Whoopi Goldberg shut down a discussion about Harvey Weinstein on The View after the disgraced Hollywood producer gave his first jailhouse interview since being convicted of sexual assault and rape.
Goldberg introduced the segment on the show as she briefed viewers on some of what Weinstein said in the interview with The Hollywood Reporter, including that he maintains he did not sexually assault anybody.
“He says he regrets cheating on both of his ex-wives,” she said, before rolling her eyes in response and commenting, “Yeah, okay.”
But later in the segment, Goldberg shut down their conversation as Sunny Hostin and Sara Haines discussed the statements he made against actress Gwyneth Paltrow.
Haines said Paltrow’s accusations were a “tipping point” in the onslaught of allegations Weinstein faced. “People knew about Weinstein but no one was writing about it until a celebrity of Gwyneth Paltrow’s level [came forward],” she said. Haines said his statements against Paltrow in the interview sound like he’s “mad” he “got caught because off her. She is the reason everyone started to come forward.”
Hostin agreed, adding that she found it “fascinating” Weinstein called this “the biggest betrayal.”
“He doesn’t seem to understand the power dynamic that he was so powerful in Hollywood and so he would open up his robe in a robe, take meetings in his hotel room with young actors,” she said.
Haines went on to call Weinstein out for attempting to discredit Paltrow’s accusations against him by claiming he “didn’t do anything” after she rebuked his request for a massage.
“As if that wasn’t the skeevy part, just because you didn’t assault her does not mean she shouldn’t be telling people,” Haines said.
At that point, Goldberg shut down the conversation to send it to commercial.
“The skeevy part is that we’re talking about him,” she quickly fired back. “I don’t want to talk about him anymore today. We’ll be right back.”
The show went straight to commercial before later returning with a more lighthearted segment about dating that Goldberg was even less interested in engaging in.
“Is it refreshing to hear a story where people connect in real life?” she asked her co-hosts, before promptly adding, “Wake me up when you find the answer.”
The View airs on weekdays at 11/10c on ABC.
