Star Jones Will Be Joining WFME
June 28th, 2006
You may or may not have read today’s New York Times article about Star Jones leaving ABC’s The View.
For those who don’t know, ABC’s The View is a daily morning talk show that was founded by Barbara Walters and has waltzed its way into America’s heart over the last few years. Star Jones, one of the few standouts of the program, has brought levity and humor to the show for years and has been given nothing back in return (except for lots of money and fame). And this week, that tradition of “getting nothing back” continued when ABC announced they were not going to renew her contract this Fall.
But there’s always a silver lining to life’s biggest disappointments.
Effective August 1st, 2006 — Star Jones will be joining Words For My Enjoyment as a contributor, consultant, fashion and style correspondent and food reviewer. And while up until yesterday Star Jones declined to comment about her next step in the world of Entertainment, we talked about it last night and decided that today was as good a day as any to break the news to the worldwide readers of WFME.
Know that I’ve tried for a very long time to keep WFME as a solo enterprise. I’ve never included online ads, asked anyone to pay for the content, forced people to buy silly products with the WFME logo or even taken that horrible step of going corporate. I was wholeheartedly against turning WFME into a commercial success but a creative nightmare. That’s why WFME has remained an island unto itself.
Until today.
With Star Jones being added to the list of writers here at WFME you can expect the same quirky content but written from a female perspective. You can expect the same star sightings and conversations, but written (half of the time) with a female twist. You can expect the same hard-core food journalism, but now that Star is a part of WFME we’ll probably be getting a lot of free food and buffet opportunities we never had before.
I asked Star Jones to give a brief quote about why she chose WFME over a slew of other opportunities she had knocking at her door and this is what she said:
Leaving my family on The View was a tough decision to make. I thought long and hard about what my next opportunity in the world of entertainment should be and there were many paths I could have traversed. But when all was said and done I decided that my next decision should not be made for money. Or success. Or fame. Or location. Or health benefits. And so, as of August 1st I will be joining Words For My Enjoyment. I have the utmost of respect for Paul Davidson, what he does, and I believe our new partnership will take the world by storm.
August 1st won’t be here soon enough!
—
Update 6/30/06: I called Star this morning after receiving all the unhappy/angry comments people left on this post in an attempt to get her to write something on the blog to explain her decision to join WFME. You can listen to our conversation (which she’s agreed to let me post), here.
This is the greatest thing since they found a way to put cheese in pizza crust.
Comment by monkeyinabox — June 28, 2006 @ 9:27 am
Well, I guess I’m done here.
Apparently I’m being pushed out the door to make room for Ms. Jones-Reynolds-Faber-Newton-John.
I will miss you, WFME. It’s been fun.
Comment by Kevin — June 28, 2006 @ 9:39 am
I haven’t been coming here long enough to know if you are serious or not, so I’ll just assume you are and say GOOD JOB PAUL! If you aren’t then I’ll say GOOD JOB PAUL as well for most excellent tongue in cheek.
Comment by Jeff — June 28, 2006 @ 10:30 am
Kevin - You’re not being pushed out of anything. There’s room for everyone here, you know.
Jeff - Thanks for the kind words.
Comment by Pauly D — June 28, 2006 @ 10:37 am
Wow, it’s so easy to avoid “The View” every day. I just don’t turn on the television between 11am and noon. But to avoid WFME? Not so easy. Can you be sure to flag all of Star’s entries so that I can evade her presence? I hope you won’t be doing a lot of synergistic duel-author posts.
Comment by Karl — June 28, 2006 @ 11:03 am
Paul - teeny tiny correction - you say you never made anyone buy anything - but you were planning to when you got your cult going, all those t-shirts with cult logos etc. (that we would have happily bought to show membership)
Comment by susan — June 28, 2006 @ 11:49 am
I could SO imagine Star giving you that quote over the phone in that condescending VOICE of hers. Ick. Ick. Ick.
Will her gay husband be contributing as well?
Comment by Jen — June 28, 2006 @ 12:00 pm
Are you serious? I can’t tell. She’s nice and all, but here?!
