Joy Behar urges Charlize Theron to say ‘bitch’ on ‘The View’

From Joy Behar‘s cursed, expletive-laden Italian vacation to the words scrawled on Ana Navarro‘s profane handwritten thank-you notes, the word “bitch” has a storied history on The View.

Oscar winner Charlize Theron officially became part of that legacy Tuesday morning, after she appeared on the talk show to promote her new Netflix action film The Old Guard 2, only to be caught up in verbal action with 82-year-old Behar.

“It’s amazing to make a movie like this and have it be surrounded by women who get to really not pretend to be bad…” Theron said, pausing to collect her thoughts.

She continued, noting that “I almost said a word I can’t. But, actually really have their feminine strength in this.”

Behar then looked over at Theron and urged, “If you want to say ‘bitch,’ say it!”

The cohosts and Theron laughed while telling Behar that Theron likely meant to say “badass” and not “bitch,” but nevertheless, Behar persisted.

“You can say it,” she told Theron. “We like that word on this show.”

And, as history proves, Behar isn’t joking. The comedian admitted in an April 2023 broadcast that she once called an Italian woman a “bitch” while aboard a passenger train, after the lady apparently wouldn’t let her pee in the first-class section of the train.

“The people are nice, here and there. I had to call one woman the b-word, but that’s something else,” Behar said at the time.

Sign up for Entertainment Weekly‘s free daily newsletter to get breaking TV news, exclusive first looks, recaps, reviews, interviews with your favorite stars, and more.

“I said it in English because she wouldn’t let me pee in the first-class lounge. I said, ‘Please, let me just go!'” Behar continued. “I said, ‘Listen, don’t be a bitch.’ She wouldn’t let me go.”

The View airs weekdays at 11 a.m. ET/10 a.m. PT on ABC. The Old Guard 2 streams July 2 on Netflix.