Things have never been more cordial, says Barbara Walters, whose weekday ABC talk show pits her with Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, Elisabeth Hasselbeck and Sherri Shepherd debating "hot topics."
"I don't know of any five women who get along as well as we do," says Walters. "We see each other off-camera. Whoopi is having a big Christmas party for everybody. Last week, Whoopi, Joy and I had dinner together" (only illness kept Hasselbeck and Shepherd away).
The conservative Hasselbeck and liberal Behar "love sparring," with never any hard feelings, says Walters, who points to the show's recent robust ratings.
"We're happy," she says, "and the show's success reflects that."
