Ryan O'Neal on 'The View': Tatum O'Neal 'is happiest when I'm ill'

Actor Ryan O'Neal is making the talk show rounds to promote his new book, "Both of Us: My Life With Farrah." On Tuesday (May 1), he stopped by both "Today" (read about it here) and "The View" to talk about his shortcomings and, once again, demonstrate his inability to be an adequate parent.

In the midst of a series of soft blows from "View" doyenne Barbara Walters, O'Neal admitted that he wasn't the best parent or the best partner to Fawcett, who died in 2009 after battling cancer for several years.



It was when he was asked about the current state of his relationship with daughter Tatum that O'Neal hit his interview low.

"Tatum is always happiest when I'm ill," says O'Neal, who was recently diagnosed with stage II prostate cancer and has been battling chronic myelogenous leukemia and skin cancer for some years. "Because she can mother me and take care of me."

But, claims O'Neal, they are getting along. He cited the shoes he was wearing -- recently bought by Tatum -- as evidence. He also added that he's not in touch with son Griffin because he doesn't know where he's imprisoned.

When asked if he could've done a better job as a parent, O'Neal dejectedly agrees, "I could've done better."

"There's still time," says Walters.

"You told me that 20 years ago," he replies.