Joy Behar Says Whoopi Goldberg 'Brings Warmth'
Whoopi Goldberg plans to simply be herself on The View – and that's just fine by Joy Behar.

"I think Whoopi brings warmth," Behar, 64, tells PEOPLE. "We know that she brings humor and talent, but she also brings warmth, and on television, people have to like you. She's very, very likable, and I'm thrilled to have her."

Goldberg, 51, was officially welcomed to The View on Wednesday morning, and she'll start full time the day after Labor Day. Asked about how she'll interact with her fellow cohosts, Goldberg said she'll just be who she is, and let the chips fall where they may.

"Can you imagine an old dog like me trying some new stuff out? Wearing those little miniskirts or some open-toed shoes?" she jokes. "I have hooves. ... You can't wear those little high heels. I'm going to be me. That's who they hired."

Goldberg admits that she brings different skills to the table than Rosie O'Donnell did, but tells PEOPLE she's not concerned about being compared to O'Donnell, who left the show this summer.

"I've been Whoopi for [my whole life], and I don't have the same vibe that Rosie has," she says. "I do different kinds of things. Rosie is a great, great entertainer, she's very fun. Her shows are wonderful. I'm also great fun, and my shows are wonderful. So you know, it's 2007. This is the new start of The View."

Barbara Walters adds, "When you have a woman who is as smart and as talented as Whoopi, it makes everyday fun."

That doesn't mean there won't be the kind of heated discussions that the ladies of The View are known for.

"We still have arguments about politics, and I think that's the way the show should be," Behar says. "Whoopi, I think she argues also. She has her own speed and her own style."

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