Accountability

Does anyone watch "The View?" It's not a regular viewing for me, and I watch it very rarely these days. I bring it up only because I was just reading a news story about Barbara Walters and Star Jones. Jones just panned Barbara and "The View" in a magazine article, and Barbara's response was a somewhat polite, "... And I think 'The View' made Star a star."

There's no question about that. No one would know or care about Star Jones were it not for the morning talkie. Let me state up front. I'm not a Star Jones fan. I do believe she abused her place on a talk show to her benefit for that far-too-extravagant wedding that cost her virtually nothing, thanks to the free advertising on the TV show. I also believe her silence about her weight-loss surgery was just ridiculous. She's got ego and way too much of it.

However, here's my question. While Star was boring us and making us upset about her wedding plans, where was Barbara in controlling the content of her show? It *is* her show, but she let Star do whatever she wanted for that entire year-long advertisement. Yes, she fired Star in the end (call it what you want, Star was dismissed, and frankly, who cares?), but why did Barbara, a strong-willed, independent, clearly in-charge person let it happen in the first place?

Why hasn't Barbara ever been held accountable for letting "The View" become a commercial?