The cohosts of The View have rallied behind Christina Applegate after Megyn Kelly criticized the actress for discussing her multiple sclerosis misdiagnosis, with Whoopi Goldberg questioning Kelly’s remarks and Ana Navarro comparing the conservative commentator to a fungus.

During Thursday’s, October 22, episode of the ABC daytime talk show, the panel took aim at Kelly’s comments about Applegate, who recently revealed on her MeSsy podcast that doctors had diagnosed her with multiple sclerosis (MS) five years ago but that recent testing indicated she might not have the condition after all.

Applegate, who cohosts the podcast with fellow actress Jamie-Lynn Sigler, said she continues to experience debilitating symptoms and is still searching for answers about her health.

Kelly addressed the revelation on The Megyn Kelly Show, criticizing celebrities who speak publicly about their medical conditions. In a clip played during The View’s Hot Topics segment, she questioned Applegate’s decision to advocate for MS awareness before suggesting that the actress was upset because she could no longer be associated with the disease.

“This is, like, the problem with celebrities like wanting to lean into their health problems,” Kelly said.

She went on to describe Applegate’s efforts as “a wild goose chase,” adding that the actress had “come out to tell us all she doesn’t actually have it.”

“She’s crying now because I guess she no longer gets to be the face of this disease,” Kelly added.

Whoopi Goldberg Challenges Kelly’s Remarks

Goldberg responded directly to Kelly, emphasizing that diagnosing MS can be complicated and that, as Applegate and a neurologist discussed on the podcast, there is no single test that definitively determines whether someone has the disease.

Turning toward the camera, the View moderator questioned why Applegate would be criticized for sharing her experience.

“So, let me ask you, m’am, you think Christina wanted to have MS so she could have a good time? Are you crazy?” Goldberg said.

Fellow cohost Sara Haines echoed her frustration, questioning the suggestion that Applegate wanted to become the public face of the condition.

“Who wants to be the face of MS?” Haines asked.

She described multiple sclerosis as a debilitating, degenerative neurological disease and stressed that Applegate continues to suffer despite the uncertainty surrounding her diagnosis.

“Talk about kicking someone when they’re down. She got a diagnosis and wanted to help other people,” Haines said. “She’s now feeling the pain of not knowing what her identity is and, more importantly, what her diagnosis is.”

Haines also sharply criticized Kelly, accusing her of prioritizing politics over compassion.

Ana Navarro Calls Kelly a ‘Fungus’

Navarro said she initially did not want to focus on Kelly but ultimately criticized what she characterized as a pattern of deliberately provoking outrage.

“I think she’s like a fungus that thrives on oxygen that she gets by purposely creating outrage,” Navarro said.

Haines described Kelly as a bully, while Navarro went further, calling her “a bully for money.”

Navarro also brought her own family experience into the discussion, referencing her recent revelation that her husband, Al Cardenas, has Parkinson’s disease, another neurological condition that can be difficult to diagnose.

“Neurological diseases are incredibly difficult to diagnose and they are often misdiagnosed because there’s a lot of symptoms that mimic other symptoms,” Navarro explained.

She praised public figures such as Michael J. Fox and Carly Simon for helping raise awareness and reduce stigma surrounding neurological diseases through their openness about their experiences.

Legal expert and cohost Sunny Hostin also weighed in, arguing that people with a public platform have a responsibility to use it constructively.

“I often say on this show, when you have a platform, there’s great responsibility with that, and when someone is using it for good, unlike Megyn Kelly, I think they should be applauded,” Hostin said.

She subsequently called Kelly “an ugly person” in response to the remarks about Applegate.

Goldberg closed the discussion by urging Kelly to reconsider her position, emphasizing the importance of people sharing their struggles and finding connection through common experiences.

“The idea that you would come out and say something like this, Megyn, is unbelievable, that you don’t have the wherewithal to recognize that someone is saying, ‘This is what’s happening to me,’” Goldberg said.

“That’s how we get through our lives. We connect to each other. That’s what this is about, and I’m going to connect to you and say rethink your position on this, because you’re wrong.”

Entertainment Weekly reported that it had contacted representatives for both Applegate and Kelly for comment.

Christina Applegate Says She Is Still Searching for Answers

Applegate discussed her uncertain diagnosis during a recent episode of MeSsy, explaining that new test results had indicated she might not have MS despite spending years receiving treatment for the condition.

The actress made clear that the findings had not brought relief from her symptoms. Instead, she said her health had continued to deteriorate in some respects, leaving her uncertain about what was causing her condition.

“You don’t get misdiagnosed, and then all of a sudden I’m better. I haven’t gotten better,” Applegate told Sigler, who was diagnosed with MS in 2001.

“I’ve gotten worse, in some ways. I’m back at square one. I don’t know what’s going on with me.”

Applegate said her doctors would need to investigate what had happened since 2021 and determine why she had experienced symptoms resembling those of MS.

She also acknowledged that several other conditions can produce similar symptoms, making it difficult to establish the correct diagnosis.

“I have every symptom of someone with MS. Every single one,” she said. “We both know that there are many things that mirror MS. Many different things.”

Her comments have brought renewed attention to the challenges of diagnosing complex neurological conditions and the uncertainty patients can face when medical explanations for their symptoms remain elusive.

The View airs weekdays on ABC.

Source: Compiled from various sources