‘The View’: Whoopi Goldberg Defends Carrie Underwood Over Trump Inauguration Backlash
The View had a double dose of Donald Trump-related “Hot Topics” on Tuesday’s (January 14) edition, and both of them brought on some disagreements between the cohosts.
First, the panelists — Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, Sunny Hostin, and Alyssa Farah Griffin (since Sara Haines was out for reasons unexplained) — reacted to the release of Jack Smith’s report on his investigation into Trump’s election interference attempts in 2020 with some very scattered takes.
Behar, for one, thought it meant “adios to democracy” that Trump wasn’t held criminally liable for the actions described in the report and predicted “trouble” for the country in his next term in the White House. Goldberg argued that statutes of limitations shouldn’t apply to situations like this, and Hostin agreed with that, maintaining that for the sake of American history, Trump should be re-tried (after finding out from producers that his original charges were dismissed without prejudice) when he leaves office. Griffin vehemently disagreed with that possibility, saying that when Trump leaves office, she doesn’t want to have to talk about him anymore, but Goldberg reminded her that people are “addicted” to Trump news for some reason, no matter whether they want to discuss him or not.
In the second segment, the cohosts reacted to the backlash country singer Carrie Underwood has been receiving for accepting an invitation to perform at Monday’s inauguration of Trump and incoming VP JD Vance.
“I personally hope we’re moving beyond the era of politics where we want to cancel people’s livelihoods because we don’t like their politics. Whether it was the Dixie Chicks for criticizing George Bush — didn’t agree with it then — and Carrie Underwood, if you have a problem, you register your complaint by not downloading your songs and not going to her shows,” Griffin said to start. “But I also think from a business standpoint, it’s not a bad decision for Carrie Underwood. 75 million people voted for Trump. Artists tend to skew left-leaning, so she’s overnight going to become an icon of MAGA and the American right. She’s probably going to make a lot of money off of it. So I get why she did it.”
Behar then argued that if the invitation were sent her way, she’d firmly decline. “I would not normalize him. And she says, ‘I love our country.’ How do you love your country and support and normalize somebody who was a convicted felon who really wants to destroy the country? In my opinion, I don’t understand how you say you love your country at the same time as you normalize this convicted felon, which I can say now every day,” she said.
Griffin took a slight bit of offense at Behar’s assessment and responded with, “A lot of my family voted for Trump. They love the country and voted for him.” After a beat, she suggested perhaps Behar would be better suited to host a roast of Trump instead.
The conversation then turned to other country icons who notoriously decline to wade into the world of politics, Reba McEntire and Dolly Parton, before turning back to Underwood’s choice.
“I think art is art, and you have a right to perform where you want to perform. I agree with you. Joy. I can’t sing a lick, but I certainly, and I have not been asked, but if I were asked, it would be a hard, ‘No,'” Hostin said.
Goldberg then offered her reasons for not joining the chorus of backlash against Carrie Underwood by evoking the controversy against Morning Joe cohosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski: “People do what they do for whatever reasons. It’s like, Joe and Mika do what they do. They felt that’s what they needed to do. And I got to stand behind them. And I stand behind her,” Goldberg said. “Because if I believe I have the right to make up my mind to go perform someplace, I believe they have the same right… Doesn’t mean I’m particularly interested. I won’t be watching, but that’s me.”
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C
these view women sound like high school bullies and mean girls.
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G
Did they talk about Sonny's husband and his embezzling charges??
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Absolutely not. Don't you know the view doesn't air their dirty laundry but will voice their ugly comments on Mr. Trump...true or false
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Can’t wait till their show is over
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You'll be waiting a long time if the show's ratings are still good!
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Never heard about it. Did anyone mention trump or his family can’t run charities in New York because they scammed them out of the money for trumps personal use?
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P
Good Carrie isn’t letting a bunch of dillusional liars scare her away from doing what she wants. It’s America, when Biden won those of us that did not vote for him had to just suck it up and roll with the changes even though the changes are tragic because of him. So now people need to suck it up and get over it that Trump won.
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At least we can be satisfied that in four years, Trump can never, ever run again, that's for sure!
