ABC News suspends Whoopi Goldberg over her comments about the Holocaust

ABC News suspends Whoopi Goldberg over her comments about the Holocaust¹

Transcript²

The co-host of ABC's The View apologized after facing criticism for comments she made about the Holocaust. Goldberg has been suspended from the show for two weeks.

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

Whoopi Goldberg has been suspended for two weeks. The co-host of the ABC show "The View" faced criticism for a comment she made on TV about the Holocaust. It happened on Monday's program. The cast was discussing a book about the Holocaust that was banned by a school district. And Goldberg described the murder of millions of Jews in World War II in a certain way. This is part of the discussion.

(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "THE VIEW")

WHOOPI GOLDBERG: Well, also, if you're going to do this, then let's be truthful³ about it - because the Holocaust isn't about race. It's not about race...

JOY BEHAR: What is it about?

GOLDBERG: ...Because you - it's about man's inhumanity to man.

INSKEEP: She apologized on the show the next day, but was suspended by ABC after the broadcast. NPR TV critic Eric Deggans is covering the story.

Eric, good morning.

ERIC DEGGANS, BYLINE⁴: Hi, Steve.

INSKEEP: So we've heard a little bit of the conversation. But how did this develop as - into a suspension?

DEGGANS: Well, it started Monday with this discussion on "Maus," the graphic⁵ novel by Art Spiegelman that one Tennessee school district has banned. Goldberg seemed to equate⁶ the idea of racial oppression with differences in skin color, essentially⁷ saying that white people couldn't be racist⁸ against other white people. Now, some of her co-hosts disagreed, but Goldberg was insistent⁹. Later, she apologized for her words. But she appeared on CBS's "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert," and she seemed to reiterate¹⁰ her previous statements, even while apologizing for making them. Let's listen.

(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "THE LATE SHOW WITH STEPHEN COLBERT")

GOLDBERG: But I thought it was a salient discussion because, as a Black person, I think of race as being something that I can see. So I see you, and I know what race you are. And the discussion was about how I felt about that. I felt that it was really more about man's inhumanity to man.

DEGGANS: So ultimately, Goldberg went on "The View" on Tuesday and offered a more complete apology and led a discussion with Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt where they talked about how the Nazis¹¹ consider the Jews an inferior race. And Goldberg said that she stood corrected and stands with the Jewish community.

INSKEEP: Well, if it was all talked out on television, then why was she suspended anyway?

DEGGANS: Well, in a statement released to NPR, ABC News president Kim Godwin said about Goldberg, quote, "I've asked her to take time to reflect and learn about the impact of her comments." I think Godwin was caught in a tough spot 'cause some critics said a less popular host would have been fired for saying something similar. But Goldberg supporters said she had apologized and seemed to be trying to learn from what happened. And there's a lot of concern about problems with antisemitism across the country. ABC had to be sensitive to those concerns.

Now, The Daily Beast has reported that Goldberg's co-hosts were upset with the suspension. And they also noted¹² that some other people wondered why it took ABC News so long to act. So it seems like Godwin is giving Goldberg some time off for the controversy¹³ to die down. And it might also be a way to salvage¹⁴ a key player on the show. I mean, Goldberg's been on the show since 2007. She's served as a host, a discussion leader and a stabilizing¹⁵ presence on a show that's seen a lot of turnover¹⁶ among the other co-hosts over the years.

INSKEEP: Well, let's pick up on a phrase you just used. You said salvage a key player on the show. Is that possible?

DEGGANS: Well, I hope it's possible. I mean, it's odd. You know, I personally attended a Jewish-centered middle school from grades five to eight, and I'm African American. And I remember back then being surprised to learn that different groups of white people could be racist against each other. I think in America, we're often encouraged to only see racial issues in terms of skin color. So I think that if a commentator¹⁷ makes a mistake in good faith, we have to allow that if they apologize, if they articulate what they did wrong, if they vow¹⁸ not to do it again, that there's a way that they can get a second chance.

INSKEEP: Eric, thanks for the insights - really appreciate it.

DEGGANS: Thanks for having me.

