Entertainment gossip and news from Newsweek’s network of contributors
Joy Behar got a lot more than a hot pizza for her birthday celebration on The View.
The 82-year-old was surprised by her co-hosts and guest Nathan Lane on the Friday, October 4 episode of the ABC talk show. Lane, 68, had joined the co-hosts of The View to discuss his latest show, Netflix‘s Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, in which he plays journalist Dominick Dunne.
Toward the end of his segment, co-host Ana Navarro asked Lane, “Did you come here empty-handed for Joy’s birthday?” The Producers star insisted he had not, explaining, “Because Joy is still a hot Italian woman, I have ordered Joy a hot Italian pizza!” As he said that, a man wearing a baseball cap and a T-shirt that read “hot pizza,” strolled out onto the stage carrying a pizza box.
Arturo Holmes/Getty Images
However, once he got to Behar, he tossed his hat and the pizza box before ripping off his shirt, and starting to dance. Behar watched with a big smile on her face, as her co-hosts were all jumping out of their seats, laughing, and looking around with their mouths dropped. The “pizza guy” kissed Behar’s hand before launching into a series of floor dance moves, like the worm and body rolls.
Through laughter, Behar pointed at the dancer, thanking him as well as Lane, before joking, “Where’s my pizza?” Behar’s “gift” continued to dance as the show headed into a commercial break. The comedian and actress could then be seen fanning herself as she looked at her co-hosts’ hilarious reactions.
Earlier in the episode, Behar had said she “couldn’t ask for a better birthday present than a visit from one of my favorite performers” as she was introducing Lane as the show’s guest. She also referred to Lane — a longtime friend — as “my first ex-husband.”
As Friday’s episode was coming to a close, and Behar told the audience to “take a little time to enjoy the view,” the dancer was brought back onstage again to close out the show.
New episodes of The View air weekdays at 11 a.m. ET on ABC.
