Conversation | 03/13/2008 7:02 pm

Whoopi: 'I Don't Think I Was Ever Mean'

LIZ: That’s right. Well, you know, I’ve seen you in a couple of situations where I knew you were really not comfortable, like when we insisted on making you a “Living Landmark” for the New York Landmarks Conservancy. But you went through it with so much good will and you were so courteous and charming to all the people who came up and told you they were your biggest fans. And not everybody can handle that.

WHOOPI: But I was lucky. When I first got famous, I met up with Paul Simon and he really gave me some great advice. He gave me great advice and a book that Sid Caesar wrote gave me great advice.

LIZ: How about Mike Nichols? Did he help you?

WHOOPI: Well, Mike just made it normal, made my life normal. He made me believe that I wasn’t such a freak. Because it really did all happen kind of at once for me, career-wise.

LIZ: Well you were very startling when you first appeared with your one-woman show on the stage in New York. I mean, people didn’t quite know what to make of you.

WHOOPI: And I think that’s still the case.

LIZ: You do?

WHOOPI: Some people know that I’m an actor. But they’re still not sure …

LIZ: I’m not sure they understand that you’re not just an actor, but a great Oscar-winning actor. I think they think you really are all of those people you play.

WHOOPI: Yes, they do. And I think maybe that’s, in part, what scares people a little bit.

LIZ: Let me ask you about The View. What’s it like? Do you have to do a lot of preparation beforehand, or do you just come out there and wing it?

WHOOPI: Well, you know, we discuss in the morning, when we all sort of get there at about 9, what’s available to talk about; what’s happening; what’s current. And then we sit down and we say, “What do you think?” “Well, this is what I’m thinking about this.” And it becomes something we talk about. Or sometimes we think that we want to talk about something and then we discover that, you know, it’s really just us saying — all of us saying, “Yeah, this sucks.” So that’s not going to be a great conversation because everybody agrees.

LIZ: You want a little spice.

WHOOPI: Yeah. We look for things where we have a discussion, you know? It’s all about the discussion. And one of the things that I think has been missing, in this country, is civil discussion.

LIZ: Oh, absolutely. Yeah, people are all mad all the time. They won’t talk it through.

WHOOPI: And they are shocked by what they say to each other. And I think there’s … you can do the same thing. You can be as wry or as biting as you want. But there’s a way to do it with grace and style. I believe we can do this with grace and style.

LIZ: I wanted to ask you: At one point in your life not too long ago, you were talking about moving to Greece and retiring. Did you change your mind?

WHOOPI: Well, no. I got the gig on The View.

LIZ: You got a good gig.

WHOOPI: I got a good gig. But Greece is still my plan because, for me, there is no greater joy than Greece. I love the United States with all of my heart, but I also see that there are things that I’m missing, that I need. And I know that I can get those …

Read more about: Culture, Film, Politics, Theater

105 Reader Comments (so far…) Sign In or Register to comment

Hi Whoopi I have a screenplay that is a social commentary wrapped in a romantic screwball comedy. The conflicts involve men and women and Black and White people, it is very topical. I hope you can read it - thanks www.bygeorgescreenplay.com

By brad berger on 03/28/2008 7:35 am

e-mail alert

All wowowow participants are welcome to read “By George” www.bygeorgescreenplay.com

By brad berger on 03/28/2008 8:53 am

e-mail alert

Brad, I noted your NJ address and recommend contacting Barney Lichtenstein’s screenwriting group http://www.selectscreenplays.com/ to find out when/if he still teaches online UCLA screen analysis class. He teaches both live and online classes, at least he did. He is beyond excellent. I took some of his classes at UCLA. Many fellow students had MFA degrees in film, and were working in the business. Barney is a total gentleman /class act and can provide the inside guidance everyone needs. A good book is by Peter Miller, “Get Published! Get Produced!” My interest in film studies were strictly learning the Vogler mono-myth story structure used at Disney, Fox, Warner Brothers to make my novel read like a film. But as a result of the classes my work was chosen as an example of excellent student work which led to a gig writing a master story for a Emmy winning composer of major film scores who was extremely pleased with what I produced. And Barney said I could leave the class and go immediately into script analysis…although who’d want to. Pays peanuts and loads of work and pressure! His class was fantastically interesting, and well worth the time. Bonne chance.

By Buh-Bye Hillary Hillary Buh-Bye on 03/28/2008 1:47 pm

e-mail alert

Thank you, thank you, thank you Whoopi for being part of Wow.

By Mi Mi Benedict on 03/30/2008 9:35 am

e-mail alert

Ms. Whoopi you have been my idol for as long as I can remember. We are the same age, and born in the same month, just at opposite sides of New York State.

I have a funny story: We were stationed at Quantico Marine Corp Base in VA, my neighbors where African American, me I’m what pop’s use to call lilly white, it’s the irish/english in me,lol Anyways the young lady from next door and my little girl were watching your video with me and laughing like crazy. They could only watch certain parts due to language,lol. Well after you did your bit on wanting to be a white girl with long hair,the two of them went into my bedroom got some sweatshirts and went la de da around the house. My x@@@@@husband is Serbian and dark skin and dark hair, and my little girl got all daddy’s traits and none of mine. Hell you wouldn’t even know either of my kids were mine if they didn’t introduce me as such, my son looks like my dad, who was dark haired with brown eyes.

