Whoopi Goldberg may have just delivered the most baffling comment of her career—and that’s saying something. On Wednesday’s episode of The View, the Hollywood celebrity-turned-daytime-panelist stunned the table by comparing the treatment of Black Americans in the United States to daily life in the Islamic theocracy of Iran.

The segment began with former Trump official Alyssa Farah Griffin making a clear distinction between American freedoms and Iran’s oppressive regime. “I think it’s very different to live in the United States in 2025 than it is to live in Iran in 2025,” she said.

Goldberg’s reply was jaw-dropping: “Not if you’re black.”

Her fellow co-host, Sunny Hostin, chimed in with, “Not for everybody,” seemingly endorsing Goldberg’s bizarre assertion. When Goldberg doubled down—“Not if you’re black”—Farah was quick to shut the fantasy down. “Guys, don’t go to Tehran,” she said firmly. “Do not, anyone at this table, go to Tehran.”

The Absurd Comparison

Goldberg then pushed her argument further, suggesting there’s no difference between being gay or female in Iran and being Black in America. “But every day we are worried,” she said. “Do we have to be worried about our kids? Are our kids going to get shot because they are running through somebody’s neighborhood?”

It was a strange and offensive comparison that even panelist Sarah Haines couldn’t co-sign. “They are not doing well in Iran. They are not educated…” Haines noted. In response, Hostin clarified she was referring to the United States—yet the damage was done.

Facts vs Feelings

Goldberg’s take ignores some painfully obvious facts. In Iran, homosexuality is illegal and punishable by death. Women are publicly beaten for showing their hair. Political dissidents are jailed—or worse. And yet, according to Whoopi, Black Americans have it just as bad in 2025 America?

As Townhall pointed out, “Homosexuality is criminalized in Iran. The maximum penalty is death.” A simple Google search could’ve prevented this blunder.

The public backlash was immediate. “Whoopi has to know. Surely, she knows. Women are beaten and killed if they take off their head coverings,” one commenter wrote. “Last time I checked, the U.S. doesn’t beat and kill people for dress code violations.”

Another sarcastically added, “Oprah, Beyonce, Cardi B, Susan Rice, Whoopi, Gayle King all seem to be doing better than most white women. Should we talk about black athletes, celebrities and movers and shakers?”

And one user brought it all home: “Poor Whoopi, first starring role in a Steven Spielberg movie back in the ’80s, she’s had a rough life.”

When the Conversation Got Even Worse

Things didn’t cool down. Later in the show, Hostin declared Israel’s strike on Iran “preemptive” and “illegal,” prompting another round of on-air sparring.

“You have to do it diplomatically, Joy,” Hostin insisted. “You can’t just bomb another country!”

Sarah Haines jumped in: “I’m not going to defend the legalness of a terrorist nation that has been funding people killing people for decades…”

Farah, again the voice of reason, reminded the table, “Iran has launched ballistic missile attacks on U.S. forces in Iraq just 3 years ago, preemptively. They have attacked Israel preemptively. They are a terrorist nation.”

In the span of one hour, The View managed to downplay Iran’s human rights abuses, suggest Black Americans are somehow worse off, and question Israel’s right to defend itself. And Whoopi Goldberg led the charge.

It’s no wonder viewers are tuning out daytime television in droves.