Shooting Star

According to the Daily News:
A few hours after a televised display of saccharine warmth and affection between Barbara Walters and Star Jones Reynolds - who yesterday surprised her "View" colleagues by announcing she's leaving in mid-July - their relationship turned very chilly indeed.
Never mind Walters' previous public assurances that Jones Reynolds was welcome to stay on the show as long as she wanted. Yesterday, "The View's" alpha female - the show's co-owner and co-executive producer - told me that she lied "to protect Star" from the damaging news that ABC long ago decided not to renew her contract.
"I have always told the truth on this program, except in the case of Star," Walters told me, her voice the temperature of liquid nitrogen. "The network decided long ago not to renew her contract. Her contract is with the network, not with me. I was trying to protect Star and her sensitivities. She has, after all, been on the program."
Sticking in the knife, Walters added icily: "There are very strong reasons why [ABC execs] felt she had lost the audience.
Um, because she was a crazy bitch who goes after free stuff like a hog at a buffet? That she married a gay guy and thinks the world is too dumb to realize? That she ....oh well, you get the picture.