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Whoopi Goldberg’s career “won’t end in carnage” following her Holocaust comments, an expert told FOX Business, explaining that she is “personally liked within ABC and by the left.”
On Monday, Goldberg, 66, stated that the Holocaust “isn’t about race,” and was subsequently suspended from “The View” for two weeks.
Goldberg, who has publicly apologized, has since found support from names such as Jonathan Greenblatt, who is the Anti-Defamation League’s CEO, Sen. Al Franken, Don Lemon and Joe Walsh.
Beverly Hills entertainment attorney Mitra Ahouraian, who represents actors, directors, producers, writers and musicians, noted that Goldberg has found allies in Hollywood.
“Whoopi Goldberg’s reputation as someone who has said she identifies as Jewish took a real hit from her comment on ‘The View’ because it offended so many Jewish people,” Ahouraian told FOX Business. “This is something that, on some level, people will always remember about her. But they also will remember that she has been an ally to the Jewish people and since her apology she has found allies in Hollywood, with the ADL’s CEO Jonathan Greenblatt and even among political figures such as former Senator Al Franken.”
A brand expert told FOX Business that Whoopi Goldberg’s career likely won’t “end in carnage” following her comments on the Holocaust. (Lev Radin/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images)
“She can still bounce back from this and have a career in Hollywood,” she added. “The most important thing for Whoopi is to not jeopardize her future by feuding with ABC during her suspension. After that, she can use her appearances on ‘The View’ to repair the hurt she caused and to still be the funny, insightful comic we’ve all known.”
Brand expert Eric Schiffer told FOX Business that Goldberg’s admission of her mistake will likely help her career.
“Cancel culture won’t put the stake through Whoopi Goldberg and cause her to go combust,” Schiffer said. “Given her apology and admission of her mistake, Whoopi will weather the storm of the suspension and her career won’t end in carnage.”
Despite her support from others in the entertainment industry, many are wondering why Goldberg wasn’t swiftly fired. Roseanne Barr and Gina Carano were used as examples by many criticizing ABC’s decision to suspend the TV host.
“The stark difference is Whoopi is personally liked within ABC and by the left, and given the call by conservatives that Whoopi remain at ABC it gives execs cover to keep her on versus Gina and Rosanne who outraged liberals,” Schiffer explained to FOX Business.
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Ahouraian explained that in the event ABC does decide to oust Goldberg, they could fire her depending on the style of contract the TV host has with the network.
“In 2021, Whoopi Goldberg signed a deal with ABC to stay on ‘The View’ for an additional 4 years,” Ahouraian explained to FOX Business. “However, most TV contracts allow producers or networks to fire you for a host of reasons and sometimes none at all. If Whoopi had what’s referred to in Hollywood as a pay-or-play deal, ABC would have to pay her through the end of her contract if they let her go, in other words if she doesn’t ‘play.’ But even with a pay-or-play, the studio or network would have an out depending on how aggressive their deal was.”
Goldberg went viral Monday after she argued the Holocaust wasn’t “about race.” (Getty Images) (Getty Images)
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“We’ve all heard of a ‘morals clause,’ which allows companies to fire people in the event of criminal activity or other allegations, and became increasingly popular in light of situations of sexual harassment,” she further explained. “A contract can expand this to include conduct that is immoral, scandalous and obscene, or even broader language that can allow a company to fire you if they decide you tarnish, damage or otherwise negatively affect the reputation of the company and the goodwill associated with it. Language like this would allow ABC to not only fire Whoopi, but not pay her a dime even if she had a pay-or-play deal.”
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Goldberg apologized during an appearance on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” along with Tuesday’s episode of “The View.” (Getty Images) (Getty Images)
On Monday, Goldberg admitted her mistake in her apology on Twitter.
“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,” Goldberg wrote in a statement. “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.”