OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
Another day, another round of drama on ABC’s “The View.”
Co-host Whoopi Goldberg grabbed headlines when she claimed “American Idol” contributed to the “beginning of the downfall of society,” which led to her arguing with executive producer Brian Teta and some pushback from her own colleagues.
The conversation began when Goldberg kicked off a segment detailing 18-year-old Hawaii-born singer Iam Tongi winning Season 21 of the show.
“We, as a society, love to watch stuff to judge folks,” Goldberg said. “You know, I’ve always thought that the beginning of the downfall of society was with ― what’s the name of that show? I always tell you that,” she continued, looking over to Teta.
“ABC’s ‘American Idol,’” replied Teta before the audience let out a laugh. ABC notably is also the network that airs “The View.”
“Because once we gave people the ability to judge other people, I think we ran amuck with it and it’s gone out of control,” said Goldberg.
“Remember ‘The Gong Show?’” asked co-host Joy Behar, referencing the 1970s show that allowed judges to hit a gong to signal their distaste for a performance.
Goldberg said that she doesn’t remember an instance where “so many people” judged a person’s talent. Teta and co-host Sunny Hostin chimed in that Goldberg likes the show now that it’s on ABC.
Goldberg said it was “a very different show” now than when it began.
“ABC knows that I feel like this. I’ve told them,” Goldberg said. “It had nothing to do with them, it had to do with the show. See, you starting stuff, man.”
WATCH:
The show made headlines last week when the hosts got into a heated debate over the recent controversy involving country music star Miranda Lambert.
Goldberg stood up and left the “The View” set to prove a point.
On the ABC midday talk show, Goldberg and her co-hosts were discussing Lambert’s choice to publicly chastise fans for taking selfies in the front row while she was performing at a concert.
Lambert stopped her show to address some women taking selfies in the front row, saying, “These girls are worried about their selfies and not listening to the song. It’s pissing me off a little bit. We’re here to hear some country music tonight. And I’m singing some country damn music.”
Co-host Sunny Hostin argued that she would not feel guilty about taking a few selfies to capture the moment if she had paid as much for front-row tickets as Lambert’s fans had.
“Tickets in the VIP section that they were in are $757,” Hostin said. “Imma take as many selfies as I want if I paid $757. I’m sorry. Just me.”
“Stay home,” Goldberg took issue with Hostin’s response and said that someone willing to pay that much for tickets should want to be there for the show. “If you’re gonna spend $750,000 to — $750 to come to my concert, then give me the respect of watching me while I’m doing my thing. Or don’t come.”
“Maybe I wanna play it again,” Hostin responded, explaining that she may want to take a picture or video with the music in the background and watch it again.
Goldberg got up from her chair, saying, “Turn on the television, girl,” as she walked away from the table.
“Where are you going?” co-host Joy Behar asked, and Hostin echoed the question.
“I’m leaving y’all,” Goldberg responded, prompting laughter from the audience and co-hosts at the table. Goldberg did not appear seriously angered by the conversation but seemed to imply she was finished with the conversation.
WATCH:
Adela Calin — who was one of the fans in the group — has spoken publicly about the incident from July 15 and said she was “appalled” by Lambert’s comment.
“It felt like I was back at school with the teacher scolding me for doing something wrong and telling me to sit down back in my place,” the 43-year-old told NBC News. “I feel like she was determined to make us look like we were young, immature, and vain. But we were just grown women in our 30s to 60s trying to take a picture.”
Prior to the performance, Calin and her friends attempted to take a group photo, but they “couldn’t get one good picture” because of the lighting, she continued.
“We were so excited,” she recalled, “because I think we had the best seats in the house in the whole theater.”
A representative for Lambert told The Los Angeles Times the country music singer had “nothing further to share at this time” about the incident.
Below is a video of the incident:
DEBATE: Miranda Lambert stopped her concert to scold to fans who were taking selfies while she sang. Were they wrong to take pictures instead of listening to the music? Or their right to enjoy the concert however they want since they paid for it? pic.twitter.com/cTE9VudGeD
— Liz Wheeler (@Liz_Wheeler) July 17, 2023
