Fans of ABC’s “The View,” and especially fans of co-host Whoopi Goldberg, should be aware that her time on the daytime talk-show might be almost up. Speaking to Wendy Williams on her show today, Goldberg revealed that she’s signed up for only 1 more year on “The View,” and then she’s very likely gone!
When a disappointed Williams asks her why she’s leaving the program, Golberg replied: “Because I’ve got to go and grow; I’ve got stuff to do; I’ve got movies I need to direct; I’ve got books I’ve got to finish…”
The “movies I need to direct” part is what got my attention. Of course she didn’t get specific; although Wendy Williams didn’t ask.
Digging through the S&A archives, I found one project that she plans to direct: a 10-part documentary that will take a look at the history of black entertainment, from the 1800s to the present day. The announcement was made in 2013, while she was doing press for her Moms Mabley film – the only director credit on her 30+ year long resume.
During a Q&A at the film’s Tribeca Film Festival screening in 2013, which I attended, Goldberg said that she planned to tackle the 10-part documentary as her next non-fiction directorial project, adding that the inspiration for it came while she was working on her Moms Mabley film, as she realized that the history of black entertainers – specifically comedy and vaudeville, and performers including Pigmeat Markham and Peg Leg Bates – has not been covered comprehensively on screen.
At the time, she said she was looking for the money to get it made. Since then, there haven’t been any public updates on it. But given the scope of the project, I’d assume that it could take several years for her to complete.
In terms of other upcoming projects for which she’ll have a behind-the-scenes credit, there’s an upcoming scripted film on Emmett Till that she’s attached only to produce. So when she says she has movies she needs to direct, 10-part documentary might be one of them. Although there might be other films on her slate, in development for her to direct, that we don’t know about yet.
Watch her appearance with Wendy Williams below:
