Whoopi Goldberg Blasts Critics Attacking Hollywood ‘Elite’ Over Oscars Slap: ‘That’s Like Saying All Black People Like Chicken’
Whoopi Goldberg went after those collectively attacking Hollywood for the industry’s reaction to Will Smith slapping Chris Rock at the Oscars.
Goldberg, who is a member of the Academy’s Board of Governors, took issue with guest host Tara Setmayer’s criticism of those who gave Smith a standing ovation when won Best Actor for King Richard shortly after smacking Rock.
“But it was an assault,” Setmayer said. “So I kind of feel like there’s an — I think there needs to be a lot of self-reflection in Hollywood.”
Golberg pointed to how quickly things happen on set or while filming live television, noting that the Academy recognized that they could have done a better job handling the situation.
“But then they gave him a standing ovation though, Whoopi, which I think again goes back to why some people feel like Hollywood elites are a bunch of hypocrites,” Setmayer said. “Because they go out there and give these statements of moral superiority about things, and political statements, and then they’re standing…doing a standing ovation after he just assaulted Chris Rock!”
Noting that she is “one of those people,” referring to the “Hollywood elite,” Goldberg said she would not have given Smith a standing ovation and claimed that those in the audience stood up before even realizing what they were doing.
“I’m just — I just want to stop with this ‘elite’ stuff because, you know, a lot of us work for a living. We work. We collect a check. We got families. We try to do the same thing, the good stuff that everybody else tries to do,” Golberg said. “And it really pisses me off when people start to talk about people who work in Hollywood, not just the actors, but all the other folks. So please when you are talking about actors, be specific.”
“If you’re pissed off about somebody or how they act, don’t put it on all of us, cause that’s like saying all Black people like chicken,” she added.
Watch above, via ABC.
