Whoopi Goldberg Says She Relates To The Hardships Of Regular Workers, Despite A $60 Million Net Worth & $8 Million Salary
People are demanding that "The View" be canceled.
Kathy Hutchins | Shutterstock People are calling for the cancellation of “The View” after cast member Whoopi Goldberg made a statement that many working-class Americans found to be tone-deaf. The show’s co-host claimed that she resonates with the struggles of many Americans right now, claiming that she too, is working as hard as ever.
Goldberg, however, has an annual salary higher than most Americans will ever earn in their lifetimes.
Whoopi Goldberg revealed that she too has a 'hard time' like regular workers and would not be working if she had all the money in the world.
During a recent episode of “The View,” the cast members discussed how New York representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez asked her Instagram followers about their voting tactics and wanted to know why some of them voted for a second Trump presidency.
Most respondents claimed that the economy was a significant issue for them, believing that President-Elect Trump truly heard their concerns.
“It’s real simple…Trump and you care for the working class,” one respondent wrote. “Trump is going to get us the money, and let's men have a voice,” another shared.
While discussing how Democrats need to hear Trump voters out, especially those in the working class struggling to make a living, Goldberg said that she understands their frustrations about the economy.
“I appreciate that people are having a hard time. Me, too. I work for a living,” she told viewers. “If I had all the money in the world, I would not be here, OK? So, I’m a working person, you know?”
She added that her family members also have to work hard to provide for themselves and their families.
“My kid has to feed her family. My great-granddaughter has to be fed by her family. I know it’s hard out there,” she stated.
Whoopi Goldberg’s comments took many people by surprise considering her $60 million net worth and $8 million annual salary.
Some pointed out that the talk show host earns an $8 million annual salary and has a net worth of $60 million. Therefore, they asserted, she cannot possibly relate to struggling working-class Americans.
“This is the most out-of-touch thing I've ever heard a celebrity say,” Freddie Smith, a realtor and associate broker, said in a video.
To back up his claim, he highlighted some research and statistics surrounding working-class Americans and how they compare to Goldberg.
“The median household income in America is $80,000, and after taxes, it's about $66,000, and this is before 401K contributions in health insurance,” he reported.
“You [Whoopi Goldberg] have been famous for 40 years and have a net worth of $60 million, and on top of that, you make $8 million a year, and even though you're paying an insane amount of taxes, you're still taking home $3.8 million a year,” he insisted. “That is $73,000 a week take-home pay.”
“You, Whoopi Goldberg, by yourself, make more money per week than the average American family makes a year, and you're gonna sit here and say that you relate to the struggle of the American people?” he questioned.
Smith also noted that many Americans are still financially recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused a 22 million job deficit since the start of the recession.
Others online echoed Smith’s opinion, arguing that Goldberg has never walked a day in working-class Americans’ shoes.
“Wow. So do they think we all just make millions a year?? This is crazy,” one TikTok user commented. "If I made 73k a week I’d feel like I do have all the money in the world," another user shared.
While Whoopi Goldberg makes more than enough money to carry her through the rest of her life, that wasn’t always the case.
Alongside her mother and her brother Clyde, Goldberg grew up in housing projects in Manhattan. Her mother worked multiple jobs to support their family after her father abandoned them.
After welcoming her first and only daughter, Alexandrea Martin, Goldberg relied on food stamps to support herself and her child.
“I know what I’m talking about when I’m talking about the value of welfare because I was on it,” she wrote in her 2010 book, “Is It Just Me? Or Is It Nuts Out There?”
Once she began working a steady job, she sent back her last government check, along with a note saying that she had found a job and wouldn’t need help anymore.
Even years after her career took off, Goldberg kept her welfare card framed on the wall of her first home to remind herself that she had been one of the lucky ones.
Still, even after learning Whoopi Goldberg’s history, people feel she and her co-hosts seem to be dismissing the concerns of working-class Americans.
Some argue that she seems more focused on criticizing people for wanting Trump back in office than truly understanding and empathizing with their financial struggles.
Even if Goldberg did experience a financially difficult life before fame, it does not change the fact that one-third of U.S. workers are still living paycheck to paycheck and rightfully want to see a notable change in the economy.
Unlike Goldberg, not every American enduring financial hardship will be fortunate enough to land TV and movie roles or become a host on a widely popular talk show.
Megan Quinn is a staff writer who covers entertainment and news, self-help, and relationship topics.