Anson Mount Kisses 83-Year-Old Joy Behar on Live TV, Leaving Lipstick Smudge

Q: Did Anson Mount's viral kiss with Joy Behar trigger a network standards investigation behind the scenes?

No. Based on the available reporting, there is no evidence that Anson Mount’s on-air kiss with Joy Behar prompted a behind-the-scenes network Standards and Practices investigation. Coverage of the moment focused on the live reaction in the studio, the social-media backlash from some viewers, and the playful responses afterward from Mount, Behar, and Mount’s wife. Reports note that some online commenters questioned whether the kiss crossed a line, but none cite ABC, *The View*, or network standards officials confirming any internal review, reprimand, or formal inquiry. The additional material does explain that Standards and Practices departments can review unscripted live-TV moments and have authority over content issues. But that is general background, not evidence that such a process was triggered here. There was also separate reporting about FCC scrutiny involving *The View* and ABC station licenses, but that matter concerns the show’s regulatory classification and broadcast rules, not the Mount-Behar kiss. So, while the incident was viral and controversial enough to spark public debate, the current record shows no confirmed standards investigation behind the scenes.

Q: Was the 'View' kiss a spontaneous moment or a calculated stunt for Anson Mount's new show?

It appears to have been a spontaneous live-TV moment, not a clearly calculated stunt for Anson Mount’s show. The strongest evidence is in how the kiss unfolded on air. Reports say Joy Behar leaned in for a cheek kiss, then pulled Mount closer, and he followed her lead into a brief lip kiss. Behar later said she had whispered “lips” in his ear, which points to an impulsive cue in the moment rather than a prearranged bit. The reactions in the studio also support that reading. Co-hosts and the audience looked genuinely startled, with Sunny Hostin handing Mount a tissue after Behar’s lipstick smeared on his face. The exchange that followed — Behar joking, “I’m old, but I’m not dead,” and Mount replying playfully — had the feel of ad-libbed live television, not a polished promotional setup. Mount’s own comments afterward also cut against the stunt theory. He said his wife found it “hilarious” after he joked about asking her not to divorce him, suggesting he had not expected the moment. Behar and Mount also referenced a playful history from his last appearance years ago, when he brought her flowers for her birthday, which helps explain the chemistry without proving any planned publicity move. Mount was undeniably there to promote the new season of *Star Trek: Strange New Worlds*, so the viral moment benefited the appearance. But based on the available reporting, there is no solid evidence it was orchestrated in advance.

3 articles · Updated · Nine · Jul 23

A live segment of The View veered off script when 53-year-old Anson Mount and 83-year-old Joy Behar shared a seconds-long kiss on the lips, drawing squeals and laughter from the panel and studio audience.
The moment began as Behar leaned in for a cheek kiss during Mount’s greeting, then appeared to pull him closer as he leaned in, leaving a red lipstick mark on his face that Sunny Hostin helped him wipe away.
Joy Behar joked, “I’m old, but I’m not dead,” while Mount, on the show to promote season 4 of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, laughed along as Whoopi Goldberg tried to steer the interview back on track.
Mount later told TV Insider his wife, Darah Trang, whom he married in 2018, found the on-air kiss “hilarious,” underscoring the stunt’s lighthearted aftermath rather than any real fallout.