Attorney Demands Retraction From ‘View’ For Calling Rachel Uchitel A ‘Hooker,’ Gets Apology

A lawyer for Rachel Uchitel, one of the women allegedly connected to Tiger Woods, has demanded a retraction from “The View” – and gotten an apology

On Thursday night, Gloria Allred, Uchitel’s attorney, sent out a press release, drawing attention to a comment from a “View” panelist, whom she did not name in her statement.

”[Thursday] on ‘The View’ on ABC television a co-host called our client Rachel Uchitel a ‘Hooker,’” Allred’s release noted. “The co-host said ‘Yeah…. You-ka-tell she’s a hooker.’”

“The View” co-host, Joy Behar, actually made the comment as Whoopi Goldberg brought up a tabloid story about the woman and stumbled over pronouncing her last name. “Rachel, what, how do you say it?”

“Uchitel – You could tell… she’s a hooker,” Behar chimed in as the audience laughed.

“You could tell, is that a puttana?” co-host Sherri Shepherd chimed in, referring to the Italian slang for a loose woman.

“You could tell she’s a puttana,” Joy added laughing.

“Oh yes, we would,” Elisabeth Hasselbeck then chimed in.

But it was the first statement that caused Uchitel offense.

“This statement about Ms. Uchitel is false and defamatory and highly offensive to her,” Allred continued in her press release. “Rachel is very upset by that statement which has been viewed and now read all around the world.

“This statement was very hurtful to Rachel because it is not true,” Allred’s statement continued. “We are sending a letter to ABC Television immediately demanding a retraction on the View as soon as possible. We hope that they will do the right thing and retract this statement immediately.”

A rep for “The View” issued a statement on Friday morning, apologizing for the comment.

“During a discussion on yesterday’s ‘The View’ about the alleged affair between Tiger Woods and Rachel Uchitel, Joy Behar made a play on Ms. Uchitel’s name. This was intended as a joke,” a rep for the show said in a statement to Access Hollywood. “We sincerely apologize for the choice of words and for any misimpression the joke may have created.

As previously reported on AccessHollywood.com, various reports have suggested that Uchitel is an alleged mistress of Woods, but she has denied the claims.