Whoopi Goldberg has never been accused of hiding her opinions. Now she’s making headlines for revealing what may be her favorite opinion of all: payday.
During an appearance on Keke Palmer’s Baby, This Is Keke Palmer podcast, Palmer asked Goldberg what she enjoys most about moderating ABC’s long-running daytime talk show The View. Goldberg didn’t hesitate.
“The check.”
“I love the check.”
When Palmer joked that she could probably imagine what Goldberg earns, the Oscar-winning actress immediately shut that idea down.
“No. You can’t. Trust me. You can’t. You would be shocked.”
She doubled down moments later.
“As soon as they showed you that check, you’d be like, ‘What the!?'”
Goldberg never disclosed an actual dollar figure, but she made it clear that the paycheck is one of the perks keeping her in the moderator’s chair nearly two decades after Barbara Walters recruited her to join the program.
The 70-year-old EGOT winner also stressed that, despite her success, she doesn’t take steady work for granted. “A lot of people don’t have jobs, so I’m lucky,” Goldberg said. “I like to talk, I like talking about stuff, I like people.”
She recalled that Walters approached her in 2007 after another panelist departed the show. “I needed a job,” Goldberg explained. “She said, ‘Would you consider coming over?’ … It’s like I’ve been crazy-glued to that chair.”
That chair has turned into one of the most recognizable—and reportedly lucrative—positions in daytime television.
Although ABC has never confirmed Goldberg’s salary, multiple entertainment industry reports have estimated her annual compensation to be in the mid-seven figures, with longtime media journalist Yashar Ali previously reporting that her contract is worth roughly $6 million per year. ABC has never publicly verified that figure.
The View is preparing for its landmark 30th season. The program has recently generated headlines over reports that Rosie O’Donnell is open to returning for the anniversary celebration if invited, while the show continues to dominate political conversations with its rotating panel of co-hosts.
Goldberg, however, made it sound as though she isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.
Between the daily debates…
…and the direct deposit…
she appears perfectly content.
MY QUICK TAKE:
You know what? I actually appreciate the honesty.
Most celebrities would spend fifteen minutes telling you they do it “for the conversation,” “for the audience,” “to elevate the national dialogue.”
Whoopi just skipped the Hallmark card and went straight to payroll.
“The check.”
That’s refreshingly honest.
Of course, if somebody were handing me a seven-figure salary to spend an hour every morning complaining about Republicans while sipping coffee, I’d probably be glued to the chair too.
In fact, I’d ask them to bolt it to the floor.
DBS WIRE SOURCES:
- Mediaite: Whoopi Goldberg Brags View Fans Wouldn’t Believe the Size of Her Paycheck: “You Would Be Shocked”
- People: Whoopi Goldberg Says Her Paycheck for Co-Hosting The View Would “Shock” People
- Entertainment Weekly: Whoopi Goldberg Says Fans Can’t Fathom How Big Her The View Paycheck Is
- Page Six: Whoopi Goldberg Brags About Huge The View Salary
