Is "The View" Considered Journalism?

I really hope not. But the Elizabeth Hasselbeck/Erin Andrews controversy made me think. If Hasselbeck had made her "joke" on Letterman, Leno, The Soup or Chelsea Lately, none of the public outcry would have happened. In fact, I think we can pretty safely assume that the exact opposite would have happened. People would have laughed at it because it was originally considered a joke. (And while I don't agree with what she said, Hasselbeck did have a point about some of Andrews' costumes. Most sports journalists would never wear them in public, especially on one of the most watched shows in the country).

A lot of people complained about the venue that Hasselbeck chose to make her joke. I consider

"The View" to be one of the worst shows on television. But, do some people consider it to be real journalism? If they do, they really need a dose of reality. The women on the panel are about as qualified to talk about current events as I am to discuss nuclear fusion. So, what's wrong with Hasselbeck making a joke (in poor taste) on "The View?" It's just a bunch of middle aged- old ladies gossiping. Gossiping involves jokes.