Imtiaz Mahmood(@ImtiazMadmood):Whoopi Goldberg's real name is Caryn Johnson, and she adopted the last name "Goldberg" at her mother's suggestion because a Jewish-sounding name gave her a better chance of making it in Hollywood. Goldberg has stated that her stage forename, Whoopi, was taken from a whoopee cushion: "When you're performing on stage, you never really have time to go into the bathroom and close the door. So if you get a little gassy, you've got to let it go. So people used to say to me, 'You're like a whoopee cushion.' And that's where the name came from."

2026.11.09 16:57

Whoopi Goldberg's real name is Caryn Johnson, and she adopted the last name "Goldberg" at her mother's suggestion because a Jewish-sounding name gave her a better chance of making it in Hollywood. Goldberg has stated that her stage forename, Whoopi, was taken from a whoopee cushion: "When you're performing on stage, you never really have time to go into the bathroom and close the door. So if you get a little gassy, you've got to let it go. So people used to say to me, 'You're like a whoopee cushion.' And that's where the name came from."