Whoopi Goldberg is going to be taking a two-week break from her duties as moderator on The View. While the move should be unremarkable, some have questioned the timing, given her recent on-air remarks and tirade towards President Donald Trump with regard to The Kennedy Center. Officially, though, while she will still appear on the show on Mondays, the 70-year-old star will be absent during the rest of the week to pursue a new professional commitment.
Atlanta Black Star is one such outlet that can’t help but question the timing. According to the outlet, Goldberg’s temporary departure follows a period of intense segments involving political debates. Per TV Insider, on the September 16th episode of The View, the discussion centered around the recent announcement that the board voted to close the Kennedy Center’s main building.
In response, Goldberg reportedly snapped. “I want all of this insanity to stop. I’m sick of this,” Goldberg said during the broadcast. She repeated her sentiment, stating, “I’m sick of it. I’m sick of it. I’m sick of it. Republicans are sick of it. Democrats are sick of it. Independents are sick of it.”
A matter that could be a coincidence
ABS noted that the announcement of her schedule and film commitment was confirmed during the Behind the Table podcast. Producer Brian Teta addressed the upcoming changes while speaking with Goldberg. “We’re going to lose you for a couple of days,” Teta said. “You’re going to be gone over the next two weeks.”
E! News reported that Goldberg is stepping away from The View to focus on her acting career. She is set to film the upcoming Netflix project titled Women Like Us, which features a notable cast including Vivica A. Fox, Vanessa Williams, and Jenifer Lewis. Produced by Barack and Michelle Obama, Goldberg has previously stated that she was excited about the role.
According to the outlet, Goldberg described the project as a story about “change and getting older and having fun with your friends and people who get you.” She added, “It’s about finding your people. I’m excited to do it. It’ll be fun.”
During her absence, viewers can expect a rotating lineup of familiar faces. According to E News, former co-hosts Lisa Ling, Star Jones, Sherri Shepherd, and Debbie Matenopoulos are set to fill in for Goldberg on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Additionally, Joy Behar will take on the role of moderator for those segments. Teta noted that “Joy’s up for it. She’s always excited to moderate.”
To understand why some viewers still believe her break is because of her statements, it is helpful to look at her comments during the September 16th episode. TV Insider wrote that during the show, the panel discussed a federal ruling that prevented the President from having his name restored to the venue. They also discussed that the decision to close part of the center happened right after the ruling.
Clearly, Goldberg, like many other people, found the timing suspicious. After her outburst of “I’m sick of this,” TV Insider reported that she addressed the president directly and challenged his priorities. “Listen, you cannot have the Kennedy Center, man. It’s not yours. It is never [going to be]. Fix the war. Forget the building. Fix the war. Fix the economy,” Goldberg said. She urged him to focus on the American public rather than influencing the board of the Kennedy Center.
According to ABS, the conversation continued in a later segment where co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin compared the situation to “a kid taking her ball and going home and storming off.” Goldberg pushed back on that framing. “But this is somebody else’s ball! This is somebody else’s memorial. This is like putting a label on their thing,” she argued.
She reportedly furthered her point by adding, “It’s like you’re asking to put your name on somebody’s grave. What are you doing? Go to work!” When Griffin suggested the President should concentrate on the economy, Goldberg agreed, saying, “Yes, and people would be happy if you did.”
Atlanta Black Star noted that this isn’t the first time the two have been at odds. Their history dates back to the 1990s when the President hired Goldberg to perform stand-up comedy at his Atlantic City casinos. Years later, he criticized her act during campaign rallies, calling her routines “filthy dirty.” Goldberg responded to those claims on the air, asking, “Are you dumb? You hired me four times.”
E! News noted that Goldberg has been with The View since 2007, and that this isn’t her first time stepping away for an acting role. In November 2025, she took a brief leave to film an appearance for the Italian soap opera Un Pasto Al Sole.
Published: Sep 21, 2026 03:35 pm