Whoopi Goldberg Details 'Really Interesting' Abroad Venture After Two-Week Absence From 'The View'

Whoopi Goldberg has been on quite an adventure, far beyond the shores of the U.S. and away from her usual seat on “The View.”

The “Ghost and Sister Act” star, famously known for her outspoken stance on ABC's long-running daytime show, recently dabbled in foreign soap operas. Her brief absence from the panel was spent filming in Italy, and now that she's back, she has plenty to share.

Before her trip, Goldberg stirred headlines with remarks about Donald Trump, raising questions about whether her future on ABC remains secure.

Goldberg returned for the December 1 episode of their talk show, eager to recount her recent project. "So, Alyssa is out today, and I am back today! Back from Italy!" she announced, as the crowd erupted in cheers.

Co-host Ana Navarro teased that Goldberg had "forgotten to speak English," and Goldberg played along, laughing, "I don't know what language I'm thinking in or what time zone I'm in."

The 70-year-old moderator went on to share her experience. "I learned a lot, because I'd never done a soap opera before, and so doing a soap opera in a different language, in a different country, made for a really interesting time," Goldberg said.

While miles away, Goldberg made sure to keep her colleagues in the loop by sending videos to let them know she was "actually working," and described the weather in Naples as constantly raining.

When Ana Navarro quipped that starring in a "Fake soap opera sounds so much better than living in a real one,” Goldberg responded that nobody ever escapes real life. 

“One doesn't ever stop living in the real one. I didn't need to take it with me, because everyone there is aware," Goldberg said, referring to the current political status in the United States.

Goldberg first revealed her new venture into Italian television back in June through an Instagram video. "I just wanted to stop in and say how happy I am to be joining the cast of Un Posto Al Sole," she said at the time.

"They know it's a crazy idea. I know it's a crazy idea. But what a wonderful thing to do. I'm looking forward to it, and I'm excited."

Though she admitted her Italian isn't perfect, she assured fans that it has been sorted out. The post’s caption detailed that Goldberg’s character will be part of a special storyline and will appear in multiple episodes in 2026.

While Goldberg was recently missed, her presence in past episodes before her leave has hardly been forgotten. 

Per The Blast, during a November 3 segment, a discussion between Goldberg and Sunny Hostin took a turn when Goldberg joked that President Trump pardoned Binance founder Changpeng "CZ" Zhao using an autopen.

Hostin quietly passed her a note asking her to clarify what she meant, but the correction visibly frustrated Goldberg. "What the hell? What?" she snapped. "It was a joke!" She then ripped up the note on-air before later apologizing for the outburst.

In no time, Goldberg’s joke about Trump garnered attention with some online users demanding her removal. 

According to The Blast, ABC executives were reportedly unsettled by her reluctance to clarify that the autopen remark was a jab, prompting a rare live correction.

However, despite the incident, insiders stressed Goldberg's position is secure. One source said her job is not at risk and that she isn't viewed as controversial compared to other hosts. 

Another source emphasized her importance to the show's identity, noting she is well compensated and usually cooperative with producers.

Goldberg has undoubtedly made some controversial comments while on-air. However, in an unexpected moment of reflection two months ago, the moderator confessed to having said some questionable things while drunk. 

As The Blast reported, Goldberg admitted that when she drank, "strange stuff" sometimes came out of her mouth, and she did "stupid stuff" after Joy Behar pointed out that when inebriated, one tells the truth.

She then emphasized that she always took responsibility for her actions and preferred to acknowledge her past herself rather than have others bring it up.

Goldberg reassured viewers that those days are behind her, noting she hasn't consumed alcohol in years. After a commercial break, she explained that while people may say foolish things when intoxicated, she is not a racist.