Whoopi, Elisabeth spar over ‘N-word’

In a scene reminiscent of Rosie O’Donnell’s days on “The View,” hosts Elisabeth Hasselbeck and Whoopi Goldberg got into a heated exchange over the use of the “N” word on Thursday morning.

Tempers flared during a particularly sizzling session of the show’s “Hot Topics” segment while the ladies discussed Jesse Jackson’s recent off-air use of the “N-word” while preparing for an appearance on “Fox & Friends” weekend show two weeks ago. Jackson accused Barack Obama of talking down to African-Americans and used the term in question.

Jackson has since issued two statements of apology for his remarks, but nerves were still raw as Whoopi and Elisbeth disagreed about the use of the slur being used, regardless of who is saying it.

“We live in a world where pop culture uses that term and we’re trying to get to a place where we feel like we’re in the same place,” Elisabeth said. “How are we supposed to then…move forward if we keep using terms that bring back such pain?”

“I can tell you how, here’s how we do it, you listen and say ‘Okay, this is how we’re using this word and this is why we do it,’ and you have to say, ‘I understand that, but let’s find a new way to move forward,’” Whoopi fired back.

“We don’t live in different worlds,” Elisabeth insisted, “We live in the same world.”

However, Whoopi fiercely disagreed with her co-host, saying, “We do live in different worlds, it's just that way. It is Elisabeth.”

When Elisabeth became visibly upset, tearing up, Barbara Walters jumped in the middle of the disagreement.

“Take a breath, let someone else talk,” “The View” creator snapped.

Elisabeth continued, “This is a conversation that is hard, and we’re going to have it here, and we have it here because we love each other.”

Luckily, co-host Joy Behar cooled the flames with a humorous quip.

“I thought that the ‘N-word’ that he used, was nuts?” Joy joked.

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