Sunny has her say: The View's Sunny Hostin clashed with her co-hosts during Thursday's episode of the ABC show
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The View’s Sunny Hostin clashed with her co-hosts Sara Haines and Joy Behar during Thursday’s episode of the ABC show as they discussed Jason Aldean’s controversial new song.

Aldean, 46, released the video for his anti-woke song, Try That In A Small Town, last Friday and it’s left the country divided because it features clips of BLM protestors vandalizing cities with lyrics endorsing traditional values and ‘taking care of our own.’

While Haines, 45, argued that more people ‘should be held accountable’ for the track, and Behar, 80, claimed the musician shouldn’t be censored, 54-year-old Hostin sarcastically accused them of giving Aldean ‘the benefit of the doubt.’

The mother-of-two did not hold back as she branded Aldean’s hometown, Macon Georgia, as ‘one of the most racist places’ in the country and referenced her family’s terrifying experience with the Ku Klux Klan.

Despite admitting that she doesn’t believe in censorship, Hostin claimed that Aldean ‘knew exactly what he was doing’ by using certain imagery in his new music video.

Sunny has her say: The View's Sunny Hostin clashed with her co-hosts during Thursday's episode of the ABC show

Sunny has her say: The View's Sunny Hostin clashed with her co-hosts during Thursday's episode of the ABC show

Sunny has her say: The View’s Sunny Hostin clashed with her co-hosts during Thursday’s episode of the ABC show

Country singer: The panel were discussing Jason Aldean's controversial new song Try That In A Small Town

Country singer: The panel were discussing Jason Aldean's controversial new song Try That In A Small Town

Country singer: The panel were discussing Jason Aldean’s controversial new song Try That In A Small Town

Speaking up: Sara Haines argued that 'more people should be held accountable' not just Jason

Speaking up: Sara Haines argued that 'more people should be held accountable' not just Jason

Speaking up: Sara Haines argued that ‘more people should be held accountable’ not just Jason

Head panelist Whoopi Goldberg opened Thursday’s episode of The View by sharing her thoughts on Aldean’s song and it’s accompanying video – which has since been pulled by CMT.

‘There are lyrics in the song and I think, you know, he talks about life in a small town and it’s different, you know, and he shows these images, he’s got folks from the Black Lives Matter movement, and he’s talking about people taking care of each other and I find it so interesting that it never occurred to Jason or the writers that that’s what these folks were doing,’ Goldberg began.

‘They were taking care of the people in their town, because they didn’t like what they saw. Just like you talk about people taking care of each other in small towns. We do the same thing in big towns.

‘You just have to realize that when you make it about Black Lives Matter, people kind of say, well, are you talking about black people? What are you talking about here?

‘If we’re talking about America that’s taking care of each other then it shouldn’t be about Black Lives Matter. You should be able to show all the different things that have gone on in our country where people stood up and said, no more. We do the same thing that small towns do. That’s my two cents to that!’ the Sister Act star added.

Behar then spoke up and said: ‘There’s no reason to separate big city people from small town people, that to me is the divisive part of this song.

‘I mean, it’s a deplorable song and annoying. It’s very divisive and provocative. But I defend his right to do this video. Because they can’t censor me they shouldn’t censor him either,’ she added.

Mother-of-three Haines chimed in and spoke about her own experience of being from a small town in Iowa. 

‘I understand the pride and the differentiation between towns in rural communities and the cities, because you’re not thought of very highly in this country, never have, when you come out here I was always that “girl from Iowa”,’ she said.

‘It wasn’t just Jason Aldean because he didn’t write the song, he did perform it but there’s a lot of checks and balances when you’re putting out an album, you’re going to be touring.

‘You’re going to be performing it. I also say, shame on every person that could have caught it along the way to say, there are problems here. Maybe the biggest thing he should do right now is listen,’ Haines added.

