FACT CHECK: Was ‘The View’ Cohost Joy Behar Arrested by TSA at Airport While Fleeing the United States?

A post has gone viral on social media that appears to claim that Joy Behar, the cohost of the ABC daytime talk show “The View,” was arrested by Transportation Security Administration agents and other law enforcement officials at an airport.

For instance, on February 17, the admin of a YouTube channel called ScandalScoop uploaded a video titled ” Joy Behar ARRESTED at Airport Trying to Flee the Country After $50M Lawsuit — Karoline Leavitt Reacts!” It didn’t take much time for the video to gain traction and go viral. The video has so far amassed more than 1.6 million views in just three days. However, the viral claim is completely false.

Baseless Claim

Joy Behar was not arrested, despite the widespread rumors fueled by numerous YouTube videos. The clips, shared by various users, contained AI-generated elements, including edited footage, narration, thumbnails, and other manipulated visuals.

The videos failed to provide any details about where or when the supposed arrest took place. Moreover, a Google search yielded no credible news reports confirming Behar’s arrest. She also appeared on The View on February 17, 18, 19, and 20, further debunking the claim.

The ScandalScoop video featured an AI-created thumbnail that falsely included a fabricated quote from White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt saying, “Joy! Now rot in hell, b***.”* The image also showed Behar with her hands behind her back while two men in sunglasses restrained her, alongside a picture of hands in handcuffs and an “arrest warrant” beneath a judge’s gavel.

Despite the clear signs of manipulation, some viewers in the comment sections of the ScandalScoop video and similar clips believed the false claim that Behar had been arrested.

Absolutely No Truth in Claim

The fictional narrative alleged that Karoline Leavitt had filed a $50 million defamation lawsuit against Joy Behar following a “highly controversial remark” made by Behar. According to the false claim, Behar then tried to flee the US and “booked a one-way flight to Italy” to flee the U.S.:

“As the legal battle intensified, Joy Behar realized that things were spiraling out of her control. Sources claim she became increasingly paranoid, convinced that she was about to be financially ruined and publicly disgraced. That’s when she allegedly hatched a plan to flee the country before the legal system could catch up with her.

“According to reports, Behar booked a one-way flight to Italy, her ancestral homeland, in a last-ditch effort to escape the potential financial ruin looming over her. However, what she didn’t expect was that federal authorities were already onto her. As she attempted to board her flight, TSA and law enforcement intercepted her at the airport, leading to her shocking arrest in front of stunned onlookers.

“Passengers at the airport described the scene as pure chaos, with some even capturing videos of Behar being escorted away in handcuffs. Security officials later confirmed that she was detained on suspicion of attempting to evade legal consequences. The footage of her arrest quickly spread online, sending social media into a frenzy.“

However, the entire story is fabricated, and there is no truth in it.