Whoopi Goldberg has a bone to pick with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who thinks weight loss should come from diet and exercise instead of medications.
On this morning’s episode of The View, Goldberg fired back at president-elect Donald Trump‘s nominee to lead the Department of Health and Human Services after he declared his anti-Ozempic stance.
(Editor’s Note: The View is currently on hiatus; contrary to what you may have heard, The View was not canceled today. This article was originally published on Dec. 12, 2024 when this episode first aired. The View will return with new episodes in January.)
According to statistics read by Goldberg, the medical cost for obesity-related diseases in the United States ranges from $147 billion to nearly $210 billion each year.
“What is the downside of a miracle drug that cuts that much out of the budget?” Goldberg asked. “And, if someone’s doctor examines them [and] prescribes the medication, shouldn’t that be the only metric of health care coverage? Why should a numbers cruncher with no medical background have any say?”
“I don’t understand why you want to be in my business!” she fumed.
Goldberg, who has been open about her use of Mounjaro to lose weight, accused Kennedy of “setting folks up for shame” when he says all weight loss can be achieved through diet and exercise.
“This isn’t just about food. Sometimes people are born genetically larger,” she said, before adding, “I’m gonna give you the benefit of the doubt. I’m gonna say you don’t realize what you do to people when you say stuff like that. Because it doesn’t work for everybody.”
“I’m gonna show you, sir,” Goldberg continued. “Because I weighed close to 300 [pounds] less than two years ago. And without the Mounjaro, this would not have happened.”
The moderator then got out of her seat to show off her slimmed-down figure.
“I try to tell everybody, ‘Listen, this worked for me. This may work for y’all,'” she explained. “You cannot take it out of peoples’ hands if it can help. Because if we can keep people healthy, if we can get rid of diabetes, if we can get rid of all the things, cardiovascular [disease], what’s wrong with trying to do that?”
Looking into the camera, Goldberg addressed Kennedy directly as she said, “You’re wrong on this.”
The View airs on weekdays at 11/10c on ABC.