Whoopi Goldberg (b. 1955) is an Academy award-winning actress and comedian who is known for many roles in television and film, including The Color Purple, Ghost, Sister Act, Star Trek: The Next Generation, the voice of Shenzi in The Lion King, and one of the co-hosts of The View. She has appeared with the Muppets in many different contexts, including Sesame Street, Muppets Tonight, Muppet Babies, Bear in the Big Blue House, It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie, Letters to Santa and The Muppets.
Goldberg's association with the Muppets began early in her career. According to Kevin Clash, "Before she was well-known, she was a baby-sitter for some of the kids we had on the show. Then she became famous and whenever we ask her to do something for us, she's always there. She's a part of Sesame Street."[1] Goldberg is Clash's favorite guest star, and he has worked with her as both Elmo and Hoots.
In an article for Newsweek on November 21, 2011, Goldberg spoke extensively about her history with the Muppets.
She went on to say, "When you’re with them, your relationship is as strong to them as it is to human beings. You don’t see the Muppeteer." Goldberg says she still wishes to work with Sweetums, and "I knew that I had made it in my career when I was in Mad magazine and I got to play with the Muppets. Those are the two things that really mattered. Yes, it’s brilliant to have an Oscar, but if you get to play with the Muppets as much as I have, that’s an amazing thing."[2]
Appearances[]
Sesame Street[]
Picture | Appearance | Description |
---|---|---|
Episode 2746 | Elmo thinks that Whoopi's skin is a very pretty brown. Whoopi likes Elmo's soft red fur. Elmo admires Whoopi's bouncy hair, too. Elmo suggests that they trade, but Whoopi says that they can't -- it doesn't come off. But even if she could trade, she wouldn't want to. She likes her skin and her hair, and she wants to keep it. Elmo says that he wants to keep his fur, too. | |
Episode 2835 | Whoopi appears in the celebrity version of "Monster in the Mirror". | |
Episode 2861 | Whoopi introduces the sound "WH" by saying "Whoopi!" | |
Episode 3971 | Elmo convinces Whoopi to play the drums as he plays the violin; they perform "Somebody Come and Play" together. | |
Episode 3980 | Baby Bear is angry that somebody ate his porridge. Whoopi helps him to learn different ways to deal with his anger. | |
Big Bird's Birthday or Let Me Eat Cake | Whoopi talks with Hoots the Owl about how proud they are of their body parts. | |
Episode 3584 | Whoopi appears as a fairy godmother to Prairie Dawn. | |
The Rosie O'Donnell Show on Sesame Street | Goldberg appeared on a special episode of The Rosie O'Donnell Show taped from the set of Sesame Street in 1998. | |
United Nations | On November 26, 2002, Whoopi appears together with Kami, the HIV-positive Muppet from Takalani Sesame at a town hall meeting in observance of World AIDS Day at the United Nations in New York City. | |
Season 35 | Goldberg talks about "My Favorite Sesame Street Moments" in a segment recorded for the 35th anniversary season in 2004. | |
Home Video | Goldberg narrates an introductory message about Sesame Workshop's international programs, which appears on home video releases beginning in 2004. The message is also played at the start of Sesame Street Live shows. | |
International Rescue Committee | Goldberg appears in a June 2017 video with Elmo to talk about being a friend to refugees. | |
Episode 4904 | Goldberg dances to the "Happy Dance." | |
50th Anniversary Special | Goldberg was among the several special guests featured in the special. | |
50 Years of Sunny Days | Goldberg was interviewed for the ABC television special. |
The Muppets[]
Picture | Appearance | Description |
---|---|---|
Muppets Tonight episode 109 | As the main guest star, Goldberg sang "No Woman No Cry" with the Reggae Rodents, and "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend" with Miss Piggy. | |
Comic Relief's American Comedy Festival | Miss Piggy joins Goldberg to introduce the tenth anniversary Comic Relief special on ABC. | |
In the Kitchen with Miss Piggy | Goldberg contributed a "Peas Porridge Hot, Peas Porridge Cold" recipe for Miss Piggy's 1996 cookbook. | |
1996 Academy Awards | Goldberg interviews the title character from the movie Babe, who appears on a monitor. Halfway through the interview, the screen changes to Miss Piggy, who takes over the interview. | |
It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie | Goldberg played "The Boss" in the 2002 TV movie. | |
It's Not Easy Being Green (audiobook) | Goldberg lent her voice to the 2005 audiobook version, reading quotes by Jim Henson and the Muppets. | |
A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa | Goldberg played a cab driver, who escorts the Muppets to the airport. | |
Variety Children's Charity | Appeared in a PSA with Kermit in 2009. | |
The Muppets (2011) | Cameo appearance as herself. |
Others[]
Picture | Appearance | Description |
---|---|---|
"A Punch Line to the Tummy" | Goldberg appeared as Baby Gonzo's client in a live segment recorded for the sixth season Muppet Babies episode. | |
"The Great Bandini" | Goldberg provided the voice for Edwina Badger in this fourth season Bear in the Big Blue House episode. | |
Alice in Wonderland | Goldberg played the Cheshire Cat in the 1999 Creature Shop TV movie. | |
Press Event | Goldberg appeared with Azibo the Monster for a press conference to celebrate the launch of Panwapa in October 2007. | |
Hollywood Squares | Goldberg served as the permanent "center square" from 1998 to 2002, and shared exchanges with several Muppet characters. Muppets appearing on the show during this time included Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Big Bird, Elmo, and Bear. Bear (from Bear in the Big Blue House) was a panelist on Goldberg's ceremonial final episode in 2002. | |
The View | Multiple appearances with The Muppets and the Sesame Street Muppets as host of The View beginning in 2007. Appearances over the years have included multiple interviews with such guests as Elmo, Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, the Swedish Chef, and Pepe the King Prawn (who offered Goldberg a marriage proposal on her 58th birthday). |
Sources[]
External links[]
- IMDb
- Internet Broadway Database
- The Daily Beast "Muppets Movie: Whoopi Goldberg on Loving Kermit and Miss Piggy" by Whoopi Goldberg, November 21, 2011