Was Whoopi Goldberg a phone sex operator? 'The View' host worked some odd jobs before acting career

Whoopi Goldberg has evidently hustled her way to the successful career that she has today and has faced her fair share of struggles
UPDATED JUL 31, 2023
Whoopi Goldberg has co-hosted and moderated ‘The View’ since 2007 (Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)
Whoopi Goldberg has co-hosted and moderated ‘The View’ since 2007 (Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Whoopi Goldberg has been one of the longest-appearing co-hosts on ‘The View’ along with Joy Behar. However, Goldberg’s career trajectory extends much farther than her appearance on ‘The View’. Goldberg has appeared in several critically acclaimed films like ‘Ghost’, ‘The Color Purple’, ‘The Deep End of the Ocean’, ‘Till’, and ‘Sister Act’ among others.

Apart from appearing on the big screen and the small screen, Goldberg has also performed on Broadway and garnered a huge fan following over the decades. However, Goldberg wasn’t always a performer. In fact, ‘The View’ co-host worked some odd jobs before starting her career as an actress, and they are just as fascinating as she is.

Was Goldberg a phone sex operator?

Back in 2011, Goldberg herself revealed that she used to work as a phone sex operator, this revelation was made on ‘The View’ itself, and Goldberg turned it into a more light-hearted topic of conversation after revealing the same. This happened back when Sherri Shepherd was a co-host on ‘The View’ and dissed phone sex operators in a conversation on the talk show. As per Huffington Post, Goldberg responded, "I was a phone sex operator, too.” She also added that back when she was younger, “the money was great” when it came to this odd job. Goldberg, being her usual self also joked, "See now, people would know my voice."

Other odd jobs Goldberg did

If Goldberg being a phone sex operator was shocking, there’s more in store. Goldberg also worked at a funeral home as a cosmetologist. Goldberg appeared on ‘Oprah’s Master Class’ where she spoke about this job. Goldberg said, “I did hair and makeup on dead people…It was an ad in the paper! And I’m a licensed beautician as well because I went to beauty school.” She labeled this particular job a “rough gig.” As per Glamour magazine, Goldberg worked as a bricklayer. However, this job pales in comparison to a sex phone operator and a cosmetologist for dead people. Undoubtedly, Goldberg hustled her way through the interesting odd jobs before she made it into the industry, and the rest is history.



 

RELATED TOPICS WHOOPI GOLDBERG TODAY SHOW THE VIEW

MORE STORIES

John Oliver was bleeped out twice during his brief, 15-second Emmys acceptance speech on live television after he roasted host Nate Bargatze
Sep 15, 2025
Kevin Hart doesn't appreciate paparazzi’s question after viral video of him hosting Diddy’s party resurfaces
Apr 6, 2025
Diddy’s childhood friend Tim Patterson claims Janice Combs’s wild parties often involved pimps, homosexuals, and other adult activities
Apr 6, 2025
Lisa Marie Presley and Michael Jackson tied the knot in 1994, but she initially thought the King of Pop was a creep—and we totally get why
Apr 6, 2025
Riley Keough opens up about the Presley family curse in a candid interview while on tour for her book, 'From Here to the Great Unknown'
Apr 5, 2025
Natalie Morales hits back after her interview with Seth Meyers is removed from all platforms due to a revealing outfit
Apr 5, 2025
"Babyface, can you believe she wants me to dress like a girl?" Michael Jackson told a producer.
Apr 2, 2025
Sofia Vergara also dished out on why she doesn't ever want to play Modern Family's Gloria again
Apr 2, 2025
"It took more and more to get high, and I honestly don't know when your body decides it can't deal with it anymore," Lisa Marie Presley wrote.
Apr 1, 2025
A family member's last-minute intervention saved Michael Jackson from the 9/11 tragedy—here’s what happened
Apr 1, 2025