Whoopi Goldberg came to the defense of Tiger Woods on The View as she and her fellow co-hosts weighed in on his recent DUI arrest.
On Wednesday’s episode, Goldberg shared how the golf legend “plans to step away” from the sport as he seeks treatment following his involvement in a March 27 car crash, resulting in a DUI arrest. Woods was also previously charged with a DUI in 2017.
Though Goldberg said President Donald Trump “expressed sympathy for Woods,” others have not been as gentle on the golfer.
“But some media personalities like Dave Portnoy—I don’t know who that is—are not as compassionate,” she said, before a clip of Portnoy saying he “has no sympathy” for Woods played.
Goldberg explained, “You know, Tiger’s a friend of mine, and I wish him nothing but the best. I don’t like kicking a man when he’s down. But I leave that to other folks.”
Guest co-host Whitney Cummings said she could “think of no better example of why we should maybe let kids be kids,” citing the pressure put on Woods by his father, who “had him putting on TV at 2.”
“He didn’t get to have a childhood,” she continued. “And I see this so much. I’m sure all of you have, where if you didn’t have a childhood, you’re going to have it at some point.”
Joy Behar countered, “There are plenty of kid actors who didn’t have a childhood that don’t become drunk drivers.”
Sunny Hostin said that Woods was not “a drunk driver,” as he tested negative for alcohol, but that police “found some hydrocodone in his pocket.” She also noted that “he’s had 20 surgeries, and he lives with back pain.”
“We talk about the opiate crisis in this country with such empathy, but when it comes to Tiger Woods, for some reason, we don’t seem to have that empathy for him,” she elaborated. “I’m not excusing the fact that he was driving while under the influence. But I think we need to show someone who is a sports legend, who may have been pushed very hard as a child, and have some grace for the pain that he’s living with. And the fact that as an athlete, he is now having to struggle with the fact that he may have to give up the one thing that he loves to do.”
Behar quipped, “Which is what? Driving?”
Sara Haines, who said she “see[s] sadness” in Woods’ eyes, noted that she “hope[s] he gets what he needs and finds some peace.”
Cummings explained that “these opiates are designed so that you can never get off them,” and opened up about her own experience with addiction.
“I grew up around addiction, I identify as an addict,” she shared. “It is the disease that tells you you don’t have a disease. No one wants this. No one chooses this.”
Behar proposed that Woods, who is “very rich,” should “get a driver.”
“Just not Justin Timberlake,” she teased, referring to Timberlake’s 2024 DWI.
Hostin, who said that Woods has pled not guilty, provided more context surrounding Woods’ arrest. She added that Woods “did tell investigators that he took prescription medication, and informed them that he’s had seven back surgeries and over 20 operations on his leg, and he’s living with severe chronic pain.”
After Behar asked why Woods can’t get a driver, Goldberg explained the catch-22 that may come with that.
“It’s nice to have a driver, but it’s also, you don’t want to be that guy that says, ‘Well, why is he always being driven around?’” she replied. “You can’t win.”
Cummings added that people may say “that’s elitist,” which Goldberg echoed.
“He’s getting what he needs. He will get what he needs,” Goldberg said.
The View airs on weekdays at 11/10c on ABC.