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« Roush Dispatch
The New View: No Big Whoop
Whoopi Goldberg and Barbara Walters by Steve Fenn/ABC
Whoopi Goldberg has always had a wonderfully distinct point of view, and one that’s probably just right for her new job on The View. But unlike her immediate predecessor in the cohost seat, this POV is not trained entirely on herself. For me, that’s a relief.
Tuesday’s 11th-season opening of ABC’s daytime squawk show was a pretty low-key lovefest, as the gang embraced Whoopi while catching fans up on how they spent their summer vacation: Elisabeth Hasselbeck became more noticeably pregnant, Joy Behar nursed a virus and Barbara Walters made progress on her memoirs. Elizabeth and Joy displayed family photos. And Whoopi? Didn’t have much to reveal about herself (though she did sit for a pro forma taped biographical profile at the end). She’s just a hardworking gal these days, spending four hours on the radio each early a.m. before heading over to the Hot Topics table.
Are these back-to-back morning gigs going to stretch her too thin? Whoopi seemed almost too laid-back on her first day in the hot seat, though still engaging and funny and, to her credit, surprising — her attempt to place Michael Vick’s abhorrent dogfighting hobby into some cultural context was something I’m sure few expected to hear. I’m not saying Whoopi was tired — how would I know, but how could she not be? — and admittedly, it’s not easy keeping up with Joy (who delivered most of the hour’s snappiest lines) when she’s really on. But the energy I was expecting wasn’t quite there. Still, I have no reason to think she or The View will suffer in the post-Rosie O’Donnell era. There will no doubt be many occasions for her politically charged hackles to rise. And her determined cool is a refreshing change from the forced heat of Rosie’s "me-me-me" furnace.
I wish her well, but did anything I saw Tuesday convince me to switch my daytime devotion from Ellen DeGeneres (who now appears to be airing in the same time period in my market)? Uh-uh. I have precious little time or inclination to keep up with anything in the daytime arena, but on those rare occasions I get an hour to peek in, my viewfinder will be trained on the effortlessly enjoyable Ellen, not the excessively gabby sister act of The View.
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Sep 4, 2007 3:23 PM
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Ellen was (as usual) funny today. You gotta love a classy lady who takes out a botttle of Jack Daniels and calls it "warming up"!
The View, I don't know yet. Time will tell...
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Sep 4, 2007 4:31 PM
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I love Whoppi - I always have. I think it has somthing to do with growing up in the height of Comic Relief. But I will always choose Ellen. Actually, I don't have to choose, they are on at two completely different times of the daym, but if I had to make the choice - it's Ellen all the way. She is the perfect mix of class, silliness, self-deprecation and dancing (of course). May she be on as long as Johnny Carson!
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Sep 4, 2007 5:17 PM
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I love your description of Rosie. It helped me finally figure out why I almost like her almost all of the time. I've always liked Whoopie. My son used to call her Woofie Gopher. Back in her Hollywood Squares days, he asked me, "Mom, is Woofie Gopher the biggest star in the world?" I try to like Ellen, but she rarely has guests that I care about. I subscribe to her newsletter, and I go through it each week to see if there's a show worth watching. She maybe books one interesting person a month. I'm back at work full time in the days, so I doubt I'll see any of these shows too often. I definitely don't have anything in common with the other co-hosts of The View (although I like Joy).
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Sep 4, 2007 9:40 PM
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her attempt to place Michael Vick’s abhorrent dogfighting hobby into some cultural context was something I’m sure few expected to hear.
Not something I haven't heard before because there are quite a few "leaders in the black community" that I've heard speak that have said what she has said, but it's still crap, and ridiculous, and makes me think she's not too bright.
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Sep 5, 2007 6:42 AM
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I am not easily shocked and I don't watch The View but I heard Whoopie's comments defending the monster known as Michael Vick on the radio, anyone who defends this horror is as big a monster as he is. I have always liked her but as far as I am concerned, I never need to hear anotehr word from her ever.
Thank you
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Sep 5, 2007 7:39 AM
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Was he watching the same show? Whoopi Goldberg’s defense of Michael Vick made me sick to my stomach.
