Whoopi Goldberg’s Hilarious Pen Fiasco on Live TV: The Great Sharpie Spill of ’23!
In a delightfully chaotic moment on “The View,” Whoopi Goldberg became an unintentional comedy star as she battled a rogue stash of pens that had taken a dive from her pocket during a live taping. The scene unfolded during a discussion about Donald Trump’s outlandish proposal for a $5 million entry “gold card” to the U.S., when suddenly, a series of loud pen plops echoed around the studio, making all eyes, and ears, pivot to Goldberg and the chaos beneath the Hot Topics table.
As the pens—sharpies, if you must know—crashed to the floor, cohost Sara Haines couldn’t help but interrupt, exclaiming, “Her pocket is leaking pens!” Classic! The camera caught the ensuing chaos and the fallen soldiers—a sad black Sharpie and a forlorn red one—lying at Goldberg’s feet, as if they had just met their untimely end in the midst of an intense political discussion.
Goldberg, ever the trooper, stood up with her signature swagger to collect the errant writing tools, leaving viewers to wonder what could possibly happen next. This nibble of absurdity came just after her dramatic moments of the past two years, including once confronting an overzealous audience member and even making a bold statement in front of a screen featuring an alien’s corpse.
But who can blame her? With live television, every day can feel like an improv show. Just last month, social media was buzzing over a moment when Goldberg confronted a fellow cohost mid-segment about comments she didn’t appreciate. Good for her! “The View” has always found itself at the intersection of serious conversation and pure entertainment, with Goldberg steering the ship through both waters effortlessly (well, most days).
As “The View” airs weekdays at 11 a.m. ET on ABC, fans can expect more of these spontaneous gold moments with Goldberg, who seems to be redefining the essence of live TV magic one sharpie at a time. Don’t forget to catch the hilarious “pen recovery” moment in the video featured in Entertainment Weekly’s cover piece.
Sources: Celebrity Storm Wire and Entertainment Weekly, People Magazine, ABC News
