“The View” co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck is up in arms over an episode of “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” that features a character named “Elizabeth Hassenback” being raped and murdered. The character is close in age to Hasselbeck, and, like her, lives in New York. Claiming to feel “disrespected,” and calling the episode and its implications “socially irresponsible,” Hasselbeck called the show’s producers to demand an explanation. Instead, what she got was an insincere apology followed by a dial tone.

Stunned and appalled by her callous treatment at the hands of a Hollywood producer (a famously cuddly bunch), Hasselbeck is now attempting to blacklist all “SVU” cast members, prohibiting them from appearing on her show…which might be more of a threat if “The View” were actually considered a cultural tastemaker rather than a mildly entertaining means of passing the time between cups three and four of coffee.

Just the same, looking to make amends, producers for the show called back to chalk the character similarities up to coincidence…and encouraged Hasselbeck to tune in next week, when a lesbian character named Posey O’Connell will be force-fed chocolate bon-bons until her stomach explodes.