Candid Whoopi Goldberg Looks Just Rosie To ABC's 'View'

"We know there's things we don't agree on," Goldberg said in an interview. "But I have to tell you there's a lot of stuff we do agree on, and I'm groovy with it. . . . [Hasselbeck] knows there'll be times when she goes, 'You are crazy,' and I'll go, 'No, you're crazy.' We'll make it fun."

"We are going into an election year," Walters said yesterday in an interview. "No matter who we had on the panel, there was going to be, I'm sure, discussions about various candidates. We feel we can discuss this and have lively discussions that will be fun and exciting, but we're not going out of our way to be confrontational. . . . That's not Whoopi's style."

Despite box office success, Goldberg has been less lucky in television. Her 2003 NBC sitcom, "Whoopi," was canceled after one season, and a late-night show she hosted in the early 1990s lasted just two years.

O'Donnell released a statement yesterday through her publicist about her replacement: "Whoopi is fantastic in every way and is perfect for the job. She's one of my favorites and absolutely amazing."

ABC made no announcement yesterday about a replacement for former panelist Star Jones, who left the show abruptly last year. Several press reports have named stand-up comedian Sherri Shepherd, currently starring in the movie "Who's Your Caddy?," as a likely candidate.

Walters said yesterday that the show has been "in discussion with other people," but that an announcement will likely come after the new season starts in September.

The panel was all giggles and smiles yesterday after Walters's on-air announcement. Walters teased Goldberg about her casual fashion choices, asking her, "Have you thought about your wardrobe?"

"Not one iota," Goldberg responded. "You all look terrific all the time, but I know you wouldn't want me to be anything but me. But I will be a little neater than normal."

Goldberg also said during the show that she is looking forward to the "hot topics" portion of the program, when the women discuss all things buzz-worthy.

But she added: "The thing I'm looking forward to least is trying to get in between everyone talking at one time."

"We're still working on that," Hasselbeck chimed in.