Following Whoopi Goldberg‘s suspension from The View in the aftermath of her remarks about the Holocaust during Monday’s episode, it sounds as though there is still plenty of tension at the daytime TV giant.
As we’ve been reporting, the Sister Act alum came under fire over the past 48 hours following some highly unfortunate and incorrect remarks made on air about how the Holocaust.
The incident occurred as the show’s hosts were debating the recent banning of Maus, a well-known graphic novel about the Holocaust, by a Tennessee school board last month. At one point during the discussion, Goldberg (incorrectly) stated that the Holocaust was supposedly “not about race,” but rather an event that merely involved “two white groups of people” and reflected “man’s inhumanity to man.” She has since issued an apology.
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Of course, as we noted on Tuesday, insiders at the network were supposedly upset at what they saw as the lack of consequences for Whoopi’s controversial statements. Then, on Tuesday night, more than a full day after Goldberg’s comments first aired, ABC officially suspended her from appearing on The View for a two-week period.
Now that her temporary removal is official, insiders are again coming forward with thoughts about Whoopi’s situation. For one, an unnamed ABC executive spoke to The Daily Beast, criticizing ABC News President Kimberly Godwin for not taking the action more quickly:
“People are really upset and don’t understand why it took two days.”
That may be true, especially considering our prior reporting about how network insiders were apparently up in arms over the situation. But not all ABC staffers feel that way.
The Daily Beast also reports that co-hosts Ana Navarro, Joy Behar, and Sunny Hostin are apparently “furious with the network’s decision” to suspend Whoopi. In fact, Navarro spoke to the outlet on Tuesday evening, explaining her take on the Maus controversy and Goldberg’s take on the Holocaust:
“I love Whoopi Goldberg. I love The View. This was an incredibly unfortunate incident. Whoopi is a lifelong ally to the Jewish community. She is not an antisemite. Period. I am sad. And I have nothing else to say.”
Navarro’s take aside, it appears there are still plenty of people at The View, and more generally at ABC, with things still left to say. DailyMail.com is now reporting that the 66-year-old TV host’s suspension will be unpaid, and she will “lose out on her $192,000 pay check for those two weeks.”
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More importantly, though, the outlet is reporting that disgruntled insiders at the network see this as a potential turning point after what they allege has been a long-standing issue with Goldberg and Behar “doing whatever they wanted.” A “senior ABC News source” spoke to the outlet on Wednesday, revealing this about Godwin’s decision to suspend Goldberg (below):
“ABC understands that this is an opinion based show, the facts will always be paramount. We want robust discussion but can’t have the hosts saying things that are false and not based in fact. What Whoopi said was not based in fact and was highly inflammatory and offensive. It’s a new day at ABC News. Kim [Godwin] wants her entire team to be held accountable for their words and actions.”
Accountability is always good! Even with public pushback the likes of which we’ve already seen from Navarro, in that prior quote (above). The insider continued, noting that a supposed “free for all” following Barbara Walters‘ retirement from the show now may be coming to an end with Whoopi’s suspension:
“There has been a real power vacuum on The View since Barbara Walters retired, because she ran the show with an iron first. After Barbara, it became a free for all and Whoopi and Joy could do and say whatever they wanted. This is now coming to an end. Kim is drawing a line in the sand for all staff across ABC News and is attempting to build a corporate culture based on truth, facts, accountability and kindness. If you do not operate within this prism, Kim will take action. Whoopi’s suspension highlights this.”
Those even higher up than Godwin are supposedly looking deeper into the situation, as well:
“Disney is aware that there are huge cultural issues within ABC News and Kim has the backing of Mickey Mouse to fix up the news division and set it on a different course. Whoopi is welcome to return after her unpaid two week suspension. She took the news well and understood where the network was coming from.”
Wow!
That’s a lot to take in. But clearly, it sounds like ABC execs may be ready to take a much longer look at the goings-on involving The View. Thoughts, Perezcious readers? Are the co-hosts right to be “furious” in this instance, or not? Sound OFF with your take down in the comments (below)…
[Image via The View/YouTube]
The post <i>The View</i> Co-Hosts Are Reportedly 'Furious' With ABC Over Whoopi Goldberg Suspension appeared first on Perez Hilton.
