Printable Biography of Joy Behar

Whether performing standup comedy or interviewing politicians and artists, she is a comedic original and a leading woman both on stage and screen.

"The View," recipient of the 2003 Daytime Emmy® Award for "Outstanding Talk Show," is the original forum where real women discuss relevant, everyday issues and share their daily, no-holds-barred opinions and lively, colorful conversations. The program premiered in August 1997, and is broadcast live from New York City. In addition "The View" has received 202 Daytime Emmy Awards and has 10 consecutive nominations for Ouststanding Talk Show and Outstanding Talk Show Host for Ms. Behar and her co-hosts. "The View" celebrated its 2000th Show on February 2, 2006 and is currently in its 10th season.

Armed with an MA in English education from SUNY at Stony Brook, Ms. Behar originally began a career in teaching. She then set out to pursue comedy professionally and immediately received bookings from such famous New York clubs as Caroline's and Catch a Rising Star. She went on to win three MAC Awards and a CableACE Award.

On television Ms. Behar starred in her own HBO special and was a regular on the series "Baby Boom." Other appearances include the voice of a hilariously neurotic patient on "Dr. Katz," which won the CableACE Award, "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," "Real Time with Bill Maher," "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" and had guest starring roles on "30 Rock," ABC's "One Life to Live" and "All My Children."

For three years Ms. Behar hosted a popular call-in radio show on WABC, where she discussed politics with a deadly humorous bent. Her film appearances include "Cookie," with Peter Falk" "This Is My Life," directed by Nora Ephron, and Woody Allen's "Manhattan Murder Mystery." In theater she had a successful run in the off-Broadway hit "The Food Chain," earning rave reviews in the starring role, and also in the critically-acclaimed "The Vagina Monologues."

Ms. Behar, a frequent comedy headliner, was chosen by TV Guide as a "Personality of the Year" nominee for the Third Annual TV Guide Awards in January of 1991. Other honors include the Real Beauty Award from AWRT and Dove (2007), the Safe Horizon Champion Award (2001), the Gracie Allen Tribute Award from the Foundation of American Women in Radio and Television (2000), and the New York City Public Advocate's Special Advocate Award for her outstanding friendship to the Gay community (2000).

In November 2005, Ms. Behar performed to a sold out crowd at Alice Tully Hall in Lincoln Center as part of the annual New York Comedy Festival.

Ms. Behar's first book "Joy Shtick: or What Is the Existential Vacuum and Does It Come with Attachments? and her first children's book "Sheetzucacapoopoo: My Kind of Dog" were both appeared on the New York Times best seller lists.

Ms. Behar is involved with numerous philanthropic organizations and is a frequent contributor to a number of charitable foundations.