Comment by cassie — June 28, 2006 @ 12:01 pm
No joke. This has been something in the works since March, and I’m extremely honored to have Star involved in any and all ways possible.
Comment by Pauly D — June 28, 2006 @ 12:26 pm
Nice job Paul! For the naysayers here, it doesn’t matter if you like Star or not. Face it, sometimes in life you have to deal with people you don’t like. So maybe you could just give the woman a chance and see how it works out. You never know… she just might change your mind. And if you still can’t bear to read a word of her, then pick your posts selectively and maybe you could just be happy for Paul. Good on ya, Pauly!
Comment by Monica Ricci — June 28, 2006 @ 2:49 pm
This is good news? More like the kiss of death..in case you have not noticed everyone pretty much depises her. Good luck
Comment by Linda — June 28, 2006 @ 3:05 pm
Good for Star Jones, Her back was not being watched by anyone on that show. She was the bigger woman and was the real star of the view.
Comment by FABIAN — June 28, 2006 @ 3:08 pm
While there were many things that irritated me about Star, I do not think she deserves the crap she gets or the way barbara cut her off. I do think that the view should have kept her on if not for any reason but for making sure that it does not turn into the Rosie show. From what BW said on the show today, I am sure they expected Star to act like a doormat in this situation. I adnire that she had the cajones to stand up for herself … I do think that the View’s days are numbered…. It has lost its freshness and sitting with friends feeling… As to what Star has been dogged about… Like they all do not do it! I mean she was not born with even a pewter spoon in her mouth…You have to admire her for how far she has gotten with the little she started with.
May I suggest to Star not to be kissing celebrities butts… specially Hillary Clinton. And remember a lot of us are just as smart as she is so don’t talk down to us.
Comment by Mariana — June 28, 2006 @ 3:20 pm
I still have trouble understanding Star. She claims she quit and then she claims she was fired. Her contract wasn’t being renewed, that’s it.
I’m sorry, but I can’t see anything positive coming from this except for possibly free legal advice (LOL, right, Star doing something for nothing!).
Good Luck!
Comment by Wendy — June 28, 2006 @ 3:29 pm
I’m so confused?
Comment by julia — June 28, 2006 @ 3:29 pm
Ive never heard of your site but followed the link saying “Star Jones finds a new job”…
Thank goodness it wont be anything I like. I hope she doesnt ruin whatever it is you do. I wont be back…..I cant stand her.
Comment by elizebeth — June 28, 2006 @ 3:36 pm
Good Luck! Your gonna need it with that troublemaker!
Comment by Wendy — June 28, 2006 @ 3:36 pm
You know, I’m glad to hear this. I always hated Star (because she is the Internet’s favorite punching bag) but then I started watching the View, and I really like her now. Cheers on making a good decision. I really like her perspective!
Comment by fcali — June 28, 2006 @ 3:49 pm
Although change can be scary, it doens’t always have to be seen as a negative thing. With all do respect to Star and her career, I’ve never been a fan of hers but good luck to her in other endeavors.
Comment by Jorgeq — June 28, 2006 @ 3:56 pm
HAHAHAHAHA, funny.
Comment by Fabiola Thing — June 28, 2006 @ 4:14 pm
Yeah. It was ugly going thru that but she’s better off out of there!
I can’t stand the fact that Lesbians at taking over daytime tv.
Comment by Queenie — June 28, 2006 @ 4:19 pm
Hey everybody! There’s a space opening up on my blogroll!
Comment by Dave2 — June 28, 2006 @ 5:04 pm
haha at dave2..omigod dave2! i forgot to relink you on my new blog! please forgives…fixing now! NOW! AND, ew…if this was on the real pauly, i’d be so removing you from my webby bloggy linkies…
Comment by Melina — June 28, 2006 @ 5:07 pm
Are you going to start making us give you free things in exchange for recognition?
Comment by sandra — June 28, 2006 @ 5:18 pm
Dave - I’m saddened at your censorship of my site on your blogroll just because you don’t like my business partners. You know, I never liked Lime Diet Coke, but I didn’t remove you from my blogroll because you drank it.
