Famous actress and co-host of “The View,” Whoopi Goldberg, ended up leaving the set in tears after a fight with none other than Tesla’s CEO and professional Twitter troll, Elon Musk, in a parallel universe that might easily be the scenario for a dystopian sitcom.
Imagine the following scenario: There was a lot of excitement in the studio on a typical Thursday morning. Musk, who is known for speaking his mind, was scheduled to appear on the well-liked talk program. Musk, who is as well-known for his antics on Twitter as for his innovative work in space exploration and electric cars, was expected to draw large audiences and generate even more drama from his appearance.
But what nobody anticipated was the intense confrontation between Musk and Goldberg. Goldberg, who was just named brand ambassador for the struggling beer company Bud Light, was subjected to Musk’s scathing humor and direct observations.
Ever the provocateur, Musk made light of Goldberg’s recent endorsement arrangement and inquired as the cameras rolled as to whether or not she had actually sampled the beer. The direct inquiry surprised Goldberg, and he hesitated before answering. Musk didn’t hold off on answering her. “Bud Light’s sales tanked worse than one of my SpaceX rockets,” he joked instead. Laughter broke out in the studio, making Goldberg look as silly as a deer caught in headlights.
Usually an adept manipulator of tense circumstances, Goldberg found it difficult to respond to Musk’s constant taunting. She stumbled through a statement, trying to get her bearings, saying that she thought the brand had a chance to recover. Musk responded with, “Potential? As much potential as a diesel vehicle in a Tesla dealership exists for Bud Light. With the studio crowd erupting in laughter, Goldberg’s calm broke and her face burned.
Musk’s barbs persisted unabatedly throughout the segment. He said that Goldberg would be better off supporting “something a bit more palatable, like Brussels sprouts,” likening the taste of Bud Light to “battery acid.”
When Musk asked a seemingly simple question to end his outburst, the tension finally reached a breaking point. “Whoopi, are you aware that the market capitalization of Tesla has surpassed that of Anheuser-Busch InBev as a whole, right?” The camera shifted to Goldberg as laughter reverberated across the studio. Her chair clattered backwards as she stood up suddenly, the hurt in her eyes obvious.
“Elon, you might be the richest man in the world and a genius, but that doesn’t give you the right to be rude,” Goldberg said in a voice that was quivering in the astonished stillness that followed. Tears sparkling in her eyes, she turned and walked off the stage without waiting for an answer.
With a half-smile on his face, Musk was left sitting uncomfortable as Goldberg’s figure vanished off stage. Viewers were shocked when the broadcast abruptly ended to a commercial. What had begun as a pleasant conversation had devolved into an epic spectacle fit for a Hollywood drama.
One of the most iconic scenes in “The View” history would be this episode. It was a difficult encounter that left Goldberg feeling angry and ashamed. It was just another black mark on Musk’s scandal belt. It was also a startling demonstration of uncensored honesty and raw emotions for the audience, serving as a reminder of the proverb that “the truth often hurts.”
The conflicting personalities and erratic nature of live television are highlighted in this story. Additionally, it brings to light Elon Musk’s unvarnished reality—a man renowned for both his brilliance and his harsh honesty. Therefore, be prepared for drama the next time you watch “The View”; you never know what will happen!
