The second Whoopi Goldberg screamed, “CUT IT! GET HIM OFF MY SET!”—it was already too late. Simon Cowell had just turned The View into ground zero for live-television chaos, and every camera was rolling. “YOU DON’T GET TO LECTURE ME FROM BEHIND A SCRIPT!” he snapped, finger aimed squarely at Joy Behar after a sharp jab at his beliefs. His voice cut through the studio like a knife: “I’M NOT HERE TO WIN YOUR APPLAUSE — I’M HERE TO SAY WHAT OTHERS ARE TOO SCARED TO!” The audience froze. The panel sat in stunned silence. Then—absolute eruption. Ana Navarro lunged in, branding him “toxic,” but Simon didn’t even flinch: “TOXIC IS YOUR PRETENSE OF VIRTUE. I’M JUST SAYING WHAT MILLIONS THINK BUT YOU REFUSE TO HEAR!” And then came the moment that will live in daytime TV infamy: Simon leaned back, shoved his chair away from the table, and delivered a parting shot that landed like a sledgehammer: “YOU WANTED A PUPPET — BUT YOU GOT A JUDGE. ENJOY YOUR ECHO CHAMBER. I’M OUT.” With that, he walked off, leaving the set in ruins. Social media went nuclear. Fans split down the middle. But one thing’s undeniable: Simon Cowell didn’t just exit The View—he tore the entire format to pieces.