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The View is filmed before a live studio audience. It features free-form discussion and interview sessions, so people are often talking over each other, about whatever topic that floats into their radar. As such, I've omitted much of the discussions and left only the parts that relate to "The L Word" (which is very little) or the conversation the co-hosts had about lesbians (I think the polite term to use for it is interesting). You can skip over the str8 girl gabbing and go right to the Jennifer & Pam interview by clicking the link below. Persons talking who are interrupted are signified by either a dash ( — ) or an ellipsis ( ... ), or if they can't be understood, I've written [indecipherable]. Co-hosts are: Meredith Vieira, Star Jones, Elisabeth Hasselbeck, Joy Behar and Barbara Walters.
The co-hosts discuss "The L Word" and lesbians
Meredith: "The L Word" is the name of a new series on Showtime starring two of our guests today, Jennifer Beals and Pam Grier, who are in the back, we love them, they're wonderful. [applause] Star: Yes, absolutely. Meredith: And they're on this new show. It's all about lesbians. What do you think is the fascination, that now it's even a show on cable? Joy: It's a big thing to, uh, to accept your sexuality, and it was, I mean the way I grew up, lesbians were in the closet and now everything's coming up rosy [Rosie]! (smiles) [laughter] Joy: It's lovely, really. Barbara: I don't think it's — Elisabeth: I like it. Barbara: I don't think it's the women, that much. I mean, in porn films, I hear... Meredith: Yes. [laughter] Star: Mm-hmm. Elisabeth: Rumor has it. Star: (smiling) She said with authority, huh? Barbara: Star! ... In porn films it's the men who like to look at the lesbian porn. Meredith: Right. Barbara: The men like to see the women doing things... Elisabeth: Right. Barbara: ... I think the women are sort of (makes a face), I don't know whether they're a little uncomfortable with it, whether maybe it's not so interesting to them — Joy: The men are trying to get tips... [laughter] Barbara: They get turned on! Joy: ... on how to do it! Elisabeth: (excited) You know what, Joy, I think that you're right! Joy: Yes! Meredith: Do you think so? Joy: They're like, 'Oh, that's what they like!' [laughter] Joy: That's why they watch it, Barbara! Elisabeth: Because women know what women want! [indecipherable] Meredith: ... by two women going at it. Barbara: Ok, everybody the truth. Meredith: Yes. Barbara: Truth time. Anybody here really been sexually aroused or wanted another woman? Joy: No, but I'm attracted to this outfit! [Joy tugs on the fur wrap Barbara has around her shoulders.] [laughter] Joy: I want to wrap that around me! [indecipherable] Meredith: Anybody in particular? I've think women are sexy, but I don't — Barbara: No, I don't mean that, I mean have you ever sexually desired ... to do (makes face) it... [indecipherable] Barbara: ... the thing, with another woman. Meredith: You go first. [laughter] [Barbara half-smiles] Meredith: C'mon, Barbara! Barbara: Well do you remember, I said one day, I made a big mistake I guess because I read about it later, that I, in the hot tub and spas... Meredith: Oh, yes. You look! Barbara: ... and jacuzzis, that I like to look because I like to sort of see the beautiful bodies but I don't wanna do it, no. Meredith: Okay. Joy: Well, so you, but do you like to look if they're, they look better than you, is that what it really is about? Barbara: They all look better than me. [laughter] Joy: (smiling) Well... Star: Not true, now. Elisabeth: You know what I think, I think regardless of, you know, sexuality, there's something with "The L Word" that's fascinating, I think, and it happens right here when women are together discussing things... Joy: Yes. Elisabeth: ... and just hanging out a lot, it's empowering. Star: Mm-hmm. [Elisabeth goes on at length about an argument she had with her husband about dish washing liquid.] Elisabeth: So I think the fascination is just with women getting together. Meredith: Does he worry because, you know, in this "The L Word" there's a straight