Melina - Same goes for you.
Sandra - Not unless you have free things you want to give me.
Comment by Pauly D — June 28, 2006 @ 6:38 pm
Well, I can remove WFME from my bookmarks menu now. More room for relevant sites, I guess.
And if you’re reding this yet, Star. You’re a horrible, horrible person, and I would love the chance to tell you to your face. You may not have The View anymore, but at least you have a *wonderful* marriage and a *loving* husband. Good luck with that.
Comment by Noni — June 28, 2006 @ 6:44 pm
I’ve always admired Star Jones for her eloquence and graciousness….I never enjoyed an awards show more than when she was on the red carpet and it reflects badly on the general american audience that they can’t fathom her classiness or diction. I remember her from way back during the O.J. trial and I think she gets better every year. She’ll be back on TV I’m sure of it. Best of luck to her and her family.
Comment by Kimanis — June 28, 2006 @ 7:04 pm
I don’t have an opinion of Star either way since I’ve only seen the View a few times. If this IS true, Paul, I’m sure you are intelligent enough to know what will and won’t work for your already successful blog. I say go for whatever you wanna do. You da boss!
Star’s going to be on Larry King Thursday night talking about what happened and what her plans are now. I guess we’ll just have to wait till then to see if you’re pulling our leg
Either way… I’m stayin put.
Comment by Just a crazy woman — June 28, 2006 @ 7:16 pm
DIET COKE?!? GAAAAHHH! WHERE DID THAT RUMOR GET STARTED?!?
LIES! ALL LIES!!
Now Coke with Lime… that’s another story…
Comment by Dave2 — June 28, 2006 @ 7:27 pm
Wow! My very first visit to this site is going to be my very last……..
Comment by Notanidiot — June 28, 2006 @ 8:05 pm
dang people. i think this is the first time i’ve seen so many serious–and mean–comments here. i don’t watch “the view” so i’m neither fan nor hater, but i do think that we should trust pauly on this one. has he ever let us down? it’s not like he said, “i’ve turned WFME over to star jones” or even “from here on out, jeffrey dahmer will speak for me on this blog” (oh wait, he’s dead. well, you get my point.)
i’m sure pauly has something entertaining up his sleeve. right pauly? pauly? who knows, maybe star has a side to her you will all learn to love. like when we found out that stodgy former presidential wanna-be bob dole uses viagra.
Comment by dgm — June 28, 2006 @ 9:00 pm
Pauly D. Who would win a celebrity death match between Star Jones and Davey Jones? Hey, this is your cuz. Got your book. Very very funny but not put together well. Pages have actually fallen out. Send me some scotch tape please. Shoot me an email. Coming to town soon.
Comment by Dave — June 28, 2006 @ 10:33 pm
never been here before but i’ll be back in support of star because she’s been done wrong in the way the view is treating her and i hate liars such as old lady bw.
Comment by starr h. — June 29, 2006 @ 6:06 am
That’s hilarious! This must be a joke. If it isn’t, I feel sad for this website. Star needs to crawul back under the rock she crawled out of. Her 15 minutes were up years ago!!
Comment by JosephNYC — June 29, 2006 @ 7:50 am
I am glad I don’t watch that much TV because I have no opinion of Star.
I am pretty sure you’re joking. Your blog is fine as-is. You sure know how to get people worked up though Pauly D and that’s what I love about you.
I am a forever loyal reader, Star or no Star.
Comment by jacquie — June 29, 2006 @ 8:10 am
Okay, you know what? This is really ridiculous. People are judging this chick before she has even inked a single word on this blog. Star Jones has not been one of my favorite celebrities over the years, but I do believe everyone deserves a chance before you blow them out of the water. Not only that, if you have the time and energy to verbally dog someone out that you have NEVER actually met in person, you need to look at yourself and check YOUR issues. Good luck Pauly and Star…I’ll be looking to give her a chance on here!
Comment by Chrissii — June 29, 2006 @ 9:47 am
I am so beyond excited about this that I just wet myself. Excuse me. Vive le Star!
