‘The View’: Has Whoopi Goldberg Officially Checked Out?

Whoopi Goldberg has had a hard year. In February, Goldberg contracted a case of near-fatal pneumonia, and she spent the next eight weeks away from The View to recover. When she finally returned, she seemed, to put it kindly, bored. After coming “very close to leaving this earth,” no one can blame the longtime moderator for checking out, but at the same time, the change in her on-air presence throughout Season 22 was palpable. And frankly, it’s not good for The View.

When Goldberg returned to The View in late March, she seemed relatively detached and devoid of passion. As the show’s longtime moderator — she’s held the position for 11 seasons, from 2007 to now — it’s Goldberg’s job to keep time and contain fights that break out during Hot Topics discussions. But in an attempt to do so, perhaps because producers told her to or perhaps because she was eager to get off the air, Goldberg often cut to commercial before the debates even got off the ground.

If we’re being honest, people watch The View for two reasons: one, to see a lively discussion of current events; and two, to watch that lively discussion devolve into chaos. By ending Hot Topics early, Goldberg prevented both from happening. Instead, viewers were left with hollow, three-minute-long conversations that offered nothing new (and definitely included no fireworks). Yes, The View may be “The Most Important Political Show on TV” (according to The New York Times), but that title won’t last long if the co-hosts aren’t given enough time to actually share their opinions.

While Goldberg seemed to be going through the motions for the latter half of Season 22, there was one topic that managed to perk her up: tax reform. At multiple points throughout the season, Goldberg delivered lengthy monologues about paying too much in taxes. “I’m tired of this idea that we’re supposed to be just continually paying and paying and paying,” she said on July 31. “I want you to tell me that you’re going to return some of my lifestyle to me … I can’t get what I need because I’ve got to pay all this money out.”

Uh, what? Goldberg is an Oscar-winning actress who has made millions moderating The View; it’s difficult to listen to her complain about losing her “lifestyle” without rolling your eyes. It would be one thing if she was actually advocating for everyday Americans who have gotten screwed by Trump’s tax “cut,” but that doesn’t seem to be the case. By complaining (frequently, it should be noted) about her personal finances, Goldberg makes herself — and by extension, the entire show — less relatable. There are hundreds of other things viewers could be watching, so why would they choose to watch a show with an unsympathetic moderator, short segments, surface-level discussion, and minimal drama?

If Goldberg brought her passion for her pocketbook to other issues (there are so many to choose from! 2019 is a hellscape!) and to her moderator duties, The View would be far better off. All it takes is a change in attitude — just a simple, “Yes, I still want to be here.”

At the end of the day, that’s the question. Does Whoopi Goldberg still want to be on The View? ABC expects Goldberg to return for Season 23 in the fall, but her behavior suggests that she may be ready to hang up her moderator cap. After 11 seasons, that’s entirely understandable. But if that’s the case, if she’s really ready to leave, she needs to verbalize that instead of just coasting until someone calls her out. The longterm health of The View may depend on it.

Where to stream The View