The ViewMaster

Longtime viewers remember the days when Bill Geddie, executive producer of The View and Barbara Walters collaborator, sat in the studio audience. He would regularly appear on camera and chat with the ladies. Of course when Rosie joined the show she felt it would be better if his presence remained offscreen and we have seen little of him since. Mr. Geddie himself has acknowledged that Rosie's input and changes to the show have proven successful. But his looming presence behind the scenes is still felt. So here is a little insight into the man they call...the ViewMaster:

He's the main person responsible for hiring and firing (or not-renewing as the case may be) and making all the major decisions. In the past Rosie has mentioned on her blog that she and Bill Geddie did not get along so well. He was also a figure in the argument that erupted backstage when Rosie blasted Barbara for not defending her against Trump. In order to shed some light on the enigma that is Bill Geddie I tracked down a couple of interviews he has done. The links to these can be found below. Here's a sample of some interesting things he had to say in regards to the show (keep in mind this is from December 2006, pre-the Rosie fallout)...

Longevity: "I can tell you this, and this is something I said to Meredith Vieira and I said it to Star Jones and I've said it to any woman who's ever been at that table. The View is a franchise. It's designed to be around when we're all gone."

Popularity: "I think Rosie has energized the show. I think she's the perfect fit at that table. I think it helps that Star Jones is not at that table. I think that was also a part of the puzzle." [Ouch!]

Diversity: "I think it’s important to have an African American voice at the table, and I still feel that way."

For the full articles and a deeper insight into the man that pulls the strings at The View visit Broadcasting&Cable and DimwitedMusings.