Caryn Elaine Johnson 62, known professionally as “Whoopi Goldberg” is American actress, comedian, author, television host and the only African American that has won an Emmy Award, a Grammy Award, an Academy Award, and a Tony Award. Nominated thirteen times for the Emmy, she is also the second black woman to win an Academy Award for acting and has a proven level of consistency in the African American movie industry since the 1980’s. She won a Grammy Award for Best Comedy Recording in 1985 for “Whoopi Goldberg: Direct from Broadway” becoming the only second woman at the time to receive the award, and the first African-American woman.
As an activist, Whoopi in 2010 joined Cyndi Lauper in the launch of her “Give a Damn” campaign to give visibility to the LGBT community and bring to the fore, their plight as a dehumanised minority in the society. She has also been very instrumental in speaking up about AIDS and has in time past been honoured with the Elizabeth Taylor Legacy Award for the great work she has done in promoting the AIDS campaign in her community and for her contribution to the women’s right and animal rights movement respectively.
Whoopi Goldberg sits on the Board of Selectors of Jefferson Awards for Public Service and serves on the national council advisory board of the National Museum of American Illustration. She is also an author and has written books for both kids and adults.
Prior to acting she has been a hairstylist, a bricklayer, worked as a bank teller and then as a make-up artist at a local mortuary.
If you love Whoopi like I do, this interview with David Axelord on the Axe Files is a must watch. You are welcome!
https://youtu.be/12IEsEA4Fz4