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R
President Biden did more for this country in 4 years than most and in spite of the hate he faced. He never threatened our Allies. He never threatened our country’s security or caused an insurrection to remain in power. He’s never threatened us with violence against all who objected to him or threatened to withhold aid to a state who didn’t vote for him. So there is really no comparison.
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YES! He did more DAMAGE to this country in 4 years than anyone ever has!
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C
I love and respect President Biden and VP Harris. They did and excellent job in the four years in office. Thank you. Please 🙏 🙏 🙏 before you leave protect Liz Cheney and the January 6th committee. Also Jack Smith. Trumpee Dumpee is a mean man and he hates he will do something bad to them. The Supreme Court 6 of the Judges gave him the right to do whatever he wants. Very 😔 😟 🙁 we live in America not in a Communist country rule by dictators and dictatorship. Also immigrants and criminals heartbreaking 💔 😢 😔 God help us all with Trumpee Dumpee and his billionaires and Millionaires in charge. 2 Chronicles 7:14
Thank you to President Biden and VP Harris and all their staff for a marvelous job you all did in four years. God bless you 🙏 ❤️ all
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Who gives a FF what Whoopi Goldberg thinks!!! Since when is she the mirror of the American people. I am glad that Carrie Underwood has the backbone to do what she wants without worry of what the media will say. People are tired of being shamed for their beliefs and decisions.
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I agree with Whoopi.
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Griffin got her statistics wrong. 77 million people voted for Trump not 75M. In this country we are guaranteed freedom. Punishing someone over their choice to perform for a president they don't like by public ridicule is something the left engages in more and more. That is the real threat to democracy.
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No the real threat to our democracy is to have a President that is sworn to protect all the people of America to withhold aid from only ones who didn’t vote or support him. Or threatened to shut a news station down because they said something mean about him. That’s a dictator. Just like Putin or Kim Jong Un.
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G
I will not be watching any of it period.
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Good, we don’t want you fogging up the tv screen with your hot air
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Didn’t watch it in 2016 so definitely won’t watch this one. I will listen afterwards to the news to see how much they lie about this one and the size of the crowd. That will be interesting to see how many he will claim this time. 😉😂😂😂💙💙💙💙
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G
Why won't Kamala let JD Vance and family in to measure for the new curtains? Doug kept hanging up on the phone calls. That's so rude
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Where did you get that info?
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And you believe that.
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G
I don't listen to music, so I don't have an opinion one way or another on Carrie Underwood. However, I'm a bit disappointed that she agreed to perform. She certainly has the right to appear at the inauguration, and I support her rights, but that doesn't mean I can't also be disappointed in her decision.
I won't be watching on whatever day the inauguration is-- and the 'crowd size' will be interesting, as well as TV numbers). I'm sure there will be lots of other things to do outside, or to watch on TV that day.
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C
You all need to get a damn life. Nobody wants to hear your repetitive nonsense. And in case you didn’t know it nobody would miss you bunch of cackling old bags at his well deserved inauguration. If you didn’t have Trump to babble on and on you would all be working at Macy’s. Just shut up already
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Did you get up on the wrong side of the bed this morning?
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G
The View needs to go away. A bunch of nagging women is not entertainment. All I ever hear Is hate!!
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💯
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I bet the TV numbers and crowd size will be amazing since he won by a landslide. You think his voters aren’t going to watch? A lot of his haters will too just so they have something to bitch about three next day.
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It will never be as big as Obama's first one though, that's for sure!
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I thought Whoopi was leaving the United States again an empty promise from a democrat
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I won’t be listening to Ms. Underwood anymore. And I will remove her songs from my play lists. I understand Whoopie’s stance but I also know how it looks to hear someone you thought was one way but find out their love of money has determined their morals. I, for one, will never allow my desperation for money to cause me to give up on my beliefs. I believe trump is evil. I believe trump will destroy this country. If Ms. Underwood performs for his inauguration it’s as though she agrees with his agenda. Unacceptable to me.
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Hmmm if it is not your opinion then you cancel them. You guys learned nothing
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I agree with Whoopi, and I will not be watching!
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