Neil Patrick Harris pays tribute to Whoopi when he visits "The View"

When Neil Patrick Harris greeted the ladies of "The View" on the show this morning, he gave Whoopi Goldberg and extra loooooong hug.

Then he explained why: "Whoopi popped my theatrical cherry," he explained, referring to their 1988 film "Clara's Heart."

Whoopi made the movie after she was nominated for an Oscar for "The Color Purple" but before she won for 'Ghost." NPH had not yet begun his run on "Doogie Howser M.D."

"Whoopi showed me how to hit a mark and what the camera was like. 'You really were an exemplarary role model,' he said to her.

She musta been. Look how extraordinary NPH turned out!