Jenny McCarthy "In Serious Talks" to Join The View as Joy Behar's Replacement

An insider tells Us Weekly that Jenny McCarthy is "in serious talks" to join The View as Joy Behar's replacement, and Brooke Shields will replace Elisabeth Hasselbeck in the fall. Credit: Dimitrios Kambouris/WireImage
Make room on the couch! Frequent View guest cohost Jenny McCarthy may be joining the ABC morning talk show full-time.

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"She is in serious talks right now," an insider tells Us Weekly of the star, 40, who is currently hosting her own low-rated chatfest on VH1. "Her show isn't quite working out, so she's definitely open to it."

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The sassy single mom would replace Joy Behar, 70, when the comedian moves on in August, reveals another source. "The cast and crew get a kick out of Jenny," adds a set source. "She's a good fit. She may not be able to carry a show, but she works well with a group ensemble."

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A third insider adds Brooke Shields, 48, is also in talks to replace Elisabeth Hasselbeck, 36, come fall. Us exclusively revealed in March that Hasselbeck will not be returning as a cohost, but she has yet to confirm the news.

In addition to Behar announcing her departure from the show, Barbara Walters revealed in May that she plans to retire in summer 2014.

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'The Heat' Director Paul Feig Reacts to Melissa McCarthy Photoshop Controversy: 'It's a Bummer'

Paul Feig at "The Heat" premiere

The Heat director Paul Feig is defending his star in the wake of a Photoshop controversy that found Melissa McCarthy’s image significantly altered in a promotional image for the film.

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“It’s a bummer,” Feig told The Huffington Post when asked about the incident. “I love Melissa exactly how she is.”

Feig acknowledged that one of the problems in that situation is that he has “very little to do with” the marketing materials, “especially in the foreign markets.”

The image in question (a poster for the film’s U.K. release) featured a significantly slimmed down, nearly unrecognizable McCarthy next to her co-star, Sandra Bullock.  Some critics estimated that photo editors had shaved up to 30 pounds from McCarthy’s face and frame.

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McCarthy joked about the drama while speaking with The Hollywood Reporter at the film's New York premiere.

"Ben did it," she said, referring to her husband Ben Falcone. "We had a big fight about it because I said I wanted it 80 percent smaller and he said he wanted it 70 percent."

In his interview with HuffPo, Feig also compares McCarthy to comedy veteran Steve Carell and discusses how Bullock adapted to the improv-heavy environment. Read the full piece here.

The Heat opens nationwide on June 28.