider that Mel Gibson is not welcome on The View to defend himself after the release of the controversial tapes!

She says:

"Barbara [Walters] would not allow him on the show. Barbara's Jewish, he's an anti-Semite, he's a racist … so he's done."

As for how Joy felt about co-host Whoopi Goldberg's comments that Mel is not a racist, she doesn't agree saying, "I am surprised, but that's her position, it's called The View."

Yeah, we don't get it either!

[Image via WENN.]

HBO is interested in turning Barbara Walters' memoir Audition into a film.

Barbara's publicist said that there was "a lot of interest from a number of outfits" in making the movie, but it seems HBO is able to give her the two hours she is looking for.

The network is even willing to begin work on the film from the ground up, which is rare for them considering they usually buy nearly completed documentaries.

But with Barbara acting as producer of her own biography, we can't imagine there will be any juicy details.

Too bad. It could have been inneresting!

[Image via WENN.]

For the first time since her heart valve surgery, Barbara Walters is returning to The View on July 12th.

But she still won't be sitting around the table with the ladies! Babs will be participating in the Hot Topics via Skype.

Glad to hear it! No one keeps the ladies in line with Miz Walters.

[Image via WENN.]

This was the glove Michael Jackson wore on his 1984 Victory Tour and for Los Angeles resident Wanda Kelley, it was worth $190,000!

After making the winning bid at an auction run by Julien's Auction at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas, Kelley said, "Let's just say, I wasn't walking out of here without that glove."

The Swarovski-crystal-studded glove was expected to sell between $20,000 and $30,000 at the auction however, according to Darren Julien, the response from bidders was "unlike anything we've ever experienced."

He added that "People flew in from Asia, Russia, all over. Now that he's gone, we now realize the true legend we lost."

Other Jackson items at the auction included a pair of stage-worn loafers that went for $90,000, a custom jacket he wore during a Barbara Walters interview that sold for $120,000, and one of the last autographs he signed on June 24, 2009, which went for $21,000.

Worth it??

[Image via WENN.]

She's got a new gig!

Well…Star Jones had to eventually come up with a way to get back at Barbara and former View castmates, whom she described as “hateful” after abruptly quitting the show back in 2006.

The tv-host turned author is set to release a book about a fictional tv show, The Lunch Club.

And it gets even better!

In the book, the hosts "learn that a former colleague — who departed under mysterious circumstances, and is privy to all their backstage secrets - is coming back with a splash.”

Doesn’t this sound a little much like Jones’ experience as a host on The View???

A former colleague (Star Jones) privy to the shows secrets departs under mysterious circumstances (quits show) and comes back with a splash (writes tell-all book).

We wonder what juicy secrets will be revealed about The View - The Lunch Club.

Thoughts????

[Image via WENN.]

Bummer for Barbara!

ABC has told the cast of The View that they won't be taking Oprah's coveted 4 p.m. time slot after she departs.

Co-creator Barbara Walters could have earned tens of millions of dollars if the show had been sold into syndication!

Babs says:

"We are comfortable and happy at 11 a.m., but 4 [p.m.] is better . . . and more lucrative. And [ABC] thought it was in interesting idea."

But not inneresting enough!!

Too bad.

[Image via AP Images.]

Barbara Walters' heart surgery to replace a faulty valve has been a success and her doctors are "very pleased with the outcome."

Her rep says that "[her] surgery went well" and she's "recovering as expected."

Days before the surgery, Babs announced on The View that she will be in recovery for 1-3 months and "since the summer is coming up, I can take a nice vacation."

You deserve that vacation, bb! Take care of yourself and get better soon!

[Image via WENN.]