Whoopi Goldberg was rendered speechless during a discussion on “The View” about the death of Mike Nichols. Goldberg broke down in tears while trying to talk about the director’s passing and instead had co-host Nicolle Wallace break the sad news to the studio audience.
“Whoopi has a hard time putting into words, which is why I’m doing it for her, but this man meant the world to her,” Wallace said. Rosie Perez got out of her seat to comfort Goldberg, who buried her head in her hands.
“Mike Nichols is the one who first saw Whoopi performing and said, ‘You got something, kid,’” Rosie O’Donnell explained. “He gave her the entire beginning of her career and recognized her brilliance before anyone else.”
“We did a show, last year, where we brought in our mentors,” Goldberg said, “and Mike is my mentor.”
In a clip from that program, Goldberg sits with Nichols and recounts the first time they met, backstage at her one-woman show.
“Whenever I’m with you, I know I’m OK,” Goldberg told Nichols. “You’re one of the few people who can actually bring me to tears.”
As TheWrap previously reported, Nichols died unexpectedly of cardiac arrest on Wednesday evening. The director and husband of news anchor Diane Sawyer was 83.
Watch the video from Thursday morning’s “The View.”