Two Major advertisers left ‘ABC’ after mocking nurses

Two major national advertisers pulled out of ABC’s “The View” Thursday amid fallout over a poorly received jibe about nurses on the daytime talk show earlier this week.

The announcement by Johnson & Johnson and Eggland’s Best stems from the on-camera mockery of Miss Colorado Kelley Johnson’s nursing-themed monologue and attire during Sunday’s Miss America pageant.

Johnson, who completed her nursing degree in April, had appeared on stage in a purple nurse’s scrub and stethoscope to deliver an emotional monologue about her chosen profession.

But “View” co-hosts Michelle Collins and Joy Behar’s proved they didn’t have their fingers on the right pulse. First, Collins mocked Johnson for making a heartfelt speech about nursing as part of the talent portion of the evening.

“Shockingly (she) did not win,” Collins said sarcastically.

Behar went further.

 "Why does she have a doctor's stethoscope on?" Behar asked.

The comments prompted a social media backlash under the hashtag #NursesUnited.

Behar and Collins apologized on Wednesday’s show, but it wasn’t enough to save ads from the pharmaceutical giant.

“Johnson & Johnson values and appreciates nurses and we respect the critical role they play in our health care system,” the company said in a statement Thursday. “We disagree with recent comments on daytime television about the nursing profession and we have paused our advertising accordingly.”

Eggland’s Best followed, adding “in light of the comments ... we will no longer be advertising on the show in question.”

 

“It's very comforting to know that there's someone standing up for nurses,” said Jean Ross, co-president of National Nurses United, the largest union of working nurses in the country.

“It's obvious that ‘The View’ hosts, like so many others, do not clearly understand what we do.

“We needed to let them know it's a very serious thing, it's not just a flippant 28 seconds of conversation, it's a big deal and it effects how people view our profession.”

It is unclear how much the deal will cost ABC or its affiliates. Shows like “The View” are distributed by the network and in syndication, and ad prices vary dramatically in different markets.