Whoopi Goldberg took issue with Meghan Markle’s claims that she felt “objectified” during her time on the hit game show Deal or No Deal. The comedian, 66, disagreed with the former actress’s statements, saying that she believed that she believed that contestants and viewers were more concerned with the money in the briefcases than with the beautiful women holding them, during a hot topic discussion on The View on Wednesday, October 19. “On that show, you basically had a suitcase, and they wanted to know: is this the deal you want or this is not the deal you want?” she said in the video. “I don’t know that the people who are sitting there are thinking about you like that. They’re thinking, ‘I want the money.'”
MEGHAN MARKLE FELT OBJECTIFIED ON 'DEAL OR NO DEAL': Markle looked back at the beginning of her career in show business and admits being conflicted about her time as one of the briefcase-opening assistants on the game show — #TheView panel weighs in. https://t.co/cVclFZyKV0 pic.twitter.com/anxJjFBijT
— The View (@TheView) October 19, 2022
The Duchess of Sussex, 41, spoke about the experiences on Deal or No Deal on her podcast Archetypes while discussing the “bimbo” archetype. “I didn’t like being forced to be all looks and little substance, and that’s how it felt for me at the time,” she said.
Aside from saying that she disagreed, Whoopi explained that part of being an actor is taking less flattering jobs than you’d expect. “We’re performers. When you’re a performer, you take the gig,” she said. “Sometimes you’re in a bozo suit. Sometimes you got a big nose, and this is just the way it is. We’re not journalists. We’re actors. We’re trying to get to another place.” The Oscar-winner reiterated that point a little later, explaining that occasionally that’s simply a part of being in show business. “That’s TV, baby. What did you think you were going to?” she said.
Whoopi also explained that she also wondered how the other women felt on the show, and even if Meghan did feel “objectified,” her comments may hurt her former colleagues. “You left and that was your prerogative, but I feel bad, because I don’t think people were looking at these girls like this. They want the money,” she said. “If you see it and that’s how you feel, maybe you don’t want to make the other women feel bad.”
In fact, one of Meghan’s former co-stars Donna Feldman came forward to publicly disagree with her in an exclusive interview with HollywoodLife. “During my time on the show, neither myself nor anybody else I worked with was ever treated as such, in my opinion. However, it’s important to note that everyone has their own experience, and I can only speak from mine,” the actress said.
During the “Hot Topics” discussion, Whoopi pointed to another game show icon, while speaking about her thoughts on Meghan. “Vanna White [from Wheel of Fortune] is always in something interesting and beautiful, and she’s been doing this, and the objectification might be coming from you and how you felt about how these women were being portrayed.
Whoopi’s co-host Joy Behar did raise a question about the way so many game shows work. “Why is it that every game show has a guy running it—pretty much, except for yours maybe, and a couple of others—and some gorgeous woman turning letters or holding a box?” she questioned. Whoopi did suggest someone should “write a new game show.”
#TheView In my opinion, Whoopi is off on this one. Meghan Markle & all of the women would not have been on that show without having great shapes & being good-looking. I get what Meghan was saying. It wasn't for her & that is ok.
— Spiffy (@ChillNoCliqChic) October 19, 2022
A few fans were also upset with Whoopi’s comments about Meghan, calling out The View moderator on Twitter. A fan wrote that they were surprised that Whoopi’s fellow co-hosts didn’t push back. One viewer wrote that she was “wrong” in a tweet. A few others echoed that point, explaining that Meghan was speaking from her own experience. “In my opinion, Whoopi is off on this one. Meghan Markle & all of the women would not have been on that show without having great shapes & being good-looking. I get what Meghan was saying. It wasn’t for her & that is ok,” one fan tweeted.