Off track again, Sorry, Anyways the girls were pretending to be you and her mother and I were laughing non stop, they told us they’d be back they were going out to the yard. When they came back in OH MY GOD::::: My daughters long hair was gone and it was Super Glued to Angie’s head, you know what came next.

Angie had to have her head shaved because of the glue and Deanna had to get some kind of a hair cut to look somewhat human, lol. It took almost six months for her hair to get into some kind of shape, they really did a butcher job on eachother.

In my family your number one, Robin Williams is two, and George Carlin, three, in the comic realm.

I’ve got most of your movies and since you joined the VIEW I never miss an show, even the occasional reruns. I’m so happy to watch and learn and laugh at something almost everyday of the wk. An I love you on Star Trek, I have informed my kids I want the complete collection of Star Treck: Generation for my next Bday, that and StarGate SG1.

Whoopi, i really agree with you about all the crazy tax’s in NY state, from cigs, to booze, to cloths. And I am taking your adivce to heart, I question all the tax’s on all my bills, I’ve been overcharged by many utitlies, cable bills are the worse especially if you have phone and internet packages and can’t get out of them till the contract runs out and then you have to start all over again with another carrier.

Keep us smiling and laughing, but most of all thinking. God Bless you Whoopi Goldberg :)

By Deniseann Taylor on 06/13/2009 6:22 pm

e-mail alert

scuze me for buttin in at the head of the line — that annie liebowitz pic of you on cobert last night was incredible. Can I get it on google images? you are sooooo hot — it’s no wonder brando came sniffin round like a coon dog on the trail of an irresistable scent.

By Michael Salling on 04/29/2008 8:22 pm

e-mail alert

Whoopi, The View has never been more enjoyable to me, both entertaining and informative, since you have been on it. I appreciate your honesty and also how you challenge other’s views. Great work!

By Donna W. on 03/28/2008 8:02 am

e-mail alert

This is what I’m talking about…conversation between two ladies who have been friends for God knows how long. Whoopi-Liz top of the morning to you both. Whoopi my impression of you has always been that you call it as you see and feel it. One of you said something regarding the bullshit we are constantly fed. Problems begin when you call those people on the carpet…that’s when stink begins to make its rounds from station to station accusing you-Whoopi- of being evil and insensitive. I too am over joyed that our fellow Americans now understand it’s okay to speak up…voice your opinions and your concerns. Afterall people have died so we all can take advantage of what we are doing right now. Talking loudly. Can’t wait to see your new work!!!

By Taylor Hall on 03/28/2008 8:37 am

e-mail alert

I have to say Whoopi that I am so much like you. I really enjoy you on The View. You add so much to the show.

By Marie McConnell on 03/28/2008 8:42 am

e-mail alert

I appreciate women like you Whoopi. Straight talk and no bull. Telling it the way it is without malice is good in my book. We can’t always tip-toe around important subjects for fear that someone might be offended. We are not, after all, responsible for other people’s reactions to our own opinions when the opinions are asked for and given without intentional harm. That’s what is so great about our country and so many people forget what IS great about it in the light of a looming recession. We still have freedom of speech.

By Hedda Lettuce on 03/28/2008 9:12 am

e-mail alert

I love smart women who ask questions and have civil discussion! Sometimes I fear too many people don’t know how to think critically. They only know how to react and push their own ideology. To paraphrase Anna Deveare Smith, it’s important for all of us to come out of our safe houses and relate to more than just those who agree with us. Cheers, Whoopi, and Liz, and the women of WowoWow!

By J.D. E. on 03/28/2008 9:27 am

e-mail alert

You are my hero. I, too, wish for more discourse, based on critical thinking, and expressed with respect. You are my hero. Please run for President.

By K O on 04/16/2008 2:27 pm

e-mail alert

I think that Whoopi, is excellent ,and finally I been wondering what her opinion was on alot of things, How many kids do you have 3? Amy

By Amy Van Cleave on 03/28/2008 9:47 am

I think we should talk about womens dieases, that have taken women out of the workforce.Like my dx. of Intersitital cystitis, more women have this then diabete’s and MS combined. We need a national spokeperson to shade like on this diaease. The pain is like the end stages of renal failure. Check out there website www.ichelp.org Or Pelvicpain.com

By Amy Van Cleave on 03/28/2008 9:54 am

I would love to know where Whoopi intends to go in Greece. I have a house on a Greek island and I love it. I do not own a TV, hardly ever read a newspaper, it is always a day late anyway, just read all the books that I can carry with me and entertain my children who visit and friends who come to stay. I wonder if Whoopi, who is such a personality and in the midst of all that is going on in todays world, would not become a little bit bored. She can come and visit me anytime but I would have to put up a fence to keep all the locals from wanting to be her friend.

By Sandra Robinson on 03/28/2008 10:04 am