History of Whoopi Goldberg in Timeline
Whoopi Goldberg, born Caryn Elaine Johnson, is a highly acclaimed American entertainer. She excels as an actor, comedian, author, and television personality, achieving the rare EGOT status by winning an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Award. Her contributions to comedy were further recognized in 2001 when she received the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, solidifying her status as a significant figure in American entertainment and comedy.
3 minutes ago : Whoopi Goldberg sparks controversy on 'The View,' comparing US to Iran in heated debate.
Whoopi Goldberg ignited a debate on 'The View' by comparing the U.S. to Iran, citing racial issues. This led to fierce clashes with Alyssa Farah Griffin regarding the Middle East conflict and domestic policies.
1973: Marriage to Alvin Martin
In 1973, Whoopi Goldberg married drug counselor Alvin Martin.
May 9, 1974: Birth of Daughter Alexandrea Martin
On May 9, 1974, Whoopi Goldberg gave birth to her daughter, Alexandrea Martin, who also became an actress and producer.
1977: Roman Polanski's rape conviction
In 1977, Roman Polanski was convicted of rape of a thirteen-year-old girl. This case was later commented on by Whoopi Goldberg in 2009.
1979: Divorce from Alvin Martin
In 1979, Whoopi Goldberg divorced her husband Alvin Martin.
1985: Drama Desk Award for Outstanding One-Person Show
In 1985, Whoopi Goldberg received the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding One-Person Show for her solo performance on Broadway.
1985: Grammy Award for Best Comedy Recording
In 1985, Whoopi Goldberg won a Grammy Award for Best Comedy Recording for "Whoopi Goldberg: Original Broadway Show Recording", becoming only the second solo woman performer to receive the award.
1986: Marriage to David Claessen
In 1986, Whoopi Goldberg married cinematographer David Claessen.
1986: Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in The Color Purple
In 1986, Whoopi Goldberg won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress for her role in The Color Purple.
1987: Participating in March on Washington
In 1987, Whoopi Goldberg participated in the March on Washington, showing her early high-profile support for LGBT rights and AIDS activism.
1988: Divorce from David Claessen
In 1988, Whoopi Goldberg divorced her husband David Claessen.
1990: Honorary Member of Harlem Globetrotters
In 1990, Whoopi Goldberg was officially named an honorary member of the Harlem Globetrotters exhibition basketball team.
1991: Marijuana Use Before Academy Award Win
In 1991, Whoopi Goldberg has stated that she smoked marijuana before accepting the Best Supporting Actress award for Ghost.
1991: Speaking Out About Abortion in "The Choices We Made"
In 1991, Whoopi Goldberg spoke out about her abortion experiences in "The Choices We Made: Twenty-Five Women and Men Speak Out About Abortion", detailing a termination at age 14 using a coat hanger and revealing she had six or seven abortions by age 25.
1991: Awards for Ghost
In 1991, Whoopi Goldberg won a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress and a BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her performance in the movie Ghost.
1991: American Comedy Award for Funniest Supporting Actress in Ghost
In 1991, Whoopi Goldberg won an American Comedy Award for Funniest Supporting Actress for her role in Ghost.
1993: Friars Club roast controversy
In 1993, Ted Danson appeared in blackface during his Friars Club roast; Whoopi Goldberg wrote some of his jokes for the event and defended Danson after a media furor.
1993: American Comedy Award for Funniest Actress in Sister Act
In 1993, Whoopi Goldberg won an American Comedy Award for Funniest Actress for her role in Sister Act.
1994: Marriage to Lyle Trachtenberg
In 1994, Whoopi Goldberg married union organizer Lyle Trachtenberg.
1995: Divorce from Lyle Trachtenberg
In 1995, Whoopi Goldberg divorced her husband Lyle Trachtenberg.
1999: Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation Vanguard Award and Women in Film Crystal Award
In 1999, Whoopi Goldberg received the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation Vanguard Award for her continued work in supporting the gay and lesbian community, as well as the Women in Film Crystal Award.
2000: Performing role of Califia in 'Golden Dreams'
In 2000, Whoopi Goldberg performed the role of Califia, the Queen of the Island of California, for a theater presentation called 'Golden Dreams' at Disney California Adventure Park.
