NEW YORK – October 31, 2015 — (UPI) — ABC does not appear to be bowing to pressure to fire controversial co-host Raven-Symone from The View.
More than 100,000 people have signed a change.org petition to have the 29-year-old actress ousted from the daytime chat show.
“We love Raven. She is confident, genuine and opinionated, all qualities that make her a great addition to the panel,” the network said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter Saturday.
Raven-Symone co-hosts the program with Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, Candace Cameron Bure, Michelle Collins and Paula Faris. This is her first full season as a permanent panelist. She was hired at the end of last season after serving as a recurring guest co-host.
Started just three days ago, the petition reads in part: “Raven-Symone has been spouting her ignorant and self-hating spiel on The View for long enough, from stating that she wouldn’t hire somebody for having a ghetto name, to openly complaining about reverse racism. The final straw was her comment about the recent viral video of the school police officer assaulting the student, where Raven-Symone said, ‘Get off your phone in school then.'”
