Picture it, the women on The View are discussing the dreaded n-word. Whoopi Goldberg is explaining why black comedians use it and why they should be allowed to — she's very frustrated. Elisabeth Hasselbeck doesn't understand. She starts to cry and seems to make the argument that we can't move forward in race relations if black entertainers keep using the word. I roll my eyes. Barbara is uncomfortable and interrupts. If you can't picture it, check out the video after the jump.

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Anyone watch the Tony Awards last night? I didn't, but upon looking at the photos of host Whoopi Goldberg doing a Mary Poppins impersonation, I sort of wish I had caught some of it. In the Heights, a play revolving around Dominican Americans in NYC, won for best musical, edging out Passing Strange, a coming-of-age tale about a black man living abroad. Passing Strange won the award for best book of a musical. Whoopi Goldberg wins the award for most awkward on the red carpet. See below.

• Whoopi Goldberg's bringing a musical about Ada "Bricktop" Smith, who I really should have written a "Daily Dose of BHM" about, to Broadway. [EUR]

• Akon's releasing a country album that no one will buy. [C&D]

• 50 Cent is now torn between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. What on earth will we do? [MTV]

• Black suicides on the rise? That sucks. [NPR]

• Brooklyn rapper Papoose plans to marry his lover Remy Ma while she's in prison. In other words, he's riding on the coattails of her publicity. [MTV]

The ladies on The View disagree about religion, abortion, politics, and the shape of the world, but one thing they all agree on is that Whoopi Goldberg, as the first black person and woman to host the Academy Awards, should have been included in a montage of past Oscar hosts during last nights ceremony. This is actually sort of touching. Goldberg certainly thinks so.

• Not that we needed her validation or anything, but Whoopi Goldberg was pissed about this, too. [NB]

• "Clarence Thomas is not a sellout." Okay. But what is he, exactly? [Salon]

• The WGA decided it has bigger fish to fry than the Grammys and members will not picket. [E!]

• On MLK Day, Bill Cosby ripped into poor blacks for irresponsible behavior. What else is new? [CST]

• Barack Obama gets the endorsement of South Carolina's largest newspaper, the State. [LAT]

• Melanie Brown would now like to be referred to as "Lady Spice." Good luck making that one stick. [SP]

• Would I take a cell phone call from my father's killer on my way out of Costco? The jury's still out on that one. [EUR]

• Seriously, Whoopi? I have a feeling Sherri Shepherd wouldn't even take a part in Homie Spumoni. And she thinks the world is flat. [C&D]

• Evan Ross and Hilary Duff as romantic leads? The tweens will like it, at least. [BV]

• I couldn't care less about Barry Bonds, and this woman lost me at "shriveled balls." [Jossip]

• Oh my, this video is really doing too much. Am I the only one who thinks J Lo should recognize she's getting a little old for this?

• Remy Ma, why don't you worry about your own problems. Okay? [SP]

• Whoopi Goldberg had to take the ridiculousness one step further and call Michael Vick a "wonderful person." Not even the NAACP thinks that's true. [Jossip]

• If I believed that Diddy would ever stoop to buying his own drugs in an Ibiza club, then I would believe that's what he's doing in this video. [SR]

• Yeah, Kim. You made a dramatic exit, but why have you been publicly hanging out with him the past few days? [People]

Sherri Shepherd — comedian, View guest host, and person-who-thinks-she-deserves-as-much-money-as-Whoopi — will now permanently join Barbara Walters and Co. in their 11th season.

"It's her!" a source tells PEOPLE, adding that Shepherd will appear on Monday's show for the highly anticipated announcement from co-host Barbara Walters.

Showbiz insiders have long suspected that Shepherd would link with new co-host Whoopi Goldberg alongside Walters, Joy Behar and Elisabeth Hasselbeck for the 11th season of the weekday show.

It's pretty uninspired to have an all-black and white panel, but it's better than an all-white panel, I suppose. Following Whoopi's lead, Shepherd's first order of business will probably be to tell everyone to try to understand the culture of the DC snipers before you judge their crimes.

