A Whoopi for All Seasons: From Stand-Up to Star Trek and More

Whoopi Goldberg is many different awesome things, but don’t try and sum her up as just one of those things. You can’t. The closest you can come to describing Whoopi in one word is a “force.” With her domination of film, TV, and standup comedy (not to mention an EGOT) Whoopi has become a legendary figure over the years. Case in point: when someone says the name “Whoopi,” you never go “Whoopi who?”

There is only one Whoopi!

That being said, that one Whoopi branches off into a few separate, equally-awesome Whoopis. Here are just a few of those Whoopis. (Side note: It’s really fun to repeatedly type “Whoopi.” #Whoopi).

Box Office Comedy Gold Whoopi

Perhaps you’ve seen a few of these movies: “Soapdish,” “Jumpin’ Jack Flash,” “Eddie,” “Corrina, Corrina,” “Made in America,” “Boys on the Side” and of course, the “Sister Acts.” During the ’80s and ’90s, America had Whoopi fever and the only cure was more Whoopi (though we’ve never needed a damn cure)! “Sister Act” alone grossed over $230 mil worldwide. It all makes sense – Whoopi makes audiences feel like they’re invited to a party; Whoopi was a movie goer’s coolest, smartest friend with whom you just wanted to hang out constantly. Of course, it’s that irresistible Whoopi persona which led to the enormous success of…

Talk Show Host Whoopi

With all the hosts who have come and gone from “The View” in recent years – and oh, there have been a few—any longevity has to be respected, admired, and celebrated. To endure so many turnovers means that she’s doing something right, and few “View” hosts have made their mark like Whoopi. Providing insightful commentary on everything from current events to lifestyle to politics, Whoopi often acts as the eye of the “View” storm. Of course, other times, Whoopi is laying the verbal smackdown, such as the time Kathy Griffin called Senator Scott Brown’s daughters “prostitutes” and Whoopi said that if anyone insulted her daughter, she would “beat their ass.”

Oscar Darling Whoopi

They say drama is easy, comedy is hard, so naturally it makes sense that a masterful comedic actress like Whoopi would also be able to step into a dramatic role with the best. Whoopi’s dramatic work has garnered her two Oscar nominations. However, it’s the role of Oda Mae Brown in “Ghost” which landed Whoopi her Oscar win, and rightfully so. Oda Mae Brown is a greatest hits reel of all the best aspects of Whoopi as a performer: she’s empathetic, she’s insightful, and most appropriately, she’s hilarious. Also, she had to pretend to be possessed by Patrick Swayze for a love scene with Demi Moore. Read that sentence again—that scene SHOULD ABSOLUTELY NOT have worked.

Vocally Animated Whoopi

There are voices that you can just hear say two words and immediately know who it is. Whoopi has one of those voices, adding her distinctive tones to “The Pagemaster,” “Doogal,” “Snow Buddies,” and two of the largest grossing (and flat-out best) animated films of all time – “The Lion King” and “Toy Story 3.” Most importantly, Whoopi lent her vocal talents to the (“SNL” TV Funhouse trailer for) animated film classic, “Titey,” playing the definitive performance of the Titanic’s iceberg.

Stand-Up Activist Whoopi

Whoopi Goldberg, first and foremost, is a killer stand-up comedian. Since the earliest part of her career, Whoopi has been using her comedic powers for good. As one of the pioneering participants of Comic Relief, Whoopi turned laughter into raised funds for the homeless with Billy Crystal and Robin Williams, beginning in 1986. To date, Comic Relief has raised over $50 million.