Comment by Carly — June 29, 2006 @ 10:28 am
Star sucks. She is ignorant and small minded.
The majority of people don’t like her…do you really think ABC would get a ratings booster get away…no, they only toss their losers.
Awful choice!
Comment by Barb — June 29, 2006 @ 1:39 pm
hey, pauly…what does barb & josephnyc really think about star?
Comment by Barney — June 29, 2006 @ 3:31 pm
Hold your horses, people. The fact of the matter is that Star Jones hasn’t even written a single article on this site and yet there are several individuals here that are quick to judge.
Don’t jump the gun before you can see the residual smoke. I’m confident that Paul knows what he’s doing, despite presumptions formed from watching “The View” (a talkshow, albeit a different kind of format) and whatever the media has lamblasted over the course of a few weeks.
Bottomline: Let’s see how this all turns out.
If you’ve been enjoying Words for My Enjoyment for this long, don’t turn your back on this just because you’ve already formed an opinion.
Instead, stay for the ride and understand that the quality that Paul outputs (and Star Jones most likely) is free and more importantly funny and he hasn’t asked for a single thing in the last few years he’s been doing this. He’s free to make these choices for the benefit of his site and the readers as such.
Paul, while I was at first surprised by this announcement (not in negative way), I welcome it. Here’s to more funny posts/articles/anecdotes! Thanks for bringing the funny!
Comment by kartooner — June 29, 2006 @ 5:34 pm
Are all you people for real? You actually think Pauly D. is serious? Have you READ this blog before? You should all know better that this is a big joke. Ha ha. Pauly D. is a humor blog writer. Duh.
Comment by Jen — June 29, 2006 @ 6:30 pm
star jones highjacked a live television show. this is mainly why b.walters is upset and why any producer would. this is like hiring a ticking bomb in your studio. you wish to do this to your site, fine. but remember that you are dealing with a woman who WILL HAVE control of whatever she does. even if it’s on live tv, even if it’s not HER show. better warned than sorry, that’s what i say. if i was an executive, i wouldn’t touch someone like this with a 10,000 feet pole! good luck to you with that.
Comment by lyna — June 30, 2006 @ 3:00 am
Will you be having a Bridezilla er wedding feature? How about how to marry a queen? You the reader gets to pick which person I’m talking about.
Oh and I’m baaaaaaaaaaack
Comment by LisaBinDaCity — June 30, 2006 @ 5:29 am
Star Jones must need the money to pay for Al’s bathhouse memberships.
Sorry, but I don’t need to get the viewpoint from a fake, sanctimonious harpy who needed to resort to surgery and marrying a gay man.
Comment by Jason — June 30, 2006 @ 12:50 pm
Star went out on her own terms. She should be applauded, IMO. Why perpetrate their lie? It was of no benefit to her.
It has gotten loss in the shuffle, but Ms. Walters signed with Sirius on the 27th of this month. Star out”shined” her, pure and simple.
I’m not a fan of either, but I love a good fight. Ms. Walters does not come off good in this.
Comment by dennie — June 30, 2006 @ 3:05 pm
Hey Paul, any chance you could get her to write a special post on my blog too?
Comment by Hilary — June 30, 2006 @ 4:44 pm
This is the first time I am here, and I cannot believe people are criticizing Star for telling the truth. Her contract wasn’t renewed, period, does that not mean she was fired? I have never heard of anybody quitting by making their bosses not renew their contract. I also think she got a raw deal for telling the truth and being ousted for it! How could you as a boss tell an employee to make up a story to tell the viewers, and then have them back you up for lying? That is ludicrous! I never watched The View, so I think Star deserves a chance here or wherever she decides to go. If Star was not fired, why wasn’t she allowed to finish the show and leave with her dignity as BW put it? BW needs to retire anyway! Let someone younger and more interesting have a chance on the show!
Comment by yvette — June 30, 2006 @ 6:36 pm
I am glad to read that and I do hope it’s true. If so, I’ll be adding WFME to my list of sites I visit daily. This is my first time visiting your site and it’s thanks to Mrs. Jones-Reynolds!