[People]

Today was Whoopi Goldberg's first day as moderator on The View, and she's already stirring the pot, Rosie-style.

Almost as soon as the cameras started to roll, Whoopi spoke out in semi-defense of Michael Vick, blaming his actions on his cultural upbringing and not, well, sheer stupidity and cruelty.

"You know from his background this is not an unusual thing for where he comes from," said Goldberg.

"There are certain things that are indicative to certain parts of our country."

Co-host Joy Behar seemed shocked at Goldberg's statements.

"How about dog torture and dog murdering," Behar asked.

"Unfortunately it's part of the thing," Goldberg replied.

"You're a dog lover. For a lot of people dogs are sport," she added.

Behar continued to shake her head in disgust.

All of the excuses in the world can be made for this man, but dog fighting was illegal when he started doing it and illegal when he finished. I am (sort of) from the South and actually lived and worked in Michael Vick's hometown for about a year. Funny, although dog fighting was obviously happening — literally in Michael Vicks backyard and elsewhere — while I was there I didn't know anyone who did it. It's not a Southern thing. It's an idiotic, illegal thing. Understand the distinction.

[WSBTV]

Could Whoopi Goldberg look any more thrilled to spend the next year (at least) with this motley crew of multi-generational white women?

To make matters even better, Danny DeVito will be the guest of honor on Sept. 4th — Whoopi's first ever show as a full-time host. Those producers are pulling out the big guns to make their new moderator happy!

This week, Barbara Walters made it public — Whoopi Goldberg is in at The View. But why is Sherri Shepherd out, exactly? The rumor mill had the two comedians coming to the no longer white-washed show as a duo. Word on the street is Shepherd wanted the same salary as Whoopi, who is set to make $2 million. Isn't that kind of like Nick Cannon wanting the same payout for a comedy special as Chris Rock?

Shepherd's last gig was the not funny, not profitable Who's You Caddy. Now she has standards?

[BV]

It's official, Whoopi Goldberg is the new moderator on The View. Barbara Walters made no mention of frequent guest host Sherri Shepherd, who was rumored to have been joining Whoopi on the panel. Hiring her too might have made for one black comedian too many.

Whoopi starts her full-time gig the day after Labor Day. From the looks of today's outfit, she'll be acting as her own stylist.

[TMZ]

ABC's not commenting, but entertainment journalists report that both Sherri Shepherd and Whoopi Goldberg will be hired as permanent hosts of The View, making the women-of-color count 40 percent.

Although a strictly black/white panel doesn't really speak to the diversity of the show's audience, it's certainly better than the all-white thing they had going on when Rosie was around.

[MSNBC]

Sources tell Star (magazine, not Jones-Reynolds) that they are 99 percent sure Whoopi Goldberg is going to become a permanent host on The View. Until Elisabeth Hasselbeck runs her off, that is. [Star]

Ne-Yo doesn't care if you call him gay, as long as you buy one of his albums. [QT]

T.I.'s belatedly taking a page out of Kanye West's book and being a sore Grammy loser. [SP]

Making their relationship seem that much creepier, Rihanna admitted that Jay-Z screens potential suitors before she goes out with them. [People]

Charlie Wilson doesn't want his song with Snoop and Pharrell used to sell beer. Or, if it is, he wants to be paid for it. [MTV]

Yes, I like The View. Sue me. I like it when it's bad as much as I like it when it's good. This is a positive thing, since lately it's pretty bad. Although I don't miss Star Jones, the person, the show has been obviously lacking the the racial diversity it had years ago, when both Star and Lisa Ling were hosts. Now, with Rosie gone (minus another point for diversity) the impossible Elizabeth Hasselbeck, the so-over-it Joy Behar and the absentee Barbara Walters are the only regular hosts left.

If ABC knows what's good, their next host is going to be of the non-white variety. Of the many names thrown out there, Whoopi Goldberg's is high on the list. But so is Kathie Lee Gifford's. If they have another chance to even out the diversity on the cast and decide to go another route, I might start loving The View a little less.