Whoopi Goldberg Supports Carrie Underwood’s Decision To Sing At Trump Inauguration…But Won’t Be Watching
The View had plenty of views on Carrie Underwood’s announcement that she’ll be performing “America The Beautiful” at Donald Trump’s inauguration ceremony on January 20, though all of the cohosts defended her right to do so.
“I stand behind her,” said moderator Whoopi Goldberg during today’s Hot Topics segment. “If I believe I have the right to make up my mind to go perform some place, I believe [she has] the same right.” Goldberg then added that she’s not “particularly interested” in the event – “I won’t be watching” – and alluded to the day’s other significance, Martin Luther King Day.
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Republican cohost Alyssa Farah Griffin said she supports Underwood and is opposed to canceling “people’s livelihood because we don’t like their politics.”
“If you have a problem,” Griffin said, “you register your complaint by not downloading her songs and not going to her shows.” She added that “from a business standpoint, it’s not a bad decision for Carrie Underwood” who could become an “icon of MAGA and the American Right” and “make a lot of money off of it.”
Responded Joy Behar wryly, “I see.” She continued by asking about Underwood, “How do you love your country, and support and normalize someone who is a convicted felon and really wants to destroy the country, in my opinion.” She added, however, that “I would not be the person to say ‘don’t do it’ because i believe in free speech. But I personally would not do it. No one’s asked me, but that’s another story.”
Sunny Hostin sided with Behar. “I think art is art and you have a right to perform where you want to perform, but I agree with you Joy. I can’t sing a lick and I have not been asked but if they were to ask me it would be a hard no.”
Goldberg began to continue the debate by mentioning other performers scheduled to appear at the inauguration, but then paused and said she’d table that discussion until tomorrow. She might have been referring to The Village People, whose gay anthem “Y.M.C.A.” is a favorite of Trump’s and his rally attendees.
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