Comment by bdazzle — July 1, 2006 @ 9:54 am
Now, that I know she will be contributing to your site, I will bookmark it. This is my first visit. The title got me in. I love her. I’ve found that people don’t like her for the stupidest reasons. Their dislike does not cause her to lose mony or sleep! Anyway, just to clear something up, Babs knew Star would be gone in November but didn’t tell her until April. Rumors were actually leaked and when she asked the execs about the rumors, they told her they weren’t true. Babs also told her she could choose how she left. Okay, she did. Why is Babs so hurt? Babs is a liar. Rosie will doom the show and I wish Star MUCH success!
Comment by Kira — July 2, 2006 @ 6:17 pm
Never heard of WFME but I will be adding this to my list of sites and will also spread the news to my family and friends who are huge fans of Star Jones.
Comment by Michelle — July 3, 2006 @ 10:00 am
I can’t believe all the hate in the world. STAR IS NOT YOUR PROBLEM, LOVING YOURSELF IS> I can Love Others because I Love Myself.
PEACE!!
Comment by Cheryl Bennett — July 4, 2006 @ 10:43 am
This not so shiny STAR makes me wanna puke. I for one could not be happier that this drag queen is gone from the View (not that it was a top 10 favorite of mine anyways…) Getting rid of her is like cleaning the show of its cockroach infestation. It may actually grab my attention now. NOW, if we could just make her fall off of the face of the Earth, mankind would indeed be in a better way…
Comment by Shawn — July 5, 2006 @ 9:35 am
I happen to like and respect Star Jones Reynolds. She is a human being with feelings and deserves a break. As a fan of hers, I welcome her here. I don’t agree with everything that she says and does but I still respect her as a person. For those that have so many problems with Star, is it because she wants to have some sort of privacy in her life and didn’t want everybody in all of her business. Get a life.
Comment by stephy — July 9, 2006 @ 2:58 pm
1. A live TV show is a promise to the network you’re going to do what you said you would do. Holding hostage the network, the producers - B. Getty and B. Walters - the director(s) - the co-hosts, and millions of viewers so Ms. Jones can say what she decided to say is not professional TV behaviour. It’s a trust issue.
2. Grabbing the attention of a national network in this way is not a cry for privacy. Neither is the four interviews given the next day.
3. Going from assistant D.A. to TV personality does not make you a star. And making headlines for your behaviour rather than your accomplishments is a few steps before a true start in life, no matter what you think of the medias.
4. This job hunting will be publicised until a job will be found. The addition of Ms. Jones to this blog is another attempt to have her name out in the public scene. And her new employer is just a smart businessman taking advantage of the short-term attention it will provide his site. Smart of him.
5. If Ms. Jones was that determined to do good in this world, she would be content to do it in silence. And let others sing her praise. We’re not there yet, obviously.
Finally, I’m tired of hearing about and from her.
When she really accomplishes something worth discussing, something other than “related to her”, I will gladly join the discussion. Until then, I’ll stick to the real news. Good luck to all.
Comment by mark — July 14, 2006 @ 6:17 am
One question. Honest answer. Why do people here despise Star?
You know Mark, I find it interesting. You say she’s unaccomplished. I beg to differ.
It takes alot of work to make it to the top of a major network –becoming a host of a major syndicated network program is a big deal. You can sure bet, that someone thought she was a big deal before she got that position at the view. And guess what? She kept that position for 9 YEARS. How many TV personalities can claim THAT sort of accomplishment? Not many, I assure you.
She’s prissy, maybe even siditty even. Yeah well, so what? So is Paris Hilton, but because she a tiny little blond heiress, and not a full figured black woman she’s somehow less “despised”. Seems fair.
And how could she possibly hold the network hostage. Let me tell you why Barbara felt betrayed, why ABC is angry, and why I don’t blame Star for doing what she did.
