Whoopi Goldberg's Playful Confession on 'The View': Jail Time or Just a Joke?

Whoopi Goldberg Plays Coy About Whether She’s Gone to Jail

Whoopi Goldberg. Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images

Whoopi Goldberg caused confusion among The View audience when she contradicted her own statement about spending time in jail.

In a recent episode on Wednesday, March 6, the panel selected their next topic of discussion from a sparkly “HT” bag that descended from the ceiling. Goldberg then proceeded to read from a piece of paper, posing the question, “Would you prefer to hike the Appalachian Trail alone or spend six months in jail?”

Joy Behar expressed her preference for watching Netflix over the Appalachian Trail. Alyssa Farrah Griffin and Sunny Hostin decided to go hiking despite Behar's disapproval. Sara Haines jokingly said she would rather be in jail than on the trail, as long as she's not in general population. Goldberg, who is 68 years old, shared a humorous comment about having experience with both options.

Behar was eager to know more, so she asked, "When were you in jail?" Goldberg reassured her, saying, "I'll share the details with you."

After a commercial break, Goldberg took the opportunity to explain the period of time she allegedly spent in jail.

"I don’t want people freaking out," said the EGOT winner. She explained that there are jokes involved when she mentions things like doing the Appalachian Trail and going to jail. She emphasized that she is a humorist and it should not be taken seriously.

She then discouraged anyone from trying to find information about it.

"Stop searching for it," she joked. "What I know is happening is that people are searching, 'When did she go to jail?' You'll be searching forever, honey."

A quick search shows that Goldberg was arrested in May 1985 at the University of California Berkeley's campus during a protest against racial policies in South Africa. She, along with Berkeley's then-mayor Gus Newport, was taken into custody along with about a dozen others for blocking entrances to the headquarters, according to an Associated Press syndicated article in The New York Times.

She appeared at Berkeley Municipal Court and was later “released after signing a promise to appear June 6 on the charge of blocking a public entrance.”

Editor's P/S:

Whoopi Goldberg's recent comments on "The View" have sparked confusion and curiosity among viewers. While Goldberg initially implied having spent time in jail, she later clarified that her statements were humorous and should not be taken literally. However, this has not stopped the search for information regarding a potential arrest.

A brief investigation reveals that Goldberg was indeed arrested in 1985 during a protest at the University of California Berkeley. The arrest was related to civil disobedience against South Africa's apartheid policies. Goldberg was released after signing a promise to appear in court on a blocking charge. While this incident may have provided the inspiration for her comments on "The View," it is clear that she intended them as a playful exaggeration rather than a factual account. wanted to focus on the incident or its potential consequences. This ambiguity leaves viewers to speculate about the extent of Goldberg's jail time and the motivations behind her contradictory statements.