woman who ends up with a lot of other women and she wants to experiment. Is he worried that maybe you're gonna be with these women all the time... [laughter] Meredith: ... and a part of you is thinking, 'You know...' Elisabeth: He may be concerned. Tim, it's all okay. [some laughter] Barbara: But you know, there is the whole business about the so-called experimentation, they talk about a little bit among college and university — Meredith: And high school, even, girls, yeah. Barbara: Yeah, you know. Star: Lesbian until college, that's what — Joy: What is she? Star: I mean lesbian until graduation, that's what someone said, yeah. Barbara: (said with Star) Lesbian until graduation. Yeah. Joy: (shakes her head) Barbara: And we have known... Star: (to Joy) You never heard that? Joy: No! Barbara: Without naming, without mentioning names, we have seen a lesbian or people who had lesbian relationships and then had heterosexual relationships. I won't name the names, but you know. Elisabeth: Sure! Barbara: But you know who I'm talking about. Star: Yeah, we do. Barbara: Everybody nods, and says, 'Who? Who? Who's she talkin' 'bout?' Elisabeth: Anne Heche! Joy: Oh, Anne Heche! Meredith: We all know, it's not like a — not her (motioning to Barbara) and Anne Heche! Joy: No. No, no! [laughter] Joy: But Anne, Anne had a little... yeah. [indecipherable] Meredith: See, everybody wants to get in touch with their feminine side... [The topic changes to something else.] Only Star, Meredith and Joy are present for the interview. The rest of the co-hosts are backstage. [applause] Star: On the controversial new show "The L Word" Jennifer Beals plays a lesbian who's having a rough time with her lover. And Pam Grier plays her half-sister who knows that any relationship worth saving is based on one thing. Take a look. [episode clip:] [Bette and Kit are talking to each other. Bette looks upset, near tears.]Star: I love these actresses. Please welcome Jennifer Beals and Pam Grier! [applause and music] [Jennifer and Pam walk out. Jennifer waves to the audience and Pam bows. They both step up and greet the co-hosts.] Star: Girls, lil air kiss again! [Star and Jennifer "air-kiss" each other on the cheeks. Jennifer gives Joy a hug and a kiss.] Star: Mwah! Jennifer: Mwah! [Jennifer gives Joy a hug and kiss.] Star: (hugging Pam, laughing) Don't want a air-kiss, huh? Pam: (laughing) Not really. [Pam smiles at Joy and moves down the couch to sit as Jennifer and Meredith hug.] Star: Come on in, you guys! Meredith: (to Jennifer) Nice to see you again! Jennifer: Nice to see you! [music and applause end] Star: (sitting) Lots of kissing, lots of hugging. Jennifer: (to Pam) Are we switching seats? Pam: (to Jennifer): Are we switching? (to Meredith) Hey! Star: Yes. Yes... [Pam and Meredith greet with a kiss on the cheek.] Star: ... Pam, you sit in the chair where the black woman normally sits 'cause it's lit for you. [laughter] Pam: (sits) Yeah, I can feel it now. Star: It's lit for ya, honey! [laughter] Star: We got the right light there. So now why don't we start with the fact that this show is already making headlines, before it has come on! Jennifer: (smiling) I know. Star: There, did you expect this controversy? We'll start with you, Jen. [photo: the cover of New York] magazine ("Not Your Mother's Lesbians") showing, L to R, Laurel Holloman, Pam Grier, Mia Kerschner, Karina Lombard, Katherine Moennig and Jennifer Beals; newspaper article clipping, titled "Tizzie Over Lezzies"; New York Times] newspaper article clipping, titled "Lesbians On Television: It's Not Easy Being Seen" with a black and white photo of Mia Kerschner as Jenny Schecter lying in bed with someone.] Jennifer: I didn't ex — well, I didn't even think about it because I, all I saw was a really wonderful script... Star: Mm-hmm. Jennifer: ... with a really wonderful character, and just was so excited to be a part of the story that made people who were normally invisible to the larger culture, uh, visible. Joy: But we were talking, y'know the hot topic's about how lesbians are like the, the new thing... [Jennifer gets up and goes as if to give Joy a full-on the mouth