Michelle Buteau stepped in as a guest co-host on a live episode of ABC's "The View" on Monday, July 6, to fill a notable gap at the Hot Topics table. Co-hosts Whoopi Goldberg, Sara Haines, and Ana Navarro were all absent from the broadcast.
Joy Behar, who typically does not host on Mondays, moderated the discussion. She explained the reasons for her co-hosts' absences at the start of the show.
Behar stated that Ana Navarro was unable to attend due to weather conditions in Miami. "It's always hot there. What's the problem?" Behar quipped.
Sara Haines was reportedly dealing with storm damage, though Behar humorously noted that Haines was the only one in the group experiencing such issues.
Whoopi Goldberg's absence was attributed to an unexpected volcanic eruption. Behar shared that Goldberg sent a video from Sicily, Italy, where the Mount Etna volcano had become active. "We have spent most of the day trying to get back to the United States, and all of the airports are closed here," Goldberg said in the video, adding, "So I will be back as soon as I can. I know that we got all kinds of stories about our different vacations. Well, I think my story just takes the cake. A volcano ate my homework."
Behar mentioned that she was asked to step in and moderate by "The View" executive producer Brian Teta because the show was "down three co-hosts."
Despite the missing regulars, the episode aired live. "The View" typically broadcasts on weekdays at 11 a.m. ET on ABC.