Bill Maher slams Whoopi Goldberg over Iran comments on The View

Bill Maher criticized The View and its co-host Whoopi Goldberg on his show Real Time Friday night, calling on Democrats to “do something” after Goldberg compared the Black American experience to life under Iran’s theocratic regime.

Maher began by praising The New York Times for taking what he called a “sensible liberal” stance on transgender issues, suggesting it marked a return to sanity for Democrats. But he followed up with a jab at The View, saying the next step for the party should be addressing the controversial remarks coming from its popular daytime show.

The controversy stems from a heated exchange between Goldberg and co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin, who highlighted Iran’s documented human rights violations—such as the execution of LGBTQ individuals and arrests of women for not covering their hair. Goldberg responded by pointing to America’s history of lynching and violence against Black and gay citizens, saying, “Let’s not do that… we used to just keep hanging Black people.”

Texas Representative Wesley Hunt, a guest on Maher’s show, rejected Goldberg’s comparison. “I don’t ever want to hear Whoopi Goldberg’s conversation about how it’s worse to be Black in America right now,” said Hunt, noting his success as a Black Republican elected in a white-majority district.

Hunt also emphasized generational progress in his family, stating his father grew up under Jim Crow and is now the father of a U.S. Congressman.

The episode reignited debates around race, free speech, and media responsibility, with Maher’s comments adding to growing scrutiny of The View’s political influence.