Whoopi Goldberg Calls Out Debra Messing for Seeking List of Hollywood Trump Supporters: ‘Not a Good Idea’
Messing sought the publication of a list of fundraiser attendees over the weekend
Lindsey Ellefson | September 3, 2019 @ 11:56 AM
Last Updated: September 3, 2019 @ 12:25 PM
Whoopi Goldberg cautioned fellow entertainers Debra Messing and Eric McCormack of “Will & Grace” against calling for a list of Hollywood conservatives during “The View” on Tuesday.
“Last time people did this, people ended up killing themselves,” Goldberg said, referencing the Hollywood blacklist of 1947. “This is not a good idea, OK? Your idea of who you don’t want to work with is your personal business. Do not encourage people to print out lists, because the next list that comes out, your name will be on and then people will be coming after you.”
Goldberg called voting a “great right” before calling on Messing and McCormack to study the history of the blacklist.
Co-host Joy Behar agreed, saying she was “against that type of thing.”
“I do believe that you should know if a company gave a lot of money to Trump,” she said, but “when it’s individuals, it’s stalking and you’re starting to endanger that person’s life.”
Sunny Hostin, another of the five hosts, questioned why someone attending a fundraiser wouldn’t be proud enough to let it be known that they had put their money behind a candidate.
The fundraiser is being held in Beverly Hills on Sept. 17, five days before the Emmys are held in Los Angeles, with a minimum $1,000 donation required to attend. Messing called for a list of all attendees to be published, saying that “the public has a right to know.”
McCormack followed that up with a similar call “so the rest of us can be clear about who we don’t wanna work with.”
Reps for the two actors did not return requests for comment.
Goldberg and Behar found an unlikely on-air ally in conservative actor John O’Hurley, who sad Monday he was “embarrassed” for Messing and McCormack.
9 Outrageous Whoopi Goldberg Moments on 'The View' (Videos)
Defending Bill Cosby
When actress Barbara Bowman came forward in 2014 accusing Bill Cosby of rape, Goldberg expressed skepticism and came to his defense. "I’m going to reserve my judgments because I have a lot of questions,” she said.
Clash with Carly Fiorina
When 2016 presidential candidate Carly Fiorina appeared on “The View” after calling the hosts out for making fun of her looks, Goldberg accused her of manufacturing a “fake feud” to raise her own profile. Fiorina quickly shot back that the show was doing the same by promoting the highly anticipated interview.
Walk-off
In 2010, when “The View” played host to Fox News star Bill O’Reilly, Goldberg and co-host Joy Behar famously walked off the show. The conversation erupted into a shouting match when O’Reilly said, “Muslims killed us on 9/11.” Behar said she couldn’t sit next to O’Reilly because she was so “outraged,” and was joined in her walk-off by Goldberg.
Arguing racism with Rosie O’Donnell
When Rosie O’Donnell returned to “The View” in 2014, rumors swirled about tension between the two comics. One of their frequent on-air clashes came in December when Goldberg told O’Donnell she can’t understand racism as a white woman. “Listen, you are a white lady telling me what is racist to you, which is fine,” said a heated Goldberg, but she was adamant that only someone who has experienced it first-hand knows what racism is.
“No, honey, I’m famous”
After an awkward interview with cranky actress-model Cara Delevingne went viral, the hosts of “The View” chastised the starlet for being a “bitch,” and told her to suck it up. Goldberg argued that as a “newbie” who isn’t a famous actress, Delevingne has no right to act like a diva. And when co-host Michelle Collins interjected to say that Delevingne is someone famous, Goldberg informed her: “No, honey, I'm famous.”
Donald Trump
Goldberg clashed with Donald Trump long before he was a serious presidential candidate. In 2011, Goldberg accused the real estate mogul of racism when he demanded to see President Barack Obama’s birth certificate, saying he’d never ask that of a white president. “I think that’s the biggest pile of dog mess I’ve heard in ages,” said Goldberg when Trump assured her it had nothing to do with race.
It’s OK for men to hit women … sometimes
When video surfaced of NFL player Ray Rice assaulting his wife, leading to widespread condemnation, Goldberg offered defense. “If you hit somebody, you cannot be sure you’re not going to be hit back,” she said to strong disagreement from her co-hosts.
Ann Coulter
Not one to shy away from a debate around race, Goldberg went head-to-head with conservative author Ann Coulter when she appeared on “The View” to argue that liberals don’t care about black people. “Please stop,” Goldberg told Coulter. “If you’re going to talk about race, at least know what you’re talking about.”
Lecturing Candace Cameron Bure on abortion
The conservative star of Netflix’s “Fuller House,” Candace Cameron Bure caught flak when she backed the defunding of Planned Parenthood. “It used to be all about the hanger,” Goldberg said. “And in the old days, the reason abortion became legal, just in case folks don’t remember, is because people got tired of tripping over women who gave themselves abortions in the bathroom, you know, or went to people who gave them Clorox to drink.”
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With reports that the star may exit the ABC daytime talker, TheWrap looks back at her most memorable moments
Defending Bill Cosby
When actress Barbara Bowman came forward in 2014 accusing Bill Cosby of rape, Goldberg expressed skepticism and came to his defense. "I’m going to reserve my judgments because I have a lot of questions,” she said.
