Whoopi Goldberg apparently found out that James Woods does not intend to play by the rules of The View after the actor turned down an invitation to appear on the show.
Instead of accepting the invitation and walking into what Woods viewed as an ambush, he chose to stay away. Goldberg then criticized him on the air, calling Woods a “clueless, ignorant coward.”
Woods did not take long to respond.
“Whoopi, what’s going on?” Woods asked. “You used to be intelligent and witty. But now you are nothing more than a DEI cheerleader for wokeness.”
The actor then addressed Goldberg’s criticism of his intelligence and political views, pointing out that he has an academic background in political science.
“Just to let you know, I’ve got a PhD in political science, so I’m well-educated,” Woods said. “I just refuse to get into screaming fights with five angry women sitting at a table with their coffee.”
The response quickly became the latest chapter in a growing clash between two longtime Hollywood personalities who have taken very different approaches to politics and public debate.
Woods has frequently been outspoken about his conservative political views, while Goldberg has spent years using The View as a platform to discuss politics, culture and current events.
According to Woods, however, appearing on the program was never something he considered necessary simply to prove that he could defend his opinions.
He said he has no problem debating people who disagree with him, but he does not want to participate in a format where several people are talking over one another.
“I don’t mind having a conversation,” Woods said. “I don’t mind being challenged. What I don’t want is five people shouting at me and calling that a debate.”
His decision to reject the invitation apparently did not sit well with Goldberg, who questioned why Woods would refuse to appear on the show.
Woods, however, suggested that his refusal had nothing to do with being afraid of criticism.
“I’ve spent my entire career dealing with criticism,” he said. “I’m not afraid of Whoopi, and I’m not afraid of The View. I simply don’t need to sit at that table to have an opinion.”
The actor also pushed back against Goldberg’s characterization of him as ignorant, arguing that disagreeing with someone does not automatically make either person unintelligent.
“You can disagree with me all day long,” Woods said. “But don’t confuse disagreement with ignorance.”
Goldberg has not publicly responded to Woods’ latest comments, leaving the actor’s remarks as the last word in the exchange for now.
The silence has only fueled further discussion among viewers, with supporters of Woods praising him for refusing to participate in a confrontation he did not want and supporters of Goldberg defending her decision to challenge him.
For Woods, however, the issue appears to be simple.
He said he is perfectly willing to discuss politics and defend his views, just not under circumstances where he believes the conversation is designed to become a shouting match.
“I’ll debate anybody who wants a real debate,” Woods said. “But I’m not interested in screaming for television.”
And for now, Goldberg has had nothing more to say.
