Lisa Ling: Shorn to Be Wild

Not since Felicity's Keri Russell took a machete to her mane has a haircut wigged out so many. On last Wednesday's The View, co-host Lisa Ling, 27, went under the knife for an image-altering trim, and five days later the new 'do is still causing a stir.

"I've been on the show for a year and a half and I've never gotten as much of a response as I have over this haircut," Ling tells TV Guide Online. "I talked about doing it on Tuesday, and within one minute of the show ending, I had 600 e-mails. It's been overwhelming.

"I like to think that we discuss very stimulating, topical issues on our show, [but] inevitably the e-mail I get will reflect what I'm wearing or my hair," adds Ling with a sigh. "But that's just the way it is. And quite honestly, I'm guilty of it myself. I'll be watching a show and no matter what the person's talking about, I get fixated on his or her appearance."

Ling, whose long, flowing locks made her the envy of women everywhere, admits that the initial reaction to her mini-makeover was mostly negative. "The majority of e-mails that I got before I cut it were [from people] begging me not to do it," she says. "But everyone has changed their minds and they now want me to go even shorter."

Well, they may get their wish. As Ling explains, although her new shag is "much, much shorter than what I wanted," she doesn't miss the 'ol crop. "I wanted to just do the front, but once [View hairstylist Marquee Washington] started cutting, I thought, 'Keep going, keep going.' And now, I would even go shorter, and maybe in the coming weeks I will."

And if that doesn't send viewers racing for their keyboards, Ling's latest threat certainly will: "I may get something pierced in the not-too-distant future," she hints. "I don't even know if my superiors will allow me to do it, but I'll inquire. And if I do do it, you can be sure it will be on The View."