Elisabeth Hasselbeck Seemingly Responds to ‘CBS Mornings’ Interview Backlash

Elisabeth Hasselbeck is seemingly responding to online backlash over one of her CBS Mornings interviews.

Hasselbeck served as a guest host on the CBS morning show from Monday, June 15, through Wednesday, June 17. During Monday’s episode, Hasselbeck joined Gayle King and Nate Burleson for an interview with Billy Porter about his role in the off-Broadway revival of La Cage Aux Folles.

“He plays Albin, who runs a drag night club in St. Tropez with his romantic partner, George, played by Wayne Brady,” King said of Porter’s role in the show. Porter added, “It’s all joy. It’s all Black, queer joy, and we need that right now.”

Describing the show, Porter noted that La Cage Aux Folles is the stage play that the 1996 film The Birdcage, starring Robin Williams and Nathan Lane, is based on. “It’s about a queer couple who run a nightclub, and their straight son gets engaged to a straight woman whose parents are essentially the conservative folks,” he explained. “It’s heartwarming. It’s lovely. It’s loving, and it’s a fabulous show.”

 

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During the interview, Hasselbeck chimed in to state, “In the little tease, you talked about not really being a sports person. I’m not really a drag person, but I’m a person person. And so, we get to be who we are, and I love that about our world.”

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Hasselbeck received backlash for her comments about not being a “drag person” on social media. “She HAS to go out of her way to say she’s ‘not a drag person.’ Gross,” one person commented underneath a clip of Porter’s interview on the show’s Instagram page. Another added, “Her comment made me sick. I can’t watch if MAGA Barbie continues to be on.”

Hasselbeck appeared to react to the backlash by sharing the interview moment via her Instagram Story on Wednesday. “Let’s normalize being truthful about who we are- and still being loving toward one another,” she wrote alongside the clip.

Courtesy of Elisabeth Hasselbeck/Instagram

Fans shared more criticism of Hasselbeck’s guest role on CBS Mornings in the Instagram comments section of Porter’s interview. “Really Hasslebeck now?” someone shared. A different person posted, “If that Elizabeth chick is permanent…Good Morning America.” A separate user stated, “I PRAY that Elizabeth Hasselback isn’t a permanent newscaster, if she is I am out and that breaks my heart because I love everyone else @gayleking @nateburleson @vladduthierscbs.”

Earlier this month, Variety reported that Hasselbeck will be one of several CBS Mornings guest hosts the network is testing on-air as it works to revamp the show. Hasselbeck is no stranger to hosting roles, having previously served as a co-host on The View from 2003 to 2013 and on Fox & Friends from 2013 to 2015.

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