She's been one of the world's favorite comedians for decades, but Whoopi Goldberg seems to have finally found her place on 'The View.' In 2007, the actress and funny lady sat down at the daytime talk show table, and despite some controversy over the years, she's remained a staple on the stage.
Speaking of controversy, Whoopi could have lost her coveted hosting spot a few times over the years. She's been embroiled in some interesting conflicts, from supporting Billy Cosby (well, at first) to singing onstage to celebrate the incoming President Biden.
In short, she's always been a character, for better or worse, but fans and critics alike continue to tune in to 'The View,' which means the show is clearly a money maker for ABC.
But just how much does the host earn for her role on the show? Along with her co-hosts, Joy Behar, Sara Haines, Sunny Hostin, and Meghan McCain, Whoopi pulls down some impressive pay for each of the 42-minute episodes.
Fans will remember that back in 2007, Whoopi replaced Rosie O'Donnell, who had her own controversy in the spotlight and subsequently ducked out of Hollywood. At that time, Rosie's salary was reported to be around $5 million. As of 2019, CheatSheet reported that the cast's salaries were very much the same.
However, some sources suggest that Goldberg's pay is closer to $6 million. And if it's true that the cast made $5M back in 2007, it makes sense that pay raises would have bumped them higher.
Plus, as CheatSheet points out, the odds are pretty slim that Whoopi would take the job for less pay than her predecessor. She probably wouldn't accept a lower pay rate than her current co-hosts, either, though.
And there's good reason for that. Whoopi's been in the industry since the '70s, and she knows a thing or two about show business. Basically, CheatSheet highlights, Whoopi is the boss on set, regardless of who else is currently working.
But not everyone thinks that Goldberg's salary is a great deal. For example, highlighted Newsone, fellow comedian Mo'Nique once lamented how low she perceived Whoopi's pay to be.
First, the actress and comedian appeared on 'The View,' and sat down with Whoopi for an interview. But in 2019, Mo'Nique spoke with Comedy Hype and expressed unhappiness about how much Whoopi reportedly revealed she was earning.
Newsone quotes the same $5M salary that other publications agree Goldberg makes. But Mo'Nique doesn't think that's enough, saying "You’ve been there for 10 years and you accept them paying you that?"
Mo'Nique also criticized Whoopi's seeming complacency in terms of what her earnings were. The comedian even went as far as to suggest that Whoopi's always been "the help" in Hollywood and that by not arguing for a higher salary, she's making it harder for the ladies in line behind her — like Mo'Nique — to make it big.
No word on exactly how much the star thinks Goldberg should be making, however.