Whoopi Goldberg opened her mouth and inserted her mouth once again. This time she used the Romani slur “gypped” on “The View” taped on Wednesday. It’s not the first time the co-host has made insensitive comments only later to apologize.
During the March 15 show, Goldberg and her colleagues chatted about the possible criminal charges that may be heading former President Donald Trump’s way. Allegedly he paid Stormy Daniels hush money.
Definition of the Term Used by Goldberg
Goldberg used the Romanian slur during their discussion about the Daniels case. “Gypped” is a term people use to insinuate someone has cheated or swindled them out of something. The first known record definition dates back to the 1899 Century Dictionary which states it’s most likely an abstract of gypsy or gipsy. Adding it “applied to a sly unscrupulous fellow.” Furthermore, the word appears in Louis Jackson and C. R. Hellyer’s “Vocabulary of Criminal Slang” in 1914.
In Louis Jackson & C. R. Hellyer’s book, they say as the noun “gyp,” the word was considered “current in polite circles” at that time. Adding it was “derived from the popular experience with thieving Gypsies.” In verb form, the term is defined as “to flim-flam” and to “cheat by means of guile and manual dexterity.”
The Apology
Shortly after “The View,” Goldberg took to Twitter to post an apologetic video. In her post she stated, “You know when you’re a certain age you use words that you know from when you’re a kid or you remember saying.” She added that had been what happened during the conversation.
Goldberg said she should have “thought about it a little longer before I said it.” Adding that she should have used an alternative word like “cheated.” Some users responded that they had been unaware the term was offensive.
Previously
In 2022, the co-host made the insensitive comment that the Holocaust had not been about race. However, Goldberg was not quick to make an apology. In fact, Goldberg seemly doubled down on her sentiment during an interview in December. Later on, she released a statement claiming to have been referencing her initial remarks.
Goldberg’s remarks may not have angered many but they did some.
By Sheena Robertson
Sources:
Fox News: Whoopi Goldberg tapes video apology for saying ‘gypped’ on ‘The View’: ‘I’m really sorry’
NPR: Why Being ‘Gypped’ Hurts The Roma More Than It Hurts You
Inset Image Courtesy of NeonNero‘s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Top and Featured Image Courtesy of CEBImagery‘s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
