Whoopi Goldberg perfectly claps back against right-wing criticism of ‘Barbie’
The View co-host Whoopi Goldberg has no time for right-wing commentators pouring scorn and outrage upon the new Barbie movie.
A committed Barbie fan, Goldberg turned up on The View yesterday sporting Barbie-decorated platform soles on her shoes.
She also mocked criticism from those on the right about the movie.
“It’s a movie!” she exclaimed on the show. “It’s a movie about a doll!”
“I thought y’all would be happy,” she continued. “[Barbie] has no genitalia, so there’s no sex involved. Ken has no genitalia, so he can’t — it’s a doll movie! And the kids know it’s colorful and it’s Barbie.”
Goldberg went on to say that little kids do not view a movie in the same way, or through the same lens, as adults.
‘Barbie’ box office success
Barbie, starring Margot Robbie in the title role, opened last week and has been a big box-office success. It took around $162million at the US box office and twice that amount globally. Screenings have been packed out, with many of those attending choosing to wear pink.
It enjoys a 90% critics rating on aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes and an 87% audience rating.
However, among those to blast the movie are several conservative commentators. They’ve turned their attention away from drag queens for a minute to blast the Warner Bros offering. The chorus of disapproval has been led by Ben Shapiro (who burned Barbie and Ken dolls in disgust) and Ted Cruz. The Texas Senator says the movie is brainwashing young people with Chinese propaganda. .
The Family Research Council, an evangelical Christian group, urged followers not to see the movie. It also called it “toxic propaganda.”
A tweet (or an ‘X’ as they’re now supposed to be called), from someone who collated one-star reviews of Barbie from unhappy male viewers has gone viral.
Director Greta Gerwig is asked about a sequel
Barbie was directed by the award-winning Greta Gerwig. Its success marks the biggest opening weekend ever from a female director. Gerwig says she’s been blown away by its popularity. She was also asked this week about some of the right-wing criticism.
“Certainly, there’s a lot of passion,” Gerwig diplomatically told The New York Times. “My hope for the movie is that it’s an invitation for everybody to be part of the party and let go of the things that aren’t necessarily serving us as either women or men.”
Gerwig was also asked if she saw the movie as the start of a franchise or a stand-alone movie.
“At this moment, it’s all I’ve got.”
“I feel like that at the end of every movie, like I’ll never have another idea and everything I’ve ever wanted to do, I did,” she explained. “I wouldn’t want to squash anybody else’s dream, but for me, at this moment, I’m at totally zero.”
With the Barbie phenomenon looking likely to secure another bumper box office this weekend, we imagine Warner Bros and toy-maker Mattel may have other ideas.