February 8, 2001: Opening of 'Golden Dreams'
On February 8, 2001, 'Golden Dreams', a theater presentation at Disney California Adventure Park featuring Whoopi Goldberg as Califia, the Queen of the Island of California, opened with the rest of the park.
2001: Mark Twain Prize for American Humor
In 2001, Whoopi Goldberg became the first African-American female to receive the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.
2001: Hosting 'The Making of A Charlie Brown Christmas' and portraying Death in 'Monkeybone'
In 2001, Whoopi Goldberg hosted the documentary short 'The Making of A Charlie Brown Christmas' and portrayed Death in the film 'Monkeybone'.
2002: Completing the EGOT
In 2002, Whoopi Goldberg completed the EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Awards) when she received the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Special Class Special as a producer of 'Beyond Tara: The Extraordinary Life of Hattie McDaniel' and the Tony Award for Best Musical for producing 'Thoroughly Modern Millie'. She is the first Black woman to be an EGOT recipient.
2002: Tony Award for Thoroughly Modern Millie
In 2002, Whoopi Goldberg won a Tony Award as a producer of the Broadway musical "Thoroughly Modern Millie".
2003: Return to Television and Broadway Stage
In 2003, Whoopi Goldberg returned to television with 'Whoopi', though it was canceled after one season. She also returned to the stage, starring as blues singer Ma Rainey in the Broadway revival of August Wilson's historical drama 'Ma Rainey's Black Bottom'.
July 2004: Controversy at John Kerry Fundraiser and Slim-Fast fallout
In July 2004, Whoopi Goldberg was involved in controversy at a fundraiser for John Kerry where she made a sexual joke about President George W. Bush. As a result, Slim-Fast dropped her from their ad campaign.
July 2006: Becoming host of Universal Studios Hollywood Studio Tour
In July 2006, Whoopi Goldberg became the main host of the Universal Studios Hollywood Studio Tour, appearing in video clips shown to the guests.
August 2006: Hosting 'Wake Up with Whoopi'
In August 2006, Whoopi Goldberg began hosting 'Wake Up with Whoopi', a nationally syndicated morning radio talk and entertainment program.
2006: Appearance at Comic Relief's 20th anniversary
In 2006, Whoopi Goldberg appeared during the 20th anniversary of Comic Relief.
September 4, 2007: Debut as moderator on 'The View'
On September 4, 2007, Whoopi Goldberg debuted as the new moderator and co-host of 'The View', replacing Rosie O'Donnell.
October 2007: Announcing retirement from acting
In October 2007, Whoopi Goldberg announced on the air that she was going to retire from acting because she was no longer sent scripts.
February 18, 2008: Performance on The View
On February 18, 2008, The Naked Brothers Band performed on 'The View', where the band members were interviewed by Whoopi Goldberg and Sherri Shepherd.
March 2008: 'Wake Up with Whoopi' ends
In March 2008, Whoopi Goldberg ended hosting 'Wake Up with Whoopi', a nationally syndicated morning radio talk and entertainment program.
July 14, 2008: Announcing performance in 'Xanadu'
On July 14, 2008, Whoopi Goldberg announced on 'The View' that she would perform in the Broadway musical 'Xanadu' from July 29 to September 7.
September 2008: Closure of 'Golden Dreams'
In September 2008, 'Golden Dreams' closed to make way for the upcoming Little Mermaid ride planned for Disney California Adventure Park.
November 13, 2008: Announcing production of 'Sister Act: The Musical'
On November 13, 2008, Whoopi Goldberg announced live on 'The View' that she would be producing, along with Stage Entertainment, the premiere of 'Sister Act: The Musical' at the London Palladium.
December 13, 2008: Guest appearance on 'The Naked Brothers Band'
On December 13, 2008, Whoopi Goldberg guest starred on 'The Naked Brothers Band', a Nickelodeon rock-mockumentary television series.
2008: Message at Junior Eurovision Song Contest and contributor for wowOwow.com
In 2008, Whoopi Goldberg gave a short message at the beginning of the Junior Eurovision Song Contest and became a contributor for wowOwow.com.
