Joy Behar criticized Kendra Licari on ABC’s The View on Monday, calling the Michigan mother "psychotic" and questioning why she is not in psychiatric care after a Netflix documentary detailed years of anonymous cyberbullying directed at her teenage daughter.
The documentary, Unknown Number: The High School Catfish, which debuted on Netflix last month, chronicles the case of Licari, who prosecutors said sent thousands of abusive text messages to her daughter, Lauryn Licari, including messages urging suicide and making sexual and appearance-based taunts. Licari was convicted in 2023 and ultimately pleaded guilty to two counts of stalking a minor; other counts were dropped. She served a prison sentence and is shown in the documentary after her release.
Behar, a longtime co-host of the daytime panel show, said the case was especially shocking because it involved a parent targeting her own child. "You never expect your own mother to be the one who’s doing it," Behar said on air. After describing the harassment, she added, "She’s psychotic! ... Why isn’t she in a psychiatric facility?" Behar also quipped, "No Mother's Day card for her!"
Sara Haines, another co-host, said Licari showed "almost zero sign of remorse or accountability" in the documentary. Sunny Hostin placed the case within broader concerns about social media and online behavior, saying the internet, once seen as a means to connect people, can become "so divisive that it’s leading to something like this." Alyssa Farah Griffin added that adults must also be held to account, arguing that unresolved trauma and personal unhappiness can lead some people to inflict harm even on their children.
Licari was charged in state court with two counts of stalking a minor, two counts of communicating with another to commit a crime and one count of obstruction of justice. She ultimately pleaded guilty to the two stalking counts; the other charges were dismissed as part of the plea agreement. Court records show she was sentenced in 2023 and later released; the documentary includes interviews and materials related to the investigation and prosecution.
The episode on The View prompted discussion about the legal, psychological and social ramifications of parental cyberbullying and the role of social platforms in enabling harassment. Mental-health resources were reiterated during the segment: If anyone is struggling, the National Alliance on Mental Illness hotline is available at 800-950-NAMI (6264).
The View airs weekdays at 11 a.m. Eastern on ABC. The Netflix documentary remains available for streaming.