Whoopi Goldberg Briefly Exits 'The View' Stage Over Foot-Fetish Discussion with Panelists

Whoopi Goldberg abruptly walked off the stage mid-discussion during an episode that aired on Tuesday, January 9, 2024. The all-women panelists of The View talked about a query about kinks and fetishes within relationships. However, the 'Hot Topic' got too spicy for the comedian.

The topic came from a Guardian advice column where it was headlined that a man's wife prevented him from giving her foot massages after he confessed to having a (foot) fetish. This sparked a slew of opinions, some of which were wild and, dare we say, suggestive. However, Goldberg sat on her chair quietly listening, with her head in her hands. 

When the co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin said, "You should entertain your partner's kink within reason," the Sister Act star stood from her seat and abruptly said, "Excuse me for a second; keep talking," reported Entertainment Weekly. To this, Griffin quipped, "Whoopi left the building." 

Meanwhile, moderator Joy Behar gave a side stare to her colleague, who walked behind her co-hosts and handed over an unidentified thing to a crew member before returning to her spot. "You know, not to brag, but my feet have created foot fetishes out there, so I can't really respond to this because I feel that I'm responsible for the fetishes," said the 81-year-old. 

Behar was referencing last year's incident when she got a foot massage from Matthew McConaughey live on air in September 2023, and comedian Matt Rogers revealed a few months before this that he saw the TV host traveling barefoot in an airplane. 

After the commercial, Behar asked Goldberg what compelled her to leave the discussion mid-way. She responded, "Because I was so enamored by what you were saying that I felt that I needed to take a breath so I could just get myself together so I could come back to the table," adding, "This is what this conversation does to people. It makes them get up and move. I don't care because my feet are huge, and no one wants to touch them." 

Walking away from the discussion is nothing new for Goldberg, as she's famous for her dramatic exits whenever the topic overwhelms or disinterests her. For instance, in July 2023, the actor left the 'Hot Topic' table when the co-panelists got into a heated debate over Miranda Lambert, reported the Independent. 

The singer/songwriter paused her concert in the middle to reprimand the people in the audience for clicking selfies. Amid the differing viewpoints, Goldberg didn't hide her reaction, rolled her eyes at her colleagues, and provided context before leaving the discussion. 

While siding with the country singer, Goldberg argued fans should have "little respect" for the performance/performer. However, Sunny Hostin disagreed and said she'd take as many selfies as she likes if she's paid a whopping $800. This irked the comedian further, and she walked off, "I'm leaving, y'all!"