Whoopi Goldberg Recalls Discussing Tough Parenting Decisions With Barbara Walters

Longtime "The View" moderator Whoopi Goldberg is reminiscing on her friendship with late journalist Barbara Walters after her tragic death. The trailblazing anchor died on December 30 at age 93 while surrounded by her family.

Among her numerous accomplishments in journalism, Walters ventured into the world of daytime TV when she had the idea to create "The View" in 1997. Her goal was for women of all different opinions and demographics to discuss current happenings in a civilized yet entertaining format. Aside from Walters becoming a household name to the new generation, "The View" became a launching pad for women like Star Jones, Meredith Vieira, and Rosie O'Donnell, among many others.

"The Color Purple" actor was first awarded a co-hosting seat in 2007 and has remained on the panel since, with plans to stay there until at least Season 28, according to Variety. Goldberg and Walters bantered together for nearly seven seasons until the journalist retired from her brainchild in 2014. Now, Goldberg and the rest of "The View" are honoring their late friend and mentor.

In their first episode back since returning from holiday break, "The View" hosts dedicated the January 3 episode to the woman who started it all: Barbara Walters. Whoopi Goldberg and the other current hosts shared their experiences and admiration for the late creator of the show. The "Ghost" actor reminisced about first meeting Walters for an interview on "The Barbara Walters Special" in 1991. She said Walters asked about her experiences as a mother, and the actor expressed guilt over accepting jobs that pulled her away from her daughter.

"If I had been a great mother, I would have said, 'Okay, opportunity, just stay there and let me raise my kid' ... But I figured that the opportunity was not going to wait for me," Goldberg explained on "The View." "[Walters] and I bonded on that because she always felt that she could have been better, I always felt I could have been better, but we were who we were." Long before her death, Walters did express regret over not spending more time with her daughter in favor of her career.

Although there was speculation of a feud between the two, both have strongly denied these rumors. In fact, on "The Drew Barrymore Show" (via Fox News) in 2020, the "Sister Act" actor credited Walters for reviving her career after Goldberg's 2004 joke about George W. Bush sent her into a tailspin and unable to find work.