Whoopi Goldberg Says People Didn’t Think She Was Black Enough, Recalls Previous Spike Lee Feud: He Was Upset Because I Didn’t Have A Lot Of Black Folks Working For Me

Whoopi Goldberg, Spike Lee

Whoopi Goldberg Says People Didn’t Think She Was Black Enough, Recalls Previous Spike Lee Feud: He Was Upset Because I Didn’t Have A Lot Of Black Folks Working For Me

Whoopi Goldberg and Spike Lee have both reached legendary status in their own rights. But at one point, the two didn’t get along as they disagreed over the EGOT holder’s “blackness.”

During an interview with Vulture, Whoopi Goldberg opened up about being told she wasn’t black enough.

“I’d get these cards and letters from people saying, ‘Why don’t you prove to us that you’re Black.’ Your idea of what Black is and my idea of what Black is might be different because we’re coming at it from different places, but don’t tell me mine isn’t legit because you don’t like it.”

One of those people who took issue with her was Oscar-Award winning director Spike Lee. 

“We’ve come to terms with it, but he was upset with me because I didn’t have a whole lot of folks around me who were Black working for me. And I was like, ‘First of all, I can’t afford an entourage. I just can’t. If you’ve got ideas, show me what you’re doing. Who is taking care of you? Your idea of being Black and my idea of being Black are two totally different things if I listen to you.'”

She continued and said explained how they were able to settle things.

“I didn’t think there was anything wrong with the way I was living my life and if there weren’t enough Black people in my life — according to him, that’s how he felt. But that was who he was at the time. And then one day, I ran into him and said, ‘Dude, what is wrong with you? What is the matter?’ And he was like, ‘I’m just messing with you.’ I was like, ‘Oh good, because this is getting tiring. I love your work, and we’ve never worked together, and you probably will never work with me because I’m not your kind of actor, I guess. I don’t have that thing. But lighten up.’ And he was like, ‘We’re fine.’ I was like, ‘Okay. That’s cool.'”

She added:

“As you get older, the idea of dragging around a feud or a beef, it’s like, C’mon, I don’t want to carry this all of the time. Who wants it? I don’t want to beef with you — let’s do something that could be fun. And so I’ve gone the way I’ve gone; I’ve chosen all the movies I’ve done because I was interested in them.”

What do you think about Whoopi Goldberg and Spike Lee being at odds at one point? Comment and let us know.