kiss. Joy is startled for a moment and everyone else laughs.] Studio audience: Ohhh! [Jennifer sits down, laughing.] Joy: (to the audience) You know what, wait a second! Don't make Alec Baldwin jealous. (Alec Baldwin was the previous guest interview, and joked about how he wasn't turned on by lesbians, but he was a lesbian on the inside.) [laughter] [Joy laughs] Jennifer: Ok, Alec Baldwin said that he would be ready to do a threesome on the show! [Everybody says "ohhh..." Someone backstage yells REALLY loud, and Jennifer, Pam and the co-hosts laugh.] [indecipherable] Joy: (pointing backstage) That was Barbara! Star: Somebody just passed out right there! Joy: But what, what is it, I mean, lesbians! Because we have a Bush in the White House, is that it? [Star shakes her head. The audience laughs. Joy waves her hand at the audience.] Joy: Listen, you know what? Let's keep the theme going today, okay? Pam: Oh, you definitely are... Joy: You know, maybe that's — Pam: ... I thought Barbara was wearing a beaver. [Pam gestures about the fur wrap Barbara was wearing around her shoulders. Everyone laughs.] Joy: There you go! See! Star: We're never [indecipherable] [Everyone squeals when Barbara comes running out from backstage, to the couches where everyone sits. Barbara runs up to Pam.] Pam: Ahh! My idol! [Barbara playfully tries to cover Pam's mouth. Pam laughs.] Barbara: You just, you just cover that mouth! It's bad enough with the tinsel, I don't need you, too! (The "tinsel" refers to an earlier conversation the co-hosts had about men's happy places which I'll save you from.) [Barbara playfully hugs Pam over the couch.] Pam: Okay, okay, I loved it — Barbara: Just watch it, allright, I'm going back! Star: Yes ma'am. Jennifer: (laughing, gesturing to keep it down) Carry on, carry on. [Pam fans herself with her hand. The laughing dies down.] Star: Would you all do me a favor and try not to kill Barbara? Okay? Let's start with that. Now, I mean, "The L Word," in all seriousness, is a story about a group of primarily gay women in the Los Angeles area. Now, did either one of you hesitate to do this show? I'm trying to be the serious one and it's not working. [episode clip, very short, no audio, of Bette standing by a table at a cafe, where sit Tina, Dana, Alice and Shane.] Jennifer: I know! [Pam and Jennifer giggle.] Star: Did, did either of you hesitate to do this series because some of the issues that have been raised and some of the jokes that have been told? We'll start with you, Pam. Pam: Oh I knew you would. Uh, no, because I felt it was very complex in its characterization and of course (motions to Jennifer) when we speak of invisible people we can relate to that. Jennifer: Right. Pam: But I thought the way that our society has evolved... and we're much smarter, and much more tolerant and accepting, I thought for me — and my character is gonna be unveiling along the way, her past catches up to her — um, and this is my family of acceptance and I know what it's like. I thought, Well, you know what? This society, a group of women who are lesbian, are bisexual, or curious, or whatever... Joy: Right. Pam: ... uh, can't possibly change their sexuality like I can't change the color of my skin. Jennifer: Mm-hmm. Pam: And as we start talking about the depths of our characters, the — I think our society will be enlightened and educated and informed. And there won't be the myths and the stereotypes... Joy: But there's one — Pam: ... which are so negative. Joy: Well there's one character who does sorta want to change her sexuality a little bit. Pam: She — she's gonna find out who she really is... Joy: Yeah. Who she really is. Pam: ... because we've been conditioned... Joy: Yeah. Star/Jennifer/Meredith: Mm-hmm. Pam: ... since we were children that you're supposed to get married to the charming prince.. Joy: Right. Pam: ... you know, and all that. And there are a lot of women and men who said, 'You know what? I have been conditioned. I need to find out who —' and are confused... Joy: For real, for real. Pam: ... getting therapy all their lives to figure out why they're attracted to someone of the same