Whoopi Goldbergs Long-Running Controversies on The View: A Timeline of Public Statements

When Whoopi Goldberg first joined ABC’s daytime talk show The View in 2007, she brought a reputation for outspoken honesty that would soon become a lightning rod for public debate.

In 2009, Goldberg addressed the 1977 arrest of director Roman Polanski for unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor. The article reports that she said she did not believe the original charge was “rape‑rape.” She later clarified that she was referring only to the legal charge, according to the source.

The next year, when Mel Gibson faced accusations of racism after a recording of his remarks surfaced, Goldberg defended the actor. She stated that she knew Gibson personally and that he was not a racist. The CBS News report cited in the article notes that Goldberg described Gibson as a “bonehead” but refused to label him a racist.

In 2012, conservative commentator Ann Coulter appeared on The View to promote her book Mugged. Goldberg challenged Coulter’s remarks about race, saying, “If you’re going to talk about race, at least know what you’re talking about.” The source records that Goldberg asked Coulter how much she knew about being Black.

Goldberg’s comments on Bill Cosby evolved over time. In 2015, she said she was beginning to view Cosby differently after the sexual‑assault allegations. The Deadline article quoted her as saying that “there is no recourse for these women except what they are doing,” and that the evidence pointed to Cosby’s guilt.

That same year, Goldberg celebrated her 60th birthday on the show. A surprise guest, actor Robert De Niro, appeared with a bouquet of flowers. The article notes that De Niro had been a longtime friend of Goldberg’s.

In 2016, the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation awarded Goldberg the Elizabeth Taylor Legacy Award for her work raising AIDS awareness. Video messages from Colin Farrell, Lionel Richie, and Elton John were played on The View. According to Variety, John said, “You and I knew Elizabeth very well,” and praised Goldberg’s advocacy.

Goldberg’s health briefly sidelined her in early 2019. She missed a month of episodes while recovering from pneumonia and sepsis. The source reports that she sent a video message telling viewers she had “come very, very close to leaving the earth.” She returned the following week, prompting her co‑hosts to cry.

In 2019, Rosie O’Donnell, a former The View co‑host, described Goldberg as “as mean as anyone has ever been on television.” The People article quoted O’Donnell as saying that her experience with Goldberg was “the worst experience I’ve ever had on live television.”

In 2022, Goldberg made a controversial statement about the Holocaust during a discussion of a book ban affecting the graphic novel Maus. She said the Holocaust was not about race but “about man’s inhumanity to man.” The article reports that she later apologized, saying she should have said the Holocaust was about both. ABC News suspended her for two weeks.

After Donald Trump’s 2024 conviction on 34 felony counts, Goldberg appeared on a Friday episode of The View. She said Trump’s name directly and ended the episode by saying “guilty” 33 times. Entertainment Weekly reported the incident.

In June 2024, Goldberg reunited with the cast of Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit. The show’s Twitter account posted that the reunion included a performance of “Oh Happy Day.” The article notes that the event celebrated the film’s 30th anniversary.

That same year, Goldberg returned for The View’s 28th season, marking her 18th consecutive season on the show. The source indicates she broke Barbara Walters’ record for most consecutive seasons of the ABC talk show.

In 2025, following the murder of director Rob Reiner, Trump referred to Reiner as a “deranged” person. Goldberg criticized Trump’s statement and the lack of condemnation from certain Republicans. The article records that she said, “There is no justification for him to have written what he wrote.”

In 2026, after the killing of ICE protester Alex Pretti by U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents, Goldberg spoke to Republicans. She said, “I don’t know what you’re investigating if you’re not investigating the straight‑up murder.” She also addressed former Border Patrol commander‑at‑large Greg Bovino and former Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, stating, “You can’t justify this… We all see it, and we see you for who you are. You all have blood on your hands.”

Goldberg’s tenure on The View has been marked by a series of public statements that have sparked debate and, at times, disciplinary action. The article notes that her comments continue to attract attention from viewers, critics, and network officials. As she remains a regular panelist, future episodes are likely to feature further discussion of her remarks and their impact on the show’s reputation.