The View added another controversy to its long list, a nurse and her profession were mocked by the co-hosts. This week, Michelle Collins and Joy Behar laughed at Miss America contestant, Kelley Johnson aka Miss Colorado, who opted to have a monologue where she highlighted the tough and wonderful parts of being a nurse. Behar and Collins, who wondered why was the nurse carrying a stethoscope, are currently being slammed by people on social media and the nursing community. On Wednesday morning, the ladies decided to apologize.
It’s The View versus the entire nursing community after the ladies decided to mock Kelley Johnson, the reigning Miss Colorado. On Sunday night, Johnson decided to show a different kind of talent, (there was enough singing, music playing and dancing anyway), during the Miss America pageant, which was held at the Boardwalk Hall Arena in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
Miss Johnson, 22, wore a stethoscope and her purple scrubs and delivered a moving monologue about the ups and down of her profession.
Miss Colorado, who graduated as the valedictorian of her nursing class at Grand View University in Des Moines, Iowa, shared the story of a patient named Joe, who is battling Alzheimer’s disease and has very difficult nights. Johnson said:
“Although you say it all the time, you are not just a nurse. You are my nurse, and you have changed my life because you have cared about me.’ That’s when it hit me. Patients are people with family and friends, and I don’t want to be a nurse that ever pretends. Joe reminded me that day that I’m a lifesaver. I’m never going to be just a nurse.”
The registered nurse received huge applause for her performance and finished second runner-up in the beauty contest. On Monday, the ladies of The View gathered for their daily gabfest, and the first topic on the agenda was the monologue, which they quickly deemed silly.
Raven-Symoné and Paula Faris had little to say, but Michelle Collins and Joy Behar did not hold back. Collins said at soon as she saw the scrubs, she knew it was going to be hilarious and added:
“The talent, though, I have to say, the woman who won sang opera, and she was incredible. Really good. But then there was a girl who wrote her own monologue and I was like ‘Turn the volume up, this is going be amazing, let’s listen’. She came out in a nurse’s uniform and basically read her emails out loud and shockingly did not win.”
Behar, who seemed confused by the talent portion, asked:
“Seriously?!”
Collins replied:
“I swear to God it was hilarious.”
Behar went to put her foot in her mouth by asking, why was a nurse carrying a stethoscope? She stated:
“Why does she have a doctor’s stethoscope on?”
Collins explained:
“She helps patients with Alzheimer’s, which I know is not funny, but I swear you had to see it.”
The YouTube video of the monologue has gone viral with millions of views and many nurses have stepped out to slam and educate Behar. One nurse in New York City wrote:
Rather than being offended or getting angry, I will instead, take a moment to teach.
I am a big believer that the first step in fixing ignorance is education. So allow me, for a moment, to educate you.
The stethoscope is a medical device used to auscultate (that means listen to) the inner workings of your patient. (read; heart, lungs, and bowel)
Doctors do this when they examine their patient.
So does the respiratory therapist.
The Physician Assistant.
The Nurse Practitioner.
And the nurse.
Another nurse, Hilary Helkenn, gave the hosts of The View her two cents on the matter in a Facebook post that is making headlines.
Today on The View, Joy Behar and crew mocked Miss Colorado Kelly Johnson for appearing on stage in her nurses uniform….
Posted by Hilary Helkenn on Monday, September 14, 2015
This morning, the ladies have apologized, well sort of. Collins said:
“”I want to say, we love nurses, if you’re watching, we adore you, respect you. Clap for the nurses. You are wonderful and the most compassionate people.”
Then Behar added:
“I was not paying attention. I was looking at a Miss America tape and there’s a woman wearing like an outfit. And I’m thinking, is she in costume. I didn’t know she was a nurse. I’m used to seeing them in gowns and bathing suits. It is not like I was trying to be funny. It was stupid and inattentive on my part.”
What are your thoughts on this mini-controversy?
