Joy Behar Reflects on 23 Seasons at 'The View' : 'I've Gotten in Trouble a Few Times'

Joy Behar is the The View's only remaining original co-host, and after 23 seasons at the daytime talk show, she's been involved in her fair share of heated debates and controversy.

But for the 78-year-old comedian, it comes with the territory. "Well, I've gotten in trouble a few times on the show," Behar says in this week's issue of PEOPLE.

"I've had to apologize, which I'm happy to do in order to save mine and everybody else's job. I don't care. Even if I don't mean it, I'll do it. Even if I look like I'm in a hostage takeover, I'll still do it, because if you don't do it, you lose your job and everybody else's," she says.

For more from Joy Behar, pick up the latest issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands Friday, or subscribe here.

Premiering Sept. 7, the new season — which features Behar, Whoopi Goldberg, 65, Sunny Hostin, 52, and Sara Haines, 43 (Meghan McCain, 36, left on Aug. 6 after four years) — marks The View's 25th.

Originally created by Barbara Walters in 1997, the format had remained largely unchanged: a multigenerational female panel discussing the day's "Hot Topics" and news.

Listen below to an interview with Joy Behar and one of the The View's producers Brian Teta on our daily podcast PEOPLE Every Day.

Behar says the long-running talk show's secret to success is simple. "You have a bunch of women who speak their minds and enjoy the blowback. That's our stock-in-trade."

Despite occasions where Behar was called to make an apology, she says she has no plans to change who she is.

"My comedy has never been vicious or mean because my intent is just to make you laugh. That's all. I don't have any other motive. And so if the intention is in the right, and your heart is in the right place, I think that you can never really go wrong. I've offended people for sure, but whatever," she says.

Season 25 of The View is set to premiere Tuesday, Sept. 7 at 11 a.m. ET on ABC.