Entertainment

Whoopi Goldberg courts controversy with Holocaust comment; suspended from ABC News show

Though Whoopi Goldberg has apologized, admitting her mistake, she continues to be at the receiving end of criticism.

Academy award winning actress Whoopi Goldberg landed herself in trouble, after her words that the Holocaust involved two groups of white people. The statement created quite a furore, leading to her suspension from the ABC News network for two weeks. Though she has apologized, admitting her mistake, she is now at the receiving end of criticism from world over.

Goldberg, now 66-years-old had been appearing on ABC News’ The View since 2007, courted controversy on Monday’s show. Her words came while discussing a Tennessee school board’s banning of a graphic novel about the Holocaust on the grounds that it showed nudity, profanity and suicide.

ABC News finds Whoopi Goldberg’s words hurtful

She went on record stating that the Nazi genocide of the Jews was “not about race”.  ABC News found the statement she made as wrong and hurtful and had to issue a suspension memo with immediate effect.

Though Goldberg tried to apologise on late-night show later on, it did not help her much as the words in her apology caused further offence.

A BBC News report quoted ABC News president Kim Godwin as writing in a memo that “Effective immediately, I am suspending Whoopi Goldberg for two weeks for her wrong and hurtful comments”. The news network also added that though the actress and television personality did apologise, she was directed to take time “to reflect and learn about the impact of her comments”.

In a bid to pacify viewers, ABC News said the organization expressed solidarity with its Jewish colleagues, friends, family and communities, adding that decisions like suspending the actress never come easy but are necessary.

Oscar winning actress’ words wrong

Elaborating on the decision to suspend Whoopi Goldberg, Godwin also added that the culture at ABC News is driven, kind, inclusive, respectful, and transparent, and that Whoopi Goldberg’s words on the show did not go along with such values.

The next day itself, the Oscar winning actress issued a third public apology, stating that she had misspoke on the show, and added that the Holocaust is indeed about race, because Hitler and the Nazis considered the Jews to be an inferior race. Expressing regret over her comments, she reiterated that she stood with the Jewish people. The furore hasn’t died down.

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Sanjeev Ramachandran

A journalist with 23 years of experience, Sanjeev has worked with reputed media houses such as Business Standard, The Ne More »
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