Whoopi Goldberg breaks silence over claims she dated Jeffrey Epstein
Academy Award winner and The View moderator Whoopi Goldberg has taken to the airwaves to dismantle a viral narrative linking her to the disgraced late financier and convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. Goldberg, 70, addressed the rumors head-on during Tuesday’s broadcast, providing a line-by-line clarification of why her name appears in the newly unsealed court documents.
The controversy erupted following the release of a massive trove of Department of Justice files, which social media users quickly scoured for high-profile names. While Goldberg’s name does appear, she argues that a single professional logistical inquiry has been distorted into a “malicious” and “unfounded” rumor of a romantic relationship.
The “Monaco” Email: Context vs. Conspiracy
During the episode, Goldberg took the unusual step of reading the specific file entry aloud to provide the audience with full transparency. The reference stems from a 2013 email in which a third party was attempting to coordinate travel for Goldberg to attend a charity event in Monaco hosted by Julian Lennon.
The email noted that the charity would cover travel costs and inquired if Epstein or one of his associates might have a private jet available for the trip. Goldberg was emphatic in her response: she never flew on the plane, and she never met the man.
“In the name of transparency, my name is in the files. Yes. And what does it say? It says ‘Whoopi needs a plane to get to Monaco…’” Goldberg explained to her co-hosts and the studio audience.
She followed this by drawing a firm line between her professional life and Epstein’s social circle. “I wasn’t his girlfriend, I wasn’t his friend,” she stated firmly. Goldberg even used her well-known aviophobia—a documented fear of flying—as a point of humor to highlight the absurdity of the claims.
“Honey, Come On”: The Toll of Misinformation
Visible frustration surfaced as Goldberg addressed how digital “detectives” often leap to conclusions without basic fact-checking. She pointed out that her personal life has been a matter of public record for decades, noting that her past relationships have always been high-profile and transparent.
“People actually believe that I was with him. It’s like ‘honey, come on,’” she remarked, questioning the logic of a hidden relationship in an age of constant scrutiny.
Co-host Joy Behar bolstered Goldberg’s defense, noting the broad nature of the document release. “So in other words, anyone can be on this list,” Behar observed, referring to the fact that the files include names of people mentioned in passing, witnesses, and service providers, not just those accused of wrongdoing.
Defending Against the “Island” Rumors
This is not the first time Goldberg has had to combat the Epstein-related “digital grapevine.” She previously moved to debunk claims that she had visited Epstein’s private island in the U.S. Virgin Islands—a recurring trope in online conspiracy circles.
Legal experts and the Department of Justice have repeatedly cautioned that a mention in these files does not equate to criminal activity or even a personal acquaintance with Epstein. In Goldberg’s case, the mention appears to be a classic example of “six degrees of separation” in the world of high-level philanthropy rather than evidence of a social bond.
As the public continues to digest the millions of pages released in the Epstein investigation, Goldberg’s vocal defense serves as a stark reminder of the gap between being “on a list” and being “involved.”