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Sep 5, 2007 8:13 AM
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I never watched The View before Rosie joined. I think she really made the show funny and exciting. After she left I was not sure I was going to watch again but I am a huge Whoopie fan. So I recorded her first show and I will decide from there. I thought she did well. She was not defending Vick as much as trying to explain where he comes from. There is no excuse for what he did but I understand the concept of background. When I was a kid living out west, I remember grayhound racing where they would run the dogs to death as a spectator sport. We who love animals hate any type of abuse. I consider horse racing horrible to watch. She was saying she was surprised no one talked about Vicks background. Where he comes from, dog fighting is common. Again no excuse for what he did and he should pay for it. As far a Ellen goes, I love her show because basically all I do is laugh. Both shows run at different times for me so I get to record both while I am at work, then watch any or all of either when I get home. Ellen is enjoyable fluff and the jury is still out on The View for me. I will probably tune in to Hot Topics every day just to hear what Whoopi has to say and Joy is just a hoot every day.
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Sep 5, 2007 8:59 AM
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Ok, just to clarify, I don't think Whoopi was defending Michael Vick, I think she was putting some context to it. She never said what he did was ok. Its like saying (and this may be controversial) that people in some Asian countries eat dogs and cats. Its a true statement, and one that disgusts many people in America. However, me stating that doesn't mean I agree with the practice. I personally find what Vick did horrible, but I just don't think giving a little background on why in her opinion he isn't a total monster qualifes as definding him.
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Sep 5, 2007 9:39 AM
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Well said, chitownguy and she did, in fact, talk about how in some countries eating cats is acceptable. Being a cat lover I find that idea just horrifying. Most Americans would find it horrible. Just as dog lovers found what Vick did terrible. But isn't it a sad comment on our priorities that more was made of that then what some people do to their own children. If Vick had beat up his wife (seems a common practice with some pro-athletes) not much would have been said. Sorry to get off topic.
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Sep 5, 2007 9:56 AM
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I already left a comment about Whoopie's disgusting defense of Michael Vick but I must say that I guess Barbara got what she paid for, someone who is actually offending more people than Rosie, who at least only picked on adult humans. Barbara and Whoopie must be thrilled today, not to mention the despicable Michael Vick.
God, I hope Whoopie does not have any pets. yikes !!
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Sep 5, 2007 10:10 AM
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Ellen all the way.
And Whoopi has lost a fan forever. Culturally acceptable...hmmm, how many other things can we excuse as culturally acceptable, just because they happened for centuriees? Let see...want to take that one Whoopi?
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Sep 5, 2007 10:17 AM
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I agree with the others that Whoopi should not be vilified for trying to put Vick's crimes in a cultural context, the problem is that the context she used was wrong. Vick is from the tidewater region of Virginia - far from the deep south. It's actually a very urban and well developed area. Dog fighting is currently common is the south, but it is NOT a centuries old tradition, rather a recent cultural phenomenon. I'm not upset with Whoopi for trying to see a different side of the story, I am upset that she spread falsehoods about southern culture.
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Sep 5, 2007 10:27 AM
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I was truly surprised to hear Whoopi say what she did about Vicks. So what if he's from the deep South? To use that as an excuse is (to me) as ridiculous as saying that white people from the South who think that slavery shouldn't have been abolished should be excused because hey. . . . . they are from the deep South and that mentality still exists in some people's minds there so we should just accept it? And no, I am NOT comparing slavery to dog fighting. I'm just saying that there is NO valid argument that can be made for either one. What Vicks did was sickening and I can think of no excuse that would be valid as to why he did it. As a civilized culture we need to do away with these horrific "sports". Not invent excuses for them. I hope Whoopi isn't just trying to be controversial to help the shows ratings now that Rosie is gone. I never thought she was a sell-out type of person. But I also never expected her to defend pond scum like Vicks either.
MaricaKay
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Sep 5, 2007 12:23 PM
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Well I agree with Scully that people are more outraged over Michael Vick being involved in dogfights than they should be over children being abused,and women being abused.I live in the south and news stories about animals being neglected and abused seem to generate more response than stories about people being abused. When Dogs that attack people are put to death people protest tha tmore than perhaps a child being killed by an abusive parent. I don't know that it is limited to the south it may be the same up north but..
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Sep 5, 2007 12:27 PM
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