INSKEEP: That's NPR's TV critic Eric Deggans.

1 holocaust   

n.大破坏；大屠杀

参考例句：

• The Auschwitz concentration camp always remind the world of the holocaust.奥辛威茨集中营总是让世人想起大屠杀。
• Ahmadinejad is denying the holocaust because he's as brutal as Hitler was.内贾德否认大屠杀，因为他像希特勒一样残忍。

2 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

3 truthful   

adj.真实的，说实话的，诚实的

参考例句：

• You can count on him for a truthful report of the accident.你放心，他会对事故作出如实的报告的。
• I don't think you are being entirely truthful.我认为你并没全讲真话。

4 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

5 graphic   

adj.生动的，形象的，绘画的，文字的，图表的

参考例句：

• The book gave a graphic description of the war.这本书生动地描述了战争的情况。
• Distinguish important text items in lists with graphic icons.用图标来区分重要的文本项。

6 equate   

v.同等看待，使相等

参考例句：

• You can't equate passing examination and being intelligent.你不能把考试及格看成是聪明。
• You cannot equate his poems with his plays.你不可以把他的诗歌和他的剧本相提并论。

7 essentially   

adv.本质上，实质上，基本上

参考例句：

• Really great men are essentially modest.真正的伟人大都很谦虚。
• She is an essentially selfish person.她本质上是个自私自利的人。

8 racist   

n.种族主义者，种族主义分子

参考例句：

• a series of racist attacks 一连串的种族袭击行为
• His speech presented racist ideas under the guise of nationalism. 他的讲话以民族主义为幌子宣扬种族主义思想。

9 insistent   

adj.迫切的，坚持的

参考例句：

• There was an insistent knock on my door.我听到一阵急促的敲门声。
• He is most insistent on this point.他在这点上很坚持。

10 reiterate   

v.重申，反复地说

参考例句：

• Let me reiterate that we have absolutely no plans to increase taxation.让我再一次重申我们绝对没有增税的计划。
• I must reiterate that our position on this issue is very clear.我必须重申我们对这一项议题的立场很清楚。

11 Nazis   

n.（德国的）纳粹党员( Nazi的名词复数 )；纳粹主义

参考例句：

• The Nazis worked them over with gun butts. 纳粹分子用枪托毒打他们。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The Nazis were responsible for the mass murder of Jews during World War Ⅱ. 纳粹必须为第二次世界大战中对犹太人的大屠杀负责。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

13 controversy   

n.争论，辩论，争吵

参考例句：

• That is a fact beyond controversy.那是一个无可争论的事实。
• We ran the risk of becoming the butt of every controversy.我们要冒使自己在所有的纷争中都成为众矢之的的风险。

14 salvage   

v.救助，营救，援救；n.救助，营救

参考例句：

• All attempts to salvage the wrecked ship failed.抢救失事船只的一切努力都失败了。
• The salvage was piled upon the pier.抢救出的财产被堆放在码头上。

15 stabilizing   

n.稳定化处理[退火]v.（使）稳定， （使）稳固( stabilize的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The disulfide bridges might then be viewed primarily as stabilizing components. 二硫桥可以被看作是初级的稳定因素。 来自辞典例句
• These stabilizing design changes are usually not desirable for steady-state operation. 这些增加稳定性的设计改变通常不太符合稳态工作的要求。 来自辞典例句

16 turnover   

n.人员流动率，人事变动率；营业额，成交量

参考例句：

• The store greatly reduced the prices to make a quick turnover.这家商店实行大减价以迅速周转资金。
• Our turnover actually increased last year.去年我们的营业额竟然增加了。

17 commentator   

n.注释者，解说者；实况广播评论员

参考例句：

• He is a good commentator because he can get across the game.他能简单地解说这场比赛，是个好的解说者。
• The commentator made a big mistake during the live broadcast.在直播节目中评论员犯了个大错误。

18 vow   

n.誓(言)，誓约；v.起誓，立誓

参考例句：

• My parents are under a vow to go to church every Sunday.我父母许愿，每星期日都去做礼拜。
• I am under a vow to drink no wine.我已立誓戒酒。