Joy Behar isn’t afraid to torch a sacred cow—or in this case, a beloved rom-com. On The View, Joy shocked her co-hosts by calling Moonstruck “overrated,” claiming it fails to capture true Italian culture. Instead, she says The Godfather II, mobsters and all, gets it right. While the other ladies praised Nicolas Cage’s performance, let’s just say the long-time co-host has some issues with his performance in the film, as well as the film in general. “Well, I’m Italian. I never thought that movie represented Italians that well,” Joy firmly said.
Joy Behar Slams ‘Moonstruck’ on ‘The View’ — Sparks Debate Over Hollywood’s Italian Stereotypes
Joy sparked a fiery debate on The View after slamming Moonstruck as overrated and calling out Hollywood for its clumsy portrayal of Italians. The conversation began with rumors that Nicolas Cage dated Sarah Jessica Parker, but her family weren’t exactly fans. However, the discussion quickly turned into a hot take on cultural representation. “What didn’t they like about him? Besides his performance in Moonstruck?” Joy quipped at the table. Moderator Whoopi Goldberg had a different opinion. “I thought his performance in Moonstruck was great.” Behar came back with, ‘I’m not saying it wasn’t, but that could’ve been something that irritated them.” Conservative co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin piped in, “Now we’re just dragging Nicolas Cage?”
It was then Joy who called into question Cage and the film’s portrayal of Italians. Knowing how extreme her comment was, Whoopi tried to defuse the situation by saying, “When was the last time you saw a movie that represented anybody the way they were supposed to be represented?” As the comedian that she is, Joy joked, “The Godfather II. That was the one. I just watched it the other day!” Though she didn’t elaborate specifically as to what irritated her about his performance, it’s common for Joy to defend her heritage.
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Most Fans Still Call ‘Moonstruck’ a Masterpiece—but Joy Behar Strongly Disagrees
Joy’s opinion on the film may not just be the minority opinion at the table, but also by fans of the film. A few years back, Esquire shared a piece regarding why Moonstruck is one of the best films for its representation of Italian-Americans. In the story by Dom Nero, he wrote, “Moonstruck gives everybody a seat at the table. There’s a universality to the film that makes it a very special, unique very portrayal of Italian-Americans. It’s not the only non-violent movie about Italian-Americans.” He continued to praise the film for “unapologetically” placing a woman front and center.
Despite Joy’s criticism, Moonstruck has been regarded as one of the most beloved romcoms of the decade. Directed by Norman Jewison and written by John Patrick Shanley, the film follows Cher as a widowed Italian-American woman who falls in love with her fiancé’s hot-tempered, estranged younger brother, played by Cage. The film, which was nominated for six Academy Awards, won honors for Best Original Screenplay, Best Actress for Cher, and Best Supporting Actress for Olympia Dukakis.
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The View
- Release Date
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August 11, 1997
- Writers
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Barbara Walters