Joy's jibe: Panelist Joy Behar branded the new song 'deplorable and annoying'

Joy's jibe: Panelist Joy Behar branded the new song 'deplorable and annoying'

Joy’s jibe: Panelist Joy Behar branded the new song ‘deplorable and annoying’

Honest opinion: Sunny admitted she wasn't going to give Jason 'the benefit of the doubt'

Honest opinion: Sunny admitted she wasn't going to give Jason 'the benefit of the doubt'

Honest opinion: Sunny admitted she wasn’t going to give Jason ‘the benefit of the doubt’

Motherly love: Sunny confirmed her mom Rosa was present in the live studio audience for Thursday's show

Motherly love: Sunny confirmed her mom Rosa was present in the live studio audience for Thursday's show

Motherly love: Sunny confirmed her mom Rosa was present in the live studio audience for Thursday’s show

So sad: Sunny said her parents, Rosa and William, were forced to leave their town because they were an interracial couple

So sad: Sunny said her parents, Rosa and William, were forced to leave their town because they were an interracial couple

So sad: Sunny said her parents, Rosa and William, were forced to leave their town because they were an interracial couple

Proud dad: Sunny, pictured with her father William, said her parents are 'still scarred' from being 'run out of South Carolina by the KKK'

Proud dad: Sunny, pictured with her father William, said her parents are 'still scarred' from being 'run out of South Carolina by the KKK'

Proud dad: Sunny, pictured with her father William, said her parents are ‘still scarred’ from being ‘run out of South Carolina by the KKK’

Looking rather disappointed, Hostin then shared her opinion and told her co-hosts calmly: ‘I’m actually not going to give him the benefit of the doubt and I’m pleased that you are and pleased that you are.’

Behar butted in and asked: ‘You agree he should be allowed to sing whatever he wants?’

Hostin continued: ‘As a lawyer when I put my legal hat on, I don’t believe in censorship. However, this man is from Macon, Georgia. My father is from Augusta, Georgia, and Macon, Georgia. I spent many summers there. 

‘It is one of the most racist places in this country.

‘So don’t tell me that he knew nothing about what that imagery meant, so I don’t give him the benefit of the doubt.’  

Haines fired back: ‘But I’m saying along with him more people should also be held accountable…’ but her co-host didn’t give her the chance to keep talking.

The camera cut to the live studio audience as Hostin confirmed her own mother was present as she blew her a kiss.

She then revealed: ‘My mother and father, because they were an interracial couple, were run out of South Carolina by the KKK. And my father is still scarred from that experience, and you are still scarred from that experience,’ as her mother nodded.

‘We’re all still scarred from that experience,’ Goldberg sympathized, as Hostin continued: ‘So don’t tell me that not only was he aware of what he was doing by using that imagery, he embraces that imagery, and unfortunately this became the number one song on U.S. iTunes.

Whoopi's wrath: Sister Act star Whoopi Goldberg has an issue with the song and added her 'two cents'

Whoopi's wrath: Sister Act star Whoopi Goldberg has an issue with the song and added her 'two cents'

Whoopi’s wrath: Sister Act star Whoopi Goldberg has an issue with the song and added her ‘two cents’

The View panel, including Alyssa Farah Griffin (right), discussed Jason's new song and music video in detail

The View panel, including Alyssa Farah Griffin (right), discussed Jason's new song and music video in detail

The View panel, including Alyssa Farah Griffin (right), discussed Jason’s new song and music video in detail

‘We have a problem in this country about race and the biggest problem is, we refuse to admit that it exists,’ she added.

Viewers tuning in at home supported Hostin’s point of view and took to Twitter to comment.

‘Tell ‘em Sunny! We not gonna act like this dude was ignorant to what he’s portraying in that song/video! #TheView,’ one person wrote. 

‘It would be really difficult for me to watch this program without @sunny. She is never afraid to say what needs to be said. I appreciate that. #TheView,’ another person tweeted.

A third said: ‘Ok Whoopi and sunny not playing today #theview,’ while a fourth viewer simply added: ‘THANK YOU SUNNY!!!! #TheView.’ 

Meanwhile, Aldean defended his new song and video after CMT pulled it from the airwaves on Tuesday.

The singer addressed his detractors in an Instagram story where he denied any anti-black or pro-lynching sentiment and pointed out that people have only discovered it now, two months after it was released.

‘In the past 24 hours I have been accused of releasing a pro-lynching song (a song that has been out since May) and was subject to the comparison that I (direct quote) was not too pleased with the nationwide BLM protests,’ he wrote. ‘These references are not only meritless, but dangerous.

‘There is not a single lyric in the song that references race or points to it – and there isn’t a single video clip that isn’t real news footage – and while I can try and respect others to have their own interpretation of a song with music – this one goes too far,’ he added. 

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