‘The View’s Whoopi Goldberg Stuns Costar Joy Behar With Boyfriend Admission

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 17: Whoopi Goldberg attends FGI Night of Stars 39th Annual Gala at The Plaza on October 17, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)

When it comes to romantic relationships, what age gap is too much?

This is what The View’s co-hosts were discussing when Whoopi Goldberg revealed information about one of her recent relationships that stunned co-host Joy Behar.

The talk show hosts began arguing about relationship age gaps during a conversation about The Idea of You, a new romantic comedy starring Anne Hathaway as a mother in her 40s who begins a relationship with a popular musician, played by Nicholas Galitzine, who is in his 20s. The film, which is directed by Michael Showalter, has inspired frenzied debates online about what kinds of relationship age gaps people think are appropriate.

Goldberg opened the conversation by pointing out, “This is not new.” She cited Cher and Demi Moore as examples of celebrities who have openly dated people several years younger than themselves.

“What is the problem?” Goldberg asked. "You don’t want to see the movie, don’t see the movie.”

Related: Why Whoopi Goldberg Removes Herself From 'The View' Group Chat

Behar then acknowledged that some people believe women “should stay with their own age bracket.” She pointed out that the average life expectancy for women in the U.S. is 79 years, while men in the U.S. live on average until they are 73.

“If you go with a guy who’s younger than you, you’ll probably die at the same time,” Behar said, sparking laughter in the audience. She then noted that her husband is seven years younger than she is, which she said comes with perks—including that he feels comfortable driving at night and lifting heavy objects.

“I think it’s a really good plan to go with a guy who’s younger,” Behar said.

The co-hosts began discussing 20-year age gaps, with Behar saying that a person in their 20s dating a person in their 40s seemed understandable, as did a person in their 40s dating someone in their 60s. It was then that Goldberg revealed the age gap that was present in one of her recent relationships.

“Actually, I’m just going to say this to you,” Goldberg began. “One of the last relationships I had, he was 40 years older than me.”

Clips of the conversation that were later shared on The View's social media channels cut off at that point. However, Entertainment Weekly reported that Behar then asked Goldberg, "Is he still alive?"

Goldberg, who is currently 68 years old, appeared to confirm that he is before the show cut to a commercial, according to EW. It's unclear when that relationship happened.

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