2008: Moderating at Alliance of Youth Movements Summit
In 2008, Whoopi Goldberg moderated a panel at the Alliance of Youth Movements Summit on how social networks can be used to fight violent extremism.
2009: Moderating a panel at the UN on human rights
In 2009, Whoopi Goldberg moderated a panel at the UN on human rights, children and armed conflict, terrorism, and reconciliation.
2009: Controversial comments on Roman Polanski case
In 2009, Whoopi Goldberg opined that Roman Polanski's rape conviction of a thirteen-year-old in 1977 was not "rape-rape". She later clarified her comments.
2009: Daytime Emmy Award for The View
In 2009, Whoopi Goldberg won the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Talk Show Host for her work on The View. She shared the award with her then co-hosts Joy Behar, Sherri Shepherd, Elisabeth Hasselbeck, and Barbara Walters.
January 14, 2010: Appearance in 'The Lion King'
On January 14, 2010, Whoopi Goldberg made a one-night-only appearance at the Minskoff Theatre to perform in the mega-hit musical 'The Lion King'.
April 1, 2010: Joining Cyndi Lauper's Give a Damn campaign
On April 1, 2010, Whoopi Goldberg joined Cyndi Lauper in the launch of her Give a Damn campaign to bring a wider awareness of discrimination of the LGBT community.
July 2010: Ride of Fame Honor
In July 2010, Whoopi Goldberg was honored by the Ride of Fame with a double-decker tour bus in New York City for her life's achievements.
August 29, 2010: Death of Mother, Emma Johnson
On August 29, 2010, Whoopi Goldberg's mother, Emma Johnson, passed away after a stroke. Goldberg left London where she was performing in Sister Act, but returned to perform on October 22, 2010.
October 22, 2010: Return to Sister Act Performance
On October 22, 2010, Whoopi Goldberg returned to performing in the musical Sister Act in London, after the death of her mother on August 29, 2010.
October 30, 2010: Closure of Sister Act with Goldberg
On October 30, 2010, the musical version of 'Sister Act' closed, after Whoopi Goldberg left the cast prematurely on August 27 to be with her family.
2010: Starring in 'For Colored Girls' and voicing in 'Toy Story 3'
In 2010, Whoopi Goldberg starred in the Tyler Perry movie 'For Colored Girls'. In the same year, she voiced Stretch in the Disney/Pixar animated movie 'Toy Story 3'.
2011: Cameo in 'The Muppets'
In 2011, Whoopi Goldberg had a cameo in 'The Muppets'.
2011: Statement on Marriage and Commitment
In a 2011 interview with Piers Morgan, Whoopi Goldberg explained that she was never in love with the men she married and commented that she does not have the necessary commitment for marriage, but is committed to her family.
May 9, 2012: Statement on NRA membership
On May 9, 2012, Whoopi Goldberg stated on an episode of 'The View' that she is a member of the National Rifle Association of America.
2012: Guest starring on 'The Middle'
In 2012, Whoopi Goldberg guest starred as Jane Marsh, Sue Heck's guidance counselor, on 'The Middle'. She also voiced the Magic Mirror on Disney XD's 'The 7D'.
2014: Portrayal in 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' and appearances in other films
In 2014, Whoopi Goldberg portrayed a character in the superhero film 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014)'. She also appeared as herself in Chris Rock's 'Top Five' and starred in the romantic comedy film 'Big Stone Gap'.
2015: Defense and Subsequent Change of Stance on Bill Cosby Allegations
In 2015, Whoopi Goldberg initially defended Bill Cosby against rape allegations, questioning the lack of arrest or trial. Later in 2015, she shifted her position, acknowledging the evidence suggesting guilt. After learning the statute of limitations had expired, she supported its removal for rape cases.
2015: Death of Brother Clyde
In 2015, Whoopi Goldberg's brother, Clyde, died of a brain aneurysm.
April 2016: Launching Whoopi & Maya
In April 2016, Whoopi Goldberg co-founded Whoopi & Maya, a company that made medical cannabis products for women seeking relief from menstrual cramps.