sex. Star/Joy: Yeah. Meredith: But still in the moment, when you're doing, for example, Jennifer when you're doing your first love scene with a woman and — you play, you're in a long-term relationship and you play Bette, and you're in a long-term relationship with the character named Tina — that first time that you are in a love scene with another woman... explain that experience, what that is like for — what that was like for you. Jennifer: Well, first of all, the director of the pilot, Rose Troche, had made a videotape for us of all these different love scenes, both with lesbian women and also heterosexual love scenes, of scenes that she liked and some that she thought didn't work, and she gave it, the tape to us, as a cast to watch... Joy: Oh! Jennifer: ... to, uh, y'know... Joy: That's some rehearsal! Ohh! [Laughter. Jennifer tries to keep a straight face.] Jennifer: ...and we watched as a group — Star: Not — as a group? Jennifer: As a group... Joy: Research! Jennifer: ... we'd watch... Pam: Yeah. Jennifer: ... yes, as a group... they weren't porn! Meredith: I think it would be helpful as a group to watch it. Jennifer: Well, what was really helpful was to watch what worked and what didn't work, and what didn't work was when someone was afraid. You could smell when the actor was afraid, and so you didn't believe the love scene, and therefore you're going along with a story, and you see how these people love each other, and then all of a sudden when you get to the love scene if you see fear... Star/Joy: Mm-hmm. Jennifer: ... then you don't believe it anymore. So well all vowed to each other that we would, uh, be as truthful as we could, and I realized, you know, how do I do this scene? You know, what am — what am I supposed to do? And I realized I know how to love someone. You know. I can love this person because I know what it's like to love someone. But I have to say that in some ways (clears throat), it's kind of easier to do a love scene with a woman (smiles)... [Pam laughs.] Jennifer: ... because, you know, as a woman you have certain issues about your body (smiles). You know, it's conditioned — Pam: Mm-hmm, there (grabs her leg) [indecipherable] my ass. [laughter] Meredith: So you were protective of each other... Jennifer: (laughing) When you say... when you say to your scene partner who's a woman, y'know, 'Can you put your hand here, because'... [Meredith laughs.] Jennifer: ... y'know, there's a little problem... Pam: (laughs) Both hands! (grabs herself) Jennifer: ... she doesn't move her hand. A man, he forgets, because he doesn't know how important it is... Meredith: Right! Jennifer: ... and he gets a little excited. Star: A lot of women wanna hear that from you, Pam, pulling stretch marks. You are truly, you are... Pam: [indecipherable] Star: ... You're the poster child for black don't crack, be quiet over there! [laughter] Star: You know what I mean? And that was actually my question, because you became, in the 70s, the poster child for the woman, you know, Foxy Brown was my girl... [photo: Pam Grier as Foxy Brown, in afro, leather jacket, holding a gun.] Star: ... I just loved her, I thought she was hot to trot. [photo: Pam Grier as Foxy Brown, in a skimpy yellow top.] Star: Do you think that this show can do the same thing for women here? Pam: Ooh baby. Ohh, it... what it does is, the women are, just happen to be, beautiful, but they're very smart. They're very intelligent, and there, you will find out that there is a... there are subcultures within the, the generalization of the lesbian woman, et cetera. Jennifer: Mm-hmm. Pam: Um, and I think, uh, people will watch to, for their libido (smiles)... Joy: Oh! Pam: Oh baby! And, but they'll also be watching the great stories, they're very profound, they're various levels... Joy: Well we're not going to give you any more hints... Pam: ... Lots of emotion, lots of emotion. (smiling) So watch this Sunday on Showtime... Star: Absolutely. Our thanks to Jennifer Beals and to Pam Grier. "The L Word" premieres on Showtime this Sunday, January 18th. You're gonna love it. We'll be right back.
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