The View

President Barack Obama fielded questions about the economy, gay marriage, Fifty Shades of Grey - all the key issues - with the women of The View this week.

He corrected Elisabeth Hasselbeck when she described the President’s and Mitt Romney’s position on gay marriage as essentially the same. Not so, he says.

Obama discussed the JP Morgan banking crisis and much more in what was a pleasant, but ultimately forgettable and unnecessary visit to the daytime gab-fest.

There were some substantive policy discussions during his brief visit, but the highlight, at least from THG's perspective, was Obama dishing on celebrity gossip.

Watch him answer a pop quiz from Joy Behar below:

Obama on The View

"Do you like it when he's rough?"

With these words, and accompanying visuals, Barbara Walters made Elisabeth Hasselbeck crack up, viewers scratch their heads and Whoopi Goldberg's "eyes bleed."

The 82-year-old was yammering about sex this morning The View, inspired by the erotic novel series 50 Shades of Grey, in which a 20-something girl starts a relationship with an attractive, wealthy man who's into bondage and S&M.

Suffice to say, it was an awkward:

Barbara Walters-Elisabeth Hasselbeck Sex Talk

Hasselbeck, a married mother of three, sort of dodged the question by saying she's on a break right now ... but for Whoopi and others, the damage was done.

For a less disturbing discussion of this hot topic, follow this link to tell us who you think should play the leads in the upcoming 50 Shades of Grey movie.

Only Nancy Grace would make the women of The View come across as sane, reasonable and united.

That's what happened when this awful human being appeared on the talk show this week and was asked about her infamous Whitney Houston comments, where she randomly wondered - soon after the singer died - whether someone had "pushed" her down in the bathtub.

Wasn't this asserting disrespectful to the family, Grace was asked. You're missing the point, ignorant idiots, she basically replied, rambling on about wanting to know the truth, condescendingly explaining why autopsies exist and telling the ladies it's easy to "throw stones behind a coffee mug."

But it's not easy being Nancy Grace, people! Watch the exchange below:

Nancy Grace on The View

Star Jones returned to The View Wednesday.

It was her first visit to the ABC talk show since her much talked-about departure in June 2006, and the topic was one of the first to come up yesterday.

"It was ugly. Everything. It was a bad emotional time. Nasty things were being said in the media," Jones said after Barbara Walters brought up her exit.

At the time, Star Jones abruptly announced she was leaving The View on the air, then revealed she had in fact been fired by the daytime gab-fest.

Star Jones on The View (2012)

"I wanted to go out on my own terms so that if I walked back here I'd feel good about it," Jones continued. "I had eight fantastic years here. One was 'eh.'"

"I came back here to congratulate you on everything that you all have accomplished. And I hope you congratulate me on what I accomplished."

Walters and Joy Behar also asked Jones, who came on the show to raise awareness about women's heart health, about her 2003 gastric bypass surgery.

Jones had long kept secret the reasons behind her 160 lb.-weight loss.

"We tried to protect you. We were told, 'Don't say it was gastric [bypass]. Say it was pilates and portion control,'" Behar said, before adding:

"You are now a skinny bitch ... Congratulations." "We did lie for you!" Walters added, to which Jones responded, "Who cares? I look good."

Sherri Shepherd is on Team Breezy.

The View host has been vocal in defense of Chris Brown before, so it's no surprise that she stood up for the star in the wake of this week's Grammy lovefest backlash.

All Brown did was show up at the award show, perform and win. No controversy at all. Yet his mere presence at the event after his 2009 attack on Rihanna upset many.

While Shepherd criticized female fans who Tweet about how they'd let Chris beat them all night (among other things), Shepherd defended Brown from criticism.

He may even be a role model, she says. Why?

Sherri Shepherd Defends Chris Brown

"There may be a child in a situation of going through abuse that Chris Brown has gone through. His mother was abused right in front of his very eyes six years before this happened to Rihanna. He used to wet his pants from the fear," Shepherd says.

