What is the point of Whoopi Goldberg?

Married three times, longest was three years.

Her standup work was exquisite. She used humor to tell how she dealt with a lot of bullshit other black American women faced - pretty much the same issues people of color still have to deal with perhaps 30 years later?

Her cable interview series was always on super early - these were interviews with people who knew their shit based upon cool subject matter that made me more curious.

Anyway, she’s probably insane and hopefully happy like she needs shit. Anyway, fuck you op.

Oh thanks fuck you too cunt at R2.

You in danger, Jean Luc!

She won over the New York white intelligentsia with her straight-forward, honest stand-up back in the 1970s. Young, black and smart and basically harmless intrigued white upper class Manhattanites.

Later, the country got to know her in her debut movie role in The Color Purple. She became a beloved figure after Spielberg did the same thing for her he did for E.T.

Luc is cul backwards. Cul means mancunt in Quebecois.

Watch "Yesterday's Enterprise," OP.

ET and Whoopi are family R5? Figures.

Christ that Sister Act shit was dire.

The point is she's better than you and has lived a much more interesting life.

She was very interesting and unusual upfront when Spielberg discovered her and for about a decade after that. Then she coasted on fumes for the following 25 years.

Whoopi doesn’t get enough credit as an actress. She was very convincing as Santa Claus in THE ASSOCIATE, for example. Meryl Streep couldn’t have done that role.

I guess it's the coasting on fumes for most of her 'career' that I find a drag in a person who is supposedly a National Living Treasure.

R13 'Career' like it's in question? She's an EGOT.

Just tokenism EGOT. Over-promoted in her 'career'.

Whoopi is a true original. There was no performer like Whoopi before or after her.

Mike Nichols discovered her and Steven Spielberg made her into a movie star.

I like her in Ghost.

....

And she inspired one of the best and most adapted memes of all time.

“Whoopi” was the breakthrough role for young actress Elizabeth Regen. Regen had had bit parts in tv shows before that but was a featured performer on “Whoopi” ....

... which just lasted one season, so she never broke through.

Do you mean point point?

What's the point of you, OP?

In her early years of being famous, she had a lot of energy and volunteered to be on her two favorite TV shows in 1990, "The Simpsons" (as the voice of Maggie once she started speaking) and on "Star Trek: TNG."

The producers of "The Simpsons" didn't bite, because they didn't want Maggie to grow any older (they let Elizabeth Taylor do the voice when Maggie finally spoke one word--and then Maggie never spoke again in the canon episodes). But "ST: TNG" wanted her, and were willing to let her be in a recurring role. They wrote the part of Guinan especially for her, as a hostess in Ten-Forward (Texas Guinan was a famous hostess in the first half of the century).

Guinan wasn't a very good character. The part gave her almost no chance to be funny (which is what she's best at), and though she got to be (uncharacteristically) serious and listen to the other characters' problems, she was pretty redundant as a character since Troi was already there to help other characters with their problems. And Whoopi was weirdly lethargic in the part--she brought the energy of most scenes down.

I really enjoy Whoopi in comedy, and also in "The Color Purple. But this just wasn't a good part for her.

OP’s point is to ask the point of Miss Whoopi Goldberg.

I thought that was obvious!

I thought her stand-up was brilliant and she brought a level of intensity to some otherwise fairly crummy films that was off the charts. She seems like she might be a difficult person in real life but I respect her talent.

I do think she's coasted for a long time, but on the other hand, how many roles are there for a performer like her? You might as well say the same thing of Sandra Bernhard, who is the closest person I can think of in terms of material and charisma.

Her 1985 solo show on Broadway is one of the best pieces of theatre ever. If she did nothing else after that, she'd still be a legend. What did you do besides wiping your ass and deep throat a corn dog today, OP?

How can anyone not love Jumpin Jack Flash. Fuck off.

She’s amazing.

Even in the shit films (Rat Race anyone?) she’s great.

They didn’t know what to do with her, especially after THE COLOR PURPLE. She made a series of slapdash movies and despite some successes, didn’t get the chance to get roles she deserved.

Soapdish!

[quote] Guinan wasn't a very good character. The part gave her almost no chance to be funny (which is what she's best at), and though she got to be (uncharacteristically) serious and listen to the other characters' problems, she was pretty redundant as a character since Troi was already there to help other characters with their problems. And Whoopi was weirdly lethargic in the part--she brought the energy of most scenes down.

I agree R23.

As much as I hate to admit it, R23 is right. I suggested watching "Yesterday's Enterprise," but I wonder if the Guinan appeal in that episode is that Picard yells at her. Her character is less inert than usual.

I used to love her - Color Purple. Ghost. Corrina, Corrina, Sister Act - but since she’s been on the View she let’s it alllll hang out + she’s bored AF and wants everyone to know it. Her valley girl impersonation makes me want to kill my self. She’s always standing up for idiotic white people or the wrong person in an argument. Her shoes are atrocious. She shoulda went away 10 years ago or stuck to just acting.

What R33 said: "Her shoes are atrocious."

There is no point at all.

Case closed.

R28 We rewatched that the other night-still holds up! Whoopi is hilarious in it. "We came in a rocket car!!"

She’s been phoning in her career for decades now. She’s just collecting that check now. I would not be surprised if she retires in a couple of years.

Where’s Barbara Walters?

She should have retired a while back and avoided Guinan, big mistake.