Happy Birthday, Whoopi...
It's Whoopi Goldberg's 52nd birthday today and she celebrated on "The View" this morning with a cake sent from Aretha Franklin and Marc Coen sang his "Walking In Memphis" for her. Bill O'Reilly was a guest on the show (what kind of a birthday present is THAT?) and presented Whoopi with a beautiful bouquet that I figure have been tossed out in the alley by now.
Anywho, Whoopi, what a gal.
We see her on the show everyday being just one of the girls and it's easy to forget how accomplished this woman is. She's conquered Broadway, was nominated for the best actress Oscar for "The Color Purple" and won a few years later for "Ghost." (Fave line: "Molly, yer in danger, girl."). She's hosted the Oscars twice, had mega box office hits with "Sister Act" and "Sister Act 2," given wonderful performances in "Clara's Heart," "
The Long Walk Home," "How Stella Got her Grrove Back" and "Ghosts of Mississippi" and was such a cool lesbian in "Boys on the Side." I loved when she sang "You Got it" to Mary Louise Parker.
So what if her two sitcoms tanked or if her talk show only lasted one season. She is an icon forever for so many reasons, including her role on "Star Treck: The Next Generation."
The thing about Whoopi is that she is a resourceful, multi-talented and intelligent woman who will always find something interesting and relevant to do.
Happy birthday, Whoopi.
Greg Hernandez has covered the entertainment industry for the Daily
News since 2001. He's considered a bit odd by some for his obsession
with box office numbers, has been known to camp out near the kitchen
at premieres for first crack at the hors d'oeurves, and Greg's never
seen a red carpet he didn't want to stroll down.