MOLI VIEW™

Barry Manilow must have been watching when Elisabeth Hasselbeck, co-host of TV talk show The View, had her on-air meltdown with (then) fellow co-host Rosie O'Donnell. He wants no part of the fiery conservative. To prove it, the singer (but, ironically, not writer) of "I Write the Songs" has declared that he will not be present on the show today as originally scheduled.

"I had made a request that I be interviewed by Joy [Behar], Barbara [Walters], or Whoopi [Goldberg], but not Elisabeth Hasselback," Manilow, 64, stated on his website. The well-known benefactor of Democratic Party candidates and causes doesn't appear to be very democratic when it comes to the First Amendment. "Unfortunately, the show was not willing to accommodate this simple request so I bowed out," his pouty rant continues. "It's really too bad because I've always been a big supporter of the show, but I cannot compromise my beliefs."

Since when does being interviewed by someone who doesn't share your beliefs constitute "compromising" them?

Manilow, who is stumping for his new album, The Greatest Songs of the Seventies, which hits stores today, reportedly told TMZ.com (which broke the story) that Hassellbeck is "dangerous" and "offensive."

Besides needing a primer in the ethics of journalism, I think it would be useful for Manilow to grow some cojones. Running away from a plucky former reality-show star does not do any service to the Democratic Party.

She probably just wanted to swap hairspray tips with him anyway.

Wendy Case is the MOLI View's contributing editor for Arts & Entertainment.

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