LOS ANGELES--Caryn Elaine Johnson never seemed destined for stardom. But after working
as a bank teller, a bricklayer and in a mortuary applying makeup on corpses, she still knew
that someday she would be a major movie star. Hollywood laughed in her face. "Nobody ever really said no," says the actress now known as Whoopi Goldberg. "They just
mumbled it as they slammed the door. They kept saying, 'Maybe you should fix your face or
lose some weight or change your hair or not do the movies you do or don't do television and
don't be on 'Star Trek' and don't and don't and don't.' I'd always said, 'OK,' and just kept
on going." It's 20 years later and no one makes Whoopi doubt herself anymore. "I think people are shocked that I'm still around," Goldberg, 46, says. "Now I'm one of the
wise elders of Hollywood. What's that creature in the George Lucas films? Yoda. I'm feeling very
Yoda these days." Wise Whoopi stars as one tough, advice-giving mama in Kingdom Come, a dramedy opening
Friday in Chicago that stars Loretta Devine, LL Cool J, Jada Pinkett-Smith and Vivica A. Fox.
It revolves around a big Southern funeral and the family that reunites to watch it all go wrong.
It marks Goldberg's first starring movie role in years. She's been busy producing
Hollywood Squares and
Lifetime's medical drama Strong Medicine. Goldberg's
Ghost, which won her an Oscar,
was recently released on DVD and this month she becomes her own exhibit at Disneyland. On the rooftop of the L'Ermitage Hotel in Beverly Hills, Goldberg sat down to talk about
her legacy, her legend and her basic laziness. Kingdom Come suggests that funerals are the place where you can let it all go
and just go nuts. Based on your work in a mortuary, did you find that to be the case? This is a very straight role for you as the family matriach. Did you ever want to Whoopi
it up a bit and toss in a few one-liners? This is such a charming movie, but it isn't getting a huge release. Why? But since we're on the topic, are you encouraged about the success of movies like
The Brothers or The Best Man? Finally, Hollywood is saying there is more than
the 'hood and the Huxtibles. You seem angry. What are the criteria for you picking roles these days? Your story reads like a movie script. You've kicked drugs, poverty and the butts of
almost everyone who told you that you didn't look like a movie star. Why have you lasted? Ghost, your Oscar winning
movie, is still so popular and was recently brought out on DVD. Why has that remained such a
favorite? Career-wise, who had your back? So what do you do all day when you're being lazy? You've recently signed to be a new exhibit in Disneyland. When did you first want to perform? Would you ever host the Oscars again? Let's look only a little bit ahead. Where do you want to be in the next 20 years? We've waited this long to ask a Hollywood Squares question, so please indulge us.
Who is biggest moron contestant-wise you've ever had on the show? Did this person who answered the dog question win the game?
Black, white, Asian, Puerto Rican. Basically we all have the same fundamental beliefs about death.
We hate it. We lose our minds. It goes beyond color. It goes beyond culture. But I did notice
that you get some Italian folks in those funeral parlors and they go wacko. Black people just
go nuts, too.
The director wanted me to be more funny. But if I wanted to be funny, I wouldn't have taken
this role. I wanted to play it straight. But he kept saying, "Put some Whoopi in there." I kept
saying, "How do you know I'm not?" Whoopi is also serious.
Too many black people. They should just say, "This movie has too many black people and we're
not sure white people or Asian people will be interested in it." It should say that on the
poster. That's, again, just my opinion.
It's encouraging, but you still have Hollywood executives going, "Hmmmm, if there are four
black people in this movie should we consider it a black film. That's not my experience
with regular people who go to movies. People go see what they think will be interesting no
matter who is in it, black or white. I say, just let filmmakers make the movies they want
to make.
I've said for years that if black people want to see more movies with black folk, then they
should get out and support the films. See, we had a big disservice done 15 years ago that we
never recovered from the the protests (in the black community) against The Color Purple.
That set black actors back. If the black community doesn't get out and support the product,
then we're not viable. Look, we will have more Asian films because Crouching Tiger, Mother
of God or whatever it's called [Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon] was such a success.
These movies are popular so there will be more of them because people went out and supported them.
Well, it has to be short enough to keep my interest. I need my hour for lunch. It also has to
pay me well enough so I don't feel like I'm doing it for nothing. But let's face it,
Hollywood Squares pays a lot of my bills. So I have the freedom to just kind of cruise
along. I can be grandiose when it comes to looking for movie scripts. And frankly, I'm just
interested in having a good time now. That doesn't mean, I won't do dramas. But basically,
I don't want the headache. I don't want to be the star of a movie. Let them tear somebody else
a new butt.
Honey, I just won't go away. See, I was supposed to be a flash in the pan. Basically, people
didn't think I'd be around 20 years. I had to prove them wrong.
Because everyone wants to believe that their lost loved one is there. I have a friend called
John Edwards who helps people feel their dead loved ones. Everybody wants that feeling. People
want to know that somebody has your back.
Me! Because for me scripts never came along. So let's get rid of that misconception. It's not
like it slowed down. It was never there to begin with. That's why I've always generated work
for myself and I think if I chose to generate more work, I could do it. But I'm lazy. I'm happy
to say it. I'm just feeling lazy.
I sit at home with a couple of good books, my cigarettes and a couple of good movies, a nice
guy. But basically I'm my own hobby.
Michael Eisner called me and said "We're doing thing. Do you want to be part of it." I thought,
"Be forever in Disneyland! Sure!" And so they spent a whole lot of money with this director
Agnieszka Holland and built this theater called California Adventure. There are two 25-foot
statues of me that come alive. You gotta go on this thing. I'm Califa, the spirit of California.
I've wanted to perform from the moment I saw the light in the hospital room as I emerged for
the first time from my mother. I'm serious. There has never been anything else for me.
Hell, no I hosted the last one of the century. Why would I go back? I only want to host the
last one of the new century. I'll do it if I'm here and, hey, I might be.
STACEY'S NOTE: Whoopi is hosting the 2002 Oscars so I guess she changed her mind...
Alive
(Goldberg laughs.) OK, I'm going to tell you this because it's a great story. The question
was given to Lisa Ling from The View. The question was, "What does the Westminster Dog
Consortium say is the smartest dog?" So Lisa says, "Well, based on his command of English,
I have to say it is the chihuahua." And the woman said, "I agree." I lost my mind. I said,
"Wait a minute. The dog is not talkin'!"
Yes, she actually won! Isn't this a great country?