Whoopi Goldberg apologizes for using Romani slur on ABC’s The View
Whoopi Goldberg has issued an apology following her use of a racial slur during an episode of ABC’s The View.
On Wednesday, Goldberg used a derogatory term associated with Romani people while discussing former president Donald Trump, saying that his supporters are “people who still believe that he got gypped somehow in the election”.
Goldberg issued an apology shortly after on Twitter, saying: “You know, when you’re a certain age, you use the words that you know from when you were a kid or you remember saying, and that’s what I did today, and I shouldn’t have.”
“I should’ve thought about it a little longer before I said it, but I didn’t,” the actor added. “And I should’ve said ‘cheated,’ but I used another word, and I’m really, really sorry”.
Goldberg’s apology received mixed responses online.
“Well, I learned something today! Thanks for this teaching moment. I won’t say this in the future!” one user wrote.
Another person wrote:“It’s hard to be on TV now. Sometimes we make mistakes, but we are attacked so much because social media exists. Good for her to explain.”
Meanwhile, someone else replied: “A non-apology apology.”
Goldberg’s apology comes a year after she was suspended from The View for two weeks for saying that the Holocaust “isn’t about race”.
“Let’s be truthful, the Holocaust isn’t about race, it’s not. It’s about man’s inhumanity to man, that’s what it’s about. These are two groups of white people,” she said at the time.
Goldberg continued: “You’re missing the point … let’s talk about it for what it really is. It’s about how people treat each other. It’s a problem. It doesn’t matter if you’re Black or white, Jews … everybody eats each other.”
In response, ABC News suspended Goldberg after she issued a public apology, saying: “The Jewish people around the world have always had my support and that will never [waver]. I am sorry for the hurt I have caused.”