Oprah Winfrey helps Walters say farewell

Michael Douglas also dropped by for the tribute, which aired on Friday.

Oprah Winfrey and Hillary Rodham Clinton surprised Barbara Walters as the legendary newswoman taped her final edition of The View to end a five-decade career on television.

Michael Douglas also dropped by for the tribute, which aired on Friday.

Although the 84-year-old Walters will retain a behind-the-scenes role as executive producer of the talk show she created 17 years ago, she is ending her daily on-air involvement.

“I can’t believe this day has come, and I can’t believe it’s for real,” Clinton told Walters.

Typically, Walters couldn’t let Clinton get away without fielding the question on so many minds: Is she running for president in 2016?

“I am running,” smiled Clinton. “Around the park.”

“If Hillary runs,” Douglas told Walters, “I bet you’d be a great vice president.”

During commercial breaks, audience members snapped photos and interacted with Walters and her co-panelists (Whoopi Goldberg, Sherri Shepherd and Jenny McCarthy).

The audience erupted at the sight of Winfrey, who told Walters, “You’re the reason I wanted to be in television.”

“You shattered the glass ceiling for so many women,” said Winfrey, who then brought on a startling parade of them, some two dozen prominent on-air women including Diane Sawyer, Katie Couric, Robin Roberts, Gayle King and Connie Chung.

“You are my legacy,” Walters replied.

During a break, the throng of women she had paved the way for posed with her for a group portrait. It was a remarkable tableau.

“I have to remember this on the bad days,” Walters said quietly, “because this is the best.”