In a move that’s left Hollywood gossip circles spinning, the Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA) has reportedly expelled Whoopi Goldberg from its membership ranks, citing “extremist tendencies, unprofessional conduct, and general unpleasantness.” The decision, which insiders describe as “long overdue,” marks the first time in decades that the Guild has kicked out a member for simply being “too exhausting to work with.”
According to internal documents leaked to Deadline, the SAG board met in secret after months of complaints from fellow actors and studio insiders who claimed that working with Whoopi had become “an emotional endurance test.”
“She’s not acting anymore,” one anonymous producer said. “She’s just arguing. Every set turns into a TED Talk about oppression followed by a commercial break for rage.”
The official expulsion letter reportedly stated that Goldberg’s behavior “no longer aligns with the Guild’s mission to promote collaboration, civility, and tolerable group lunches.”
When Goldberg was informed of her removal, witnesses say she laughed, muttered something about “another group of hypocrites,” and immediately began planning a two-hour special called Whoopi Unleashed: Hollywood’s Dirty Little Secrets.
During Friday’s episode of The View, Goldberg appeared visibly agitated, waving the SAG letter in front of the camera. “They think they can silence me?” she declared. “Please. I’ve survived worse than a bunch of Hollywood cowards. I did Sister Act 2 — I know pain.”
The studio audience cheered, though reports suggest most of them were unsure what was going on.
Co-host Joy Behar attempted to lighten the mood by joking, “At least you’re still invited to my house,” but Goldberg shot back, “You’re part of the system too, Joy.” The two reportedly didn’t speak during the next commercial break, except when Goldberg asked Behar to pass the decaf.
Sources within SAG say the decision wasn’t made lightly. “We didn’t want to do it,” said one member of the disciplinary committee. “But after the fifth public outburst and the sixth scolding about how we’re all secretly fascists, we decided enough was enough. The Guild exists to help actors — not to host therapy sessions for talk show hosts.”
Hollywood insiders claim the move reflects a broader shift in the industry, with studios and unions slowly growing tired of the endless stream of political tirades, identity debates, and virtue signaling that have overtaken entertainment. “People used to come to awards shows to have fun,” said one veteran actor. “Now you need a political science degree just to watch the Oscars without getting offended.”
Goldberg’s expulsion has divided Hollywood. Some stars took to social media to express outrage, calling it “a silencing of a brave voice” and “another case of the establishment punishing truth-tellers.” Others, however, celebrated the news, saying it was “about time someone in Hollywood faced consequences for being insufferable.”
Comedian Bill Maher joked during his latest episode of Real Time, “When Whoopi Goldberg is too extreme for Hollywood, you know we’ve entered uncharted territory. That’s like a shark getting banned from the ocean for being ‘too bitey.’”
Goldberg, for her part, seems ready to embrace the villain role. She has announced plans to launch her own “actors’ collective” called the Coalition of Real Artists for Progress (CRAP) — a union for “performers who refuse to bow to corporate wokeness.” Her team says CRAP will offer “safe spaces for actors who think for themselves,” though applications reportedly require a five-page essay on systemic oppression and at least one viral rant.
“She’s building a movement,” claimed one of her assistants. “A slightly confusing, emotionally draining movement, but a movement nonetheless.”
Meanwhile, SAG officials are trying to downplay the controversy. In a brief statement, the Guild said it “remains committed to fostering a professional and inclusive environment,” but noted that “inclusivity does not mean tolerating constant hostility.”
Behind the scenes, however, many say the Guild had reached its breaking point. “She called one of the union reps a ‘colonizer in khakis,’” one insider revealed. “That was during a meeting about parking validation.”
The internet, predictably, exploded. Hashtags like #JusticeForWhoopi, #ToxicQueen, and #HollywoodMeltdown began trending across social platforms. Some fans rallied behind Goldberg, while others posted memes comparing her to every unhinged boss they’d ever had.
One viral post read: “SAG kicked out Whoopi for being toxic? So they’re just now catching up to what audiences figured out five years ago.”
Goldberg’s employers at The View are said to be “evaluating next steps.” ABC executives reportedly held an emergency meeting to discuss “reputation management” and “potential replacement hosts with smaller volume levels.” A leaked memo suggested that the network is considering several new faces, including Candace Owens (“controversial but ratings gold”), Megyn Kelly (“only if she promises to smile once”), and a hologram of Barbara Walters (“still less combative than Whoopi”).
Despite the chaos, Goldberg remains defiant. In a brief interview outside her Manhattan home, she told reporters, “You don’t silence me. I’m Whoopi. I’ve been canceled more times than the Emmys, and I keep coming back. They’ll see.” She then reportedly got into her car and drove off blasting Rage Against the Machine’s Killing in the Name.
Even some of Goldberg’s critics admit that her resilience is remarkable. “Say what you will about her,” said one studio executive, “but she doesn’t fold. She doubles down. Then triples down. Then accuses you of systemic bias for disagreeing. It’s impressive, in a terrifying way.”
Public reaction remains split. Fans of Goldberg’s fiery commentary see her as a martyr in a culture war that’s eating its own. Others view her as a cautionary tale — proof that even Hollywood has a limit to how much outrage it can monetize.
Entertainment columnists have been quick to frame the saga as symbolic of a larger shift in the industry. “The age of unchecked celebrity activism might finally be ending,” one wrote. “When even Whoopi Goldberg isn’t safe, maybe Hollywood is realizing that audiences prefer entertainment over lectures.”
Still, few expect this to be the last we hear of her. Goldberg’s rumored memoir, Still Standing (Barely): My Battle Against the Boys’ Club of Hollywood, is already in development, with several publishers reportedly bidding for rights. Netflix has also expressed interest in a documentary series chronicling her fallout from the Guild — working title: Whoopi: The Exile Years.
As the story continues to unfold, one thing is clear: Hollywood’s most outspoken voice has once again found herself at the center of a cultural spectacle she helped create.
In a late-night social media post, Goldberg wrote simply: “They can take my membership card, but they can’t take my truth.”
Within minutes, one user replied, “They can, however, mute your mic.”
