Whoopi Goldberg, co-host of the American talk show The View, has divided opinion after she forcefully rebutted claims made by podcaster Joe Rogan and former US President Donald Trump about the programme's past treatment of the 78-year-old.
During a recent episode of The View, Goldberg addressed what she called "fake news" stemming from Trump's appearance on Rogan's podcast, The Joe Rogan Experience.
The EGOT winner took issue with Rogan's assertion that Trump had been warmly welcomed on The View in 2015, claiming to set the record straight on several points.
Goldberg's passionate response included video evidence from Trump's actual 2011 appearance on the show, which she claimed showed a markedly different reception than the one described by Rogan and Trump.
Goldberg clarified that Trump's appearance on The View occurred in 2011, not 2015 as Rogan had claimed. She stated: "It was 2011, four years before he announced he was running. That's the first thing they got wrong."
The host also addressed Rogan's assertion that Trump was introduced as "our friend". Goldberg explained that it was former co-host Barbara Walters who referred to Trump as "my friend", while Goldberg herself remained stone-faced.
'THE VIEW' SETS RECORD STRAIGHT: After former Pres. Trump made claims on Joe Rogan's podcast about a past visit to @TheView, Whoopi Goldberg and her fellow co-hosts weigh in with what really went down that day. pic.twitter.com/tDuEqqh8oh
— The View (@TheView) October 28, 2024
"So, Barbara was her usual polite self as she was with every guest. But did I look warm and fuzzy? Was that a warm and fuzzy welcome for him?" Goldberg questioned before claiming that, out of respect for Walters, she maintained politeness towards guests, regardless of personal disagreements.
Goldberg then addressed Rogan's claim that The View hosts spoke about Trump "in such a favourable light" in 2011. In an attempt to contradict the statement, she presented a clip from the 2011 interview where she criticised Trump's focus on Barack Obama's birth certificate.
In the footage, Goldberg told Trump: "I think that's the biggest pile of dog mess I've heard in ages. It's not because he's Black? Because I've never heard of any white president being asked to show a birth certificate? That's BS."
Reflecting on the interview as a whole, Goldberg said: "This show has allowed all kinds of people to come on, people we agree with, people we don't agree with. I have not been a fan of [Trump's]. I don't like how he talks to us, I don't like how he talks to the nation."
Whoopi Goldberg and Donald Trump did clash when he appeared on the show in 2011
ABC
She added that her facial expressions during the 2011 interview "said everything I needed to say".
Goldberg's rant has gone viral across the globe, with several social media users slamming her attempts to discredit Trump and Rogan in response to the clip on the show's verified X account.
One X user slammed the actress: "Showing the clip was a bad move Whoopie. The point Joe was making was that the audience and you guys were all about him and now you’re not. Look at that audience reaction! A standing ovation! Rogan was just pointing out the severe contrast between then and now. The hypocrisy."
A second echoed: "Cringeworthy that they think he's clearly focused on this show. Lol, after 8 years of their constant lies and vicious hatred toward him, he's not supposed to finally take notice and comment about it? They go after him non-stop. Yet they get unhinged over occasional comments toward them."
And a third issued a sarcastic response to the show: "The View sets the record straight by confirming the claim as true with video evidence!"
However, Goldberg and her The View co-stars did receive some praise for firing back at the podcast, including from one X user who typed: "Gosh I have never agreed with the ladies of the view more. Whoopi explained it best in the end about always being mad and hopefully soon we will all be past it."
And a second claimed: "This looks so bad for Joe Rogan who every MAGA and GOPer, sees as the best platform for politicians to go, simply based on how many fans he has. At least reputable media outlets do a thorough job of fact-checking before asking questions. Joe just saw gossip he’s read on socials."
The feud between Trump and The View has been long-standing and the Republican nominee recently criticised the show's hosts at a campaign event in Reading, Pennsylvania, calling them "really dumb people". He also recalled hiring Goldberg for a comedy event at one of his casinos, criticising her act as "filthy dirty" and "disgusting".
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
Donald Trump sat down for a three-hour chat with Joe Rogan last week
THE JOE ROGAN EXPERIENCE
Goldberg fired back: "I was filthy, and stand on that fact. I have always been filthy, and you knew that when you hired me. I headlined, babe, at your casino, which I might've continued to play had you not run it into the ground. How dumb are you? You hired me four times."
She added pointedly: "You didn't know what you were getting? How dumb are you?"
Goldberg concluded by expressing her views on the current political climate and her hopes for the upcoming election. She said: "Making fun of him is punching down now because it's just too easy."
The host emphasised the importance of focusing on selecting the right leader for the country. "Our focus is making sure we get the right person in the right job to lead the country out of the malaise we're all in," Goldberg stated.
She observed the widespread discontent among the public, noting: "Everybody is p**sed all the time. People are walking down the street and you can see it... We've been in trauma for years now."
Looking ahead, Goldberg expressed her desire for a change: "I'm hoping with this next election we will have a breather and get back to the people's business. That's what I want."