2016: Executive producing 'Strut'
In 2016, Whoopi Goldberg executive produced a reality television series called 'Strut', based on transgender models. The series aired on Oxygen.
May 2017: Speaking in support of transgender rights at GLAAD Media Awards
In May 2017, Whoopi Goldberg spoke in support of transgender rights at the 28th GLAAD Media Awards.
2017: Voicing Ursula in 'Descendants 2'
In 2017, Whoopi Goldberg voiced Ursula, the Sea Witch and Uma's mother, in the TV movie 'Descendants 2'.
2017: Speaker at Women's March
In 2017, Whoopi Goldberg was a speaker at the Women's March in New York City and was such again at the following year's event.
2017: Disney Legend
In 2017, Whoopi Goldberg was named a Disney Legend for her contributions to the Walt Disney Company.
2018: Starring in 'Nobody's Fool' and 'Furlough'
In 2018, Whoopi Goldberg starred in the Tyler Perry's film 'Nobody's Fool', alongside Tiffany Haddish, Omari Hardwick, Mehcad Brooks, Amber Riley, and Tika Sumpter. That same year, she also starred in the comedy-drama film 'Furlough', alongside Tessa Thompson, Melissa Leo, and Anna Paquin.
March 2019: Pneumonia and Sepsis Battle
In March 2019, Whoopi Goldberg revealed that she had been battling pneumonia and sepsis, leading to a leave of absence from The View.
2019: Voice role in 'Into the Woods'
In 2019, Whoopi Goldberg's voice was used for the role of the Giant's Wife in the Hollywood Bowl production of 'Into the Woods'.
January 22, 2020: Invitation to reprise Guinan role in 'Star Trek: Picard'
On January 22, 2020, during an appearance on 'The View', Patrick Stewart invited Whoopi Goldberg to reprise her role as Guinan during the second season of 'Star Trek: Picard', which she accepted. Goldberg also starred in 'The Stand'.
February 2020: Whoopi & Maya ceases operations
In February 2020, Whoopi & Maya, the company co-founded by Whoopi Goldberg that made medical cannabis products, announced it was ceasing operations.
January 24, 2021: Guest on 'The George Lucas Talk Show'
On January 24, 2021, Whoopi Goldberg appeared with Tom Everett Scott as guests on 'The George Lucas Talk Show', speaking about her time working on 'Snow Buddies' and raising money for the ASPCA.
2021: Launching Emma & Clyde
In 2021, Whoopi Goldberg announced the launch of a new line of cannabis products, 'Emma & Clyde', named for her late mother and brother.
2021: Starring in 'Till'
In 2021, Whoopi Goldberg starred in the biographical film 'Till', which she also produced. She played Alma Carthan, Till's grandmother.
January 31, 2022: Controversial Comments and Apology Regarding the Holocaust on The View
On January 31, 2022, Whoopi Goldberg faced widespread criticism for stating on The View that the Holocaust was not about race but "about man's inhumanity to man." She apologized on Twitter later that day. She further drew criticism on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert that same day by stating that the Nazis' issue was with ethnicity, not race.
2022: Statement on Abortion Rights After Kansas Referendum
Following the 2022 Kansas abortion referendum, Whoopi Goldberg asserted that God would support abortion rights, citing the freedom of choice given to women.
2023: Cameo role in 'The Color Purple' and supporting roles in 'Ezra'
In 2023, Whoopi Goldberg appeared in a cameo role in the musical film 'The Color Purple' playing a midwife. She also took supporting roles in the drama 'Ezra'.
December 4, 2024: Playing Miss Hannigan in musical 'Annie'
On December 4, 2024, Whoopi Goldberg returned to the stage playing Miss Hannigan in the musical 'Annie' as part of a limited engagement at The Theater at Madison Square Garden.
2024: Supporting role in 'Outlaw Posse'
In 2024, Whoopi Goldberg took a supporting role in the western 'Outlaw Posse'.
January 5, 2025: End of engagement in 'Annie'
On January 5, 2025, Whoopi Goldberg's limited engagement playing Miss Hannigan in the musical 'Annie' at The Theater at Madison Square Garden comes to an end.
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