Whoopi Goldberg has been suspended from ‘The View’ after saying the Holocaust “isn’t about race”.
Whoopi Goldberg has be suspended from The View
The 66-year-old star was met with fierce backlash over her comments on Monday’s episode (31.01.22) of the US talk show.
She said: “Let’s be truthful about it because Holocaust isn’t about race. It’s not about race. It’s not about race. It’s about man’s inhumanity to man…
“These are two white groups of people! The minute you turn it into race it goes down this alley. Let’s talk about it for what it is.
“It’s how people treat each other. It doesn’t matter if you’re Black or white, Jews, it’s each other.”
The ‘Sister Act’ star later offered her “sincerest apologies” for the offence caused.
However, it was announced on Tuesday evening (01.02.21) that Whoopi will take some time away from the show to reflect on the “wrong and hurtful comments” she made.
ABC News President Kim Godwin tweeted: “Effective immediately, I am suspending Whoopi Goldberg for her wrong and hurtful comments.
“While Whoopi has apologised, I’ve asked her to take time to reflect and learn about the impact of her comments.”
In an email to staff members, Godwin wrote: “Just last week I noted that the culture at ABC News is one that is driven, kind, inclusive, respectful and transparent.
“Whoopi’s comments do not align with those values.”
The ‘Ghost’ star appeared on the programme last night with a representative from the anti-hate organisation ADL to discuss her comments.
Godwin acknowledged: “Whoopi has shown through her actions of many years that she understands the horrors of the Holocaust and she started today’s show with that recognition.”
In a statement shared on social media, Whoopi said she “stands corrected”.
She wrote: “On today’s show, I said the Holocaust ‘is not about race, but about man’s inhumanity to man’. I should have said it is about both.
“As Jonathan Greenblatt from the Anti-Defamation League shared, ‘The Holocaust was about the Nazi’s systematic annihilation of the Jewish people – who they deemed to be an inferior race.’ I stand corrected.
“The Jewish people around the world have always had my support and that will never waiver. I’m sorry for the hurt I have caused.
“Written with my sincerest apologies, Whoopi Goldberg.”
Whoopi’s former colleague on the programme, Meghan McCain, said she was left “heartbroken” by her comments.
The 37-year-old columnist – who presented alongside the comedienne on talk show ‘The View’ from 2017 until 2021 – took to Twitter to insist she is “against antisemitism”.
She wrote: “I hate commenting on my old employer because I have moved in every way a person can move on. That being said I am an activist against antisemitism and it is a big part of my life. The growing threat is real and virulent and everywhere. I am heartbroken about what was said.”