ABC is angry because Star used the loathed “F” word, a move they felt would undermine their integrity and alienate a core portion of their viewers. That’s why they feel betrayed. From the beginning, they planned to minimize the fallout from her termination by orchestrating a “fake” sendoff show for Star in an effort to keep her portion of their viewers happy. Only in television can one get a party for being fired by one’s employer. They network didn’t want any negative PR. Negative PR can have devestating effects on your bottom line. Afterall, viewers are EVERYTHING in the television business. Networks don’t care who hates or likes a program or a personality. Just as long as you, the viewer, are watching.
And that’s why they hired Rosie O’Donell. No matter how you feel about her, you will certainly WATCH, because you’re curious.
ABC got rid of Star because she would likely clash with Rosie. They felt that Rosie would bring in more “NUMBERS (aka viewers)” and so they made a stategic decision to ax her. It wasn’t about like or dilike. Plently of people DISLIKE Rosie O’Donnell, but a lesbian host ala Ellen Degeneres is good for PR and good for ratings. That’s all. Star lost her “weight” and as a result, lost the overweight viewers that supposedly represent the average american woman–a core part of their audience. The show’s numbers were dwindling. The network looked to a scapegoat–Star. She was the one so obviously “changing” — at least in a physical sense and that was not in keeping with the conceived format of the show. They didn’t wan’t another OPRAH. They wanted a “REAL” woman, not a thin celbutante. They hired her to be the single, childless professional who was struggling with her weight like millions of their viewers. She wasn’t supposed to win the fight. She was there to be the FAT broad, and she wasn’t single or the fat anymore, and she had the gall to advertise it–so guess what? She became the convenient cause of the problem. Star wasn’t fired because of her attitude or lack of professionalism. She was fired because marriage and her weight change was bad for business and the media made a bad deal worse by eating it up. And on top of it all–Star dared to self-promote these “unfavorable” new qualities by signing book deals, and using her View status to solicit donations for her wedding fairytale wedding to a good looking rich sports star, doing interviews about her weightloss, getting boob jobs and the like. That’s not the “REAL” woman. The real woman is overworked sexless, single and struggling with her weight. She doesn’t marry million dollar princes, get boob jobs and live a life of luxury. But why wouldn’t Star promote herself?
Katie Couric, Oprah Winfrey, Al Roker, Regis Philbin, Kelly Ripa are in the news everyday all day for promoting self-interests seperate from the show. That’s how you stay “Fresh” in this business. People who don’t stay “fresh” by generating new PR for themselves find it difficult to sustain themselves in the entertainment industry.
And Bridezillas are found everwhere in this country in all different shades and colors, and everyone is looking for a way to save money on everything. Why should Star be the exception?
So it wasn’t her attitude. Her attitude has been consistent since the incept of the show. She was a well dressed, opinionated, DIVA when she began the View. That’s not why she was fired. She was fired because her weight loss wasn’t good for ABC’s BUSINESS and where Rosie’s concerned, Oil and water don’t mix. That’s why Star went bye, bye. Pure and simple.
ABC is angry because they didn’t get the chance to give her the trumped up sendoff they had surely plotted in advance as an effort to keep the audience they had gained as a result of star’s being on the show. I’m sure the executives’ plan went something like this. We scrap the broad and come out shining by throwing this sham of a sendoff all the while saying: “Hey look, SHE’s the one LEAVING US, and it’s such a loss. See, aren’t we the nicest bunch of folk–we’re throwing a party for her. We just love Star.” And there you have it, it would have been and out and out lie–designed to manipulate intelligent people like you and me.
Anyway, my two cents.
Comment by Yas — July 17, 2006 @ 4:55 am
Well if Jones has anything to do with this site, I will never visit this place again. Good luck with the ugliest pig the view ever had.
Comment by Shirley — September 8, 2006 @ 12:02 pm
Oh good. Then ask her why she abandoned her blog and hasn’t updated it since August 9th…I mean all that sot about loyal fans and all. Just a publicity ploy she grew weary of?
Comment by rose — September 24, 2006 @ 8:17 pm
Oh, lol. I should have figured she’d bail on you like she did on her blog, too.
Comment by rose — September 24, 2006 @ 8:18 pm