“Who’s Katy Perry?” — Jenny McCarthy Recalls Heartbreaking First Sign Of Barbara Walters’ Dementia

Jenny McCarthy can pinpoint the heartbreaking moment she first suspected late news legend Barbara Walters — her cohost on ABC’s The View — was “suffering from beginning stages of dementia!”

The former Playboy pinup, 52, says she joined the all-gal gabfest for its 17th season in 2013 to be its “pop culture buzzy girl,” as show brass claimed they wanted to lighten up the serious daytime staple.

Jenny jaws that after she made a casual comment about singer Katy Perry — who Barbara had just interviewed — the confused broadcaster asked, “Who’s Katy Perry?” The blond beauty recalls, “I was like, ‘Oh sh*t.’”

Jenny then explains, “It was literally not even a week into the show. They were like, ‘We’re flipping it. There’s no more pop culture. We’re going back to politics.’

“[Barbara] knew politics, but she didn’t know pop culture.”

The aging journalist left The View in 2014 — nearly two decades after cocreating the talk show with producer pal Bill Geddie — and died eight years later at age 93.

No one in the TV icon’s camp confirmed that she was experiencing cognitive decline. But rumors ran rampant during the final reclusive years that Barbara spent in her New York City home.

As for Jenny, her stint on the TV snake pit lasted just one season!

“They want you to fight,” explains the Masked Singer panelist. “I’m not a fighter. I choose the side of peace in any fight.”