Joy Behar is among today's leading comic talents. Whether mixing with audiences or interviewing politicians and artists, she dives into absurd juxtapositions, her aim being not to sneer, but to uncloset absurdities--especially those perpetrated by big guys on little ones. With a voice that sounds, as Behar says, "like I have Jimmy Hoffa in the back of my throat," she strips the varnish off pretensions. Ms. Behar is co-host of The View, the highest rated show for ABC in the 11:00am-12:00 noon, ET, time period since the 1993-94 season. The View features a team of five dynamic women of different ages, experiences, and backgrounds discussing the most exciting events of the day. The program premiered in August 1997 and is broadcast live from New York City. It consists of hot topics in the news, the best experts in their field, celebrity interviews, and general entertainment--all leading to lively and colorful conversations.

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

On television, Joy Behar starred in her own cable 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; and she has been a frequent member of the discussion panel of the critically acclaimed Politically Incorrect. Joy Behar also served as correspondent for Comedy Central, covering the Democratic National Convention.

Joy Behar hosted a popular call-in radio show on WABC for three years, where she discussed politics with a deadly humorous bent. She has also appeared in such films as Cookie with Peter Falk; Renee Taylor and Joe Bologna's Love Is All There Is; This Is My Life, directed by Nora Ephron ; and in Woody Allen's Manhattan Murder Mystery.

Joy Behar had a successful run in the off-Broadway hit, The Food Chain, where she earned rave reviews in the starring role. Her last Broadway appearance was at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, in Alexander Cohen's production of Comedy Tonight, with Mort Sahl and Dorothy Loudon.

Joy Behar's first book, titled Joy Shtick: or What Is the Existential Vacuum and Does It Come with Attachments?, is published by Hyperion . The book, released May 1999, is already in its second printing.