Sports Journalist Sage Steel Says Whoopi Goldberg Consoled Her After She Was Allegedly Attacked By Barbara Walters

Sage Steele, Barbara Walters, Whoopi Goldberg

Sports Journalist Sage Steel Says Whoopi Goldberg Consoled Her After She Was Allegedly Attacked By Barbara Walters

Famed TV personality Barbara Walters allegedly had a violent side.

According to former ESPN anchor Sage Steele, Whoopi Goldberg had to come to her aid after she was allegedly “tackled” by the iconic television host.

Sage Steele reportedly dished about the backstage moment she had with the late Barbara Walters during a recent interview. According to her, while guest visiting on the popular talk show “The View”, which Walters created and hosted on for more than a decade, Steele was in a greenroom with Walters and fellow show host Whoopi Goldberg when the “60 minutes” anchor nearly pushed her into a trash can. She explained:

“It was Barbara, Whoopi [Goldberg] and myself in the dark green room off to the side…I was probably about four feet from the wall and the trash can, and Barbara was standing over here in front of me,”

Barbara Walters

And continued:

“She just started to back up toward me and looked at me and got close and elbowed me, and it pushed me back into the wall and the trash can. I was like, ‘What did [she] just do to me? This 140-year-old woman just tried to like tackle me.’” 

Additionally, Steele claims that there were several witnesses to the incident along with Goldberg, who she says consoled after the alleged attack to place. She continued:

“Some of the producers saw it. Whoopi saw it. And Whoopi was like, ‘Come here.’ She was great. She pulled me aside in her little area and she’s like, ‘Don’t you let her do it.’ And I’m like, ‘Am I in a movie right now?’ One of the legends in this industry just tried to beat me up!”

Whoopi Goldberg

Earlier in the interview, Steele stated the altercation took place after her controversial appearance on “The View” where she criticized then President Barack Obama about identifying as Black when he is in fact biracial. As we covered at the time, Steele was working as an ESPN anchor when the segment aired, and was allegedly punished for her comments. The journalist claimed she began getting less screen time and was being passed on opportunities at the network. Steele went on to sue the company, arguing her first amendment rights were violated and just a few days ago settled the suit, simultaneously announcing she was parting ways with the media company.

Though Walters passed away in December of last year and is unable to defend herself, Steele isn’t the only celeb to come forward with a not so nice story about the legendary TV anchor. Back in 2020, Sherri Shepherd, who co-hosted alongside Walters on “The View” for many years, claimed she spent her first 3 years on the show crying because of Walters’ harshness towards her. The comedic personality did state, however, that Walters actions were done out of love because she wanted her to be better. She stated:

“Barbara was so hard on me. I cried for three years in my dressing room because she was so hard on me, but she did it out of love.”

Reportedly, Goldberg has not reacted to Steele’s story at this time. However, Walter’s estate did make a comment, condemning Steele’s account of what happened. They reportedly released a statement that read:

“I find this impossible to believe and uncharacteristic of Barbara!”

It doesn’t seem that Steele has many any further comments about the situation at this time.

[VIA]

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