As comedian Joy Behar retires from her 16-year run on The View, rumors continue to swirl about who will replace her.

The View taped a one-hour special dedicated to Behar on Tuesday, which is scheduled to air on ABC on Friday, Aug. 9. At the taping, several of Behar's friends showed up to say goodbye, including former The View co-host Meredith Vieira and friends Alan Alda, Joan Rivers, Regis Philbin and Susie Essman.

Comedian Mario Cantone, who has appeared on the show several times, hosted the Behar special. Vieira revealed that he might be the best replacement for Behar as a permanent co-host.

"If a man were to step in, it would be Mario," she told TVGuide. "He was a huge supporter of the show long ago when we were desperate for support. And he may have a vagina for all I know!"

Co-host Sherri Shepherd agreed that Cantone would be a fitting replacement for Behar.

"He fits the bill of being bitchy and a woman!" she joked, before taking a more serious tone. "Whoever takes Joy's place has to be completely fearless - when I say fearless, I mean you cannot be afraid to speak up. They've got to be ballsy, they've got to be brassy, they've got to be funny and I don't know who fits that bill."

Watch Cantone on The View from earlier this year:

The View producers have not yet announced who will fill the fifth seat alongside Whoopi Goldberg, Sherri Shepherd, Barbara Walters and new hire Jenny McCarthy. Enstars previously reported that Brooke Shields was in the mix to possibly become a permanent co-host this fall, but the model/actress said that she has not been approached.

Jenny McCarthy Joins The View as New Co-Host

The most recent host rumor has been Hoda Kotb, who hosts the fourth hour of The Today Show with Kathie Lee Gifford. When ABC was approached for comment, the network said that "there's absolutely no truth to this whatsoever."

The new co-host should be announced relatively soon now that Behar won't be on the show beyond Aug. 9. After Elisabeth Hasselbeck's last show on July 10, it only took five days for Walters to officially announce that McCarthy would be joining the show in September.

Tags: The View Mario Cantone