Whoopi Goldberg says ‘American Idol’ led to “the downfall of society”

Whoopi Goldberg has some harsh words against ‘American Idol’, saying the singing competition series caused the “beginning of the downfall of society”.

Goldberg’s words came during a recent episode of ‘The View’ when she and her fellow hosts were discussing the recent Netflix documentary ‘Anna Nicole Smith: You Don’t Know Me’, with Goldberg pointing the finger at reality shows that contribute to society’s obsession with judging others.

What did Goldberg say about ‘American Idol’?

“I think that we, as a society, love to watch stuff to judge folks. I’ve always thought that the beginning of the downfall of society was with, what’s the name of that show?” she asked ‘The View’ producer Brian Teta, who answered, “ABC’s ‘American Idol?’”

“Once we gave people the ability to judge other people, I think we ran amok with it, and it’s gone out of control,” she said. “They invited the public to decide who that person was, and I feel once we did that, it began us in a cycle [we haven’t gotten out of].”

She later clarified that she spoke of the Fox era of ‘American Idol’ before it was on ABC which the same network that hosts ‘The View’.

“When I was watching it, ABC didn’t have it. It was a different show,” she cleared up. “It’s a very different show. ABC knows that I feel like this. I’ve told them. It has nothing to do with them. It has to do with the show.”

Goldberg also criticized other reality TV shows

Before her comments on ‘American Idol’, she also spoke on the effect of the numerous other reality shows that have become popular.

“You have Basketball Wives, you have the Housewives of whatever, all the Bravo shows, they give you the impression that you’re doing something wrong because you’re living your life. People watch these shows because they make them feel better.”

Not the first time Goldberg has made controversial comments on ‘The View’

While her comments about ‘American Idol’ were harsh, the EGOT-winning actress has come under fire for other more controversial comments.

She previously came under fire for using a word that is offensive towards Romani people, and later for her comments about the Holocaust.

She has since apologized for both.