‘The View’ gives Vieira a big send-off

With a roast, a Champagne toast and a goodbye grope from Joy Behar, “The View” said goodbye Friday to Meredith Vieira, who’s leaving to take Katie Couric’s job at the “Today” show.

“I do not want to get emotional,” said Vieira, who starts “Today” in September. “I simply want to say thanks. I love you all.” The Rhode Island native smiled broadly as Michael Feinstein sang “Rhode Island Is Famous for You.”

Barbara Walters, who created the daytime talk show nine years ago, said it had succeeded in large part because of Vieira, a former “60 Minutes” newswoman who usually played the moderator.

With film clips that showed Vieira dancing with the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders and in a succession of Halloween costumes -- a pirate, a witch, a space alien -- the show was mostly muted and hankie-free. Mario Cantone, Joan Rivers and Gilbert Gottfried joined for a Friars Club-style roast.