"He was a victim! He became an offender. He did what the courts told him to do. He went to 52 weeks, a year of domestic prevention counseling."

That's all true, and she makes a strong case. But on the flip side, critics will point to the (perceived) utter lack of responsibility Brown has taken for his actions.

Behind-the-scenes blowups, arrogance and a lack of remorse (real or otherwise) contribute to the lack of forgiveness in people's eyes. Not heartlessness.

What do you think? Is Chris Brown a role model?

Whoopi Goldberg farted on The View hardcore today.

Seriously, there's breaking wind and there is cutting ass.

This is the latter. It was a loud one, and there's no hiding it. To her credit, Whoopi didn't even try after the fart interrupted her interview with Homeland star Claire Danes, saying, "Excuse me, I think I just blew a little frog outta there!"

Seriously:

Whoopi Goldberg Farting on The View

A rep for ABC said that Whoopi Goldberg farting on The View (not for the first time, either) "was in good fun ... secretly we hoped it would get posted on YouToot."

Gotta give them credit for honestly. And that play on words.

There was a pretty intense showdown on The View yesterday.

Bill Maher appeared on the program, months after making a crack that the U.S. should have sent Elisabeth Hasselbeck to Egypt in exchange for Lara Logan after that CBS journalist was attacked there in February.

Soon after taking a seat on the couch, and making a statement in defense of women with regard to the Jerry Sandusky mess at Penn State, the comedian was asked by the host about this joke. He explained that he lived "on the edge" and it wasn't personal and his audience is HBO... but Hasselbeck was NOT letting Maher off the hook.

"I actually feel smarter sitting next to you," she said at one point, to which Maher replied: “Really? I feel like I’m in high school sitting next to you.”

Elisabeth Hasselbeck Versus Bill Maher on The View

Kelly Clarkson is not gay. But she's also never been in love with a man and that's why this singer thinks there's a rumor out there about her sexuality.

Appearing on The View yesterday to hype her new album, the original American Idol cited her hometown of Burleson, Texas and explained:

"I'm from a small town so, like, everyone's married with children or about to have children. So it's a little hard when you go home and people are like - and that's why people think I'm gay - because they're like 'Why aren't you married?' And I'm like, 'it doesn't happen for everyone right off the bat.'"

Watch the interview now:

Kelly Clarkson on The View

Talk about a very Hot Topic...

On yesterday's installment of The View, co-host Whoopi Goldberg raised the issue of Republican Presidential candidate Rick Perry using a hunting camp whose named formerly had the N word in it. When Barbara Walters repeated the name of the camp (admitting it was "very hard" for her to even utter), Sherri Shepherd stepped in and objected:

"I didn't like the way you said it. I don't know if it's a semantics thing, but it's something that goes through my body."

Is that because Walters is white? Shepherd couldn't explain her issue, simply saying there was a "different connotation" when Goldberg said it versus when Walters said it. Watch the exchange below and then vote in our poll.

Sherri Shepherd on The View: No N Word Use!

This is a sensitive topic, but we're curious for your feedback: Should white people ever say the N word?

Lady Gaga appeared on The View Monday, one of the few cases where she struggles to get a word in edgewise or command everyone's attention.

After partaking in the spirited, daily gab-fest with Whoopi, Sherri and Elisabeth, the 25-year-old pop superstar performed a rendition of "You and I."

The music was relatively stripped down (for her), the fashion relatively tame (for her) and her body relatively covered up, but she did great ...

Lady Gaga - You and I (Live on The View)

Excerpted Lady Gaga quotes from The View today ...

On the tragic death of British singer Amy Winehouse: "The lesson was for the world to be kinder to the superstar."

On her own past drug use: "I was so embarrassed. I don't do any hard drugs anymore. I am a little part of the green club sometimes."

On an FDA warning about hot dogs increasing the risk of colon cancer: "I think hot dogs are just jealous that cigarettes are more controversial."

On Tim Gunn criticizing Hillary Clinton's 'mannish' clothes: "He's being a bully. I think Hillary Clinton has more important things to worry about than her hemline."