Joy Behar Briefly Addresses Whoopi Goldberg's Suspension on 'The View' : 'You All Saw the News'

The View was without a moderator on Wednesday after Whoopi Goldberg was suspended for comments she made about the Holocaust earlier this week.

During Monday's episode of the daytime talk show, Goldberg, 66, argued that the "Holocaust isn't about race" when she and her co-hosts were discussing the news that a Tennessee school board chose to pull Maus, a Pulitzer Prize-winning graphic novel about the Holocaust, from its lesson plans.

Goldberg apologized for the comment in a social media statement on Monday evening and on The View Tuesday morning. Later that same day, ABC announced her two-week suspension.

On Wednesday, co-host Joy Behar began the show by saying, "You all saw the news. Whoopi will be back in two weeks," but did not address the suspension or controversy any further.

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Ana Navarro, who is a regular guest co-host on The View, did not appear on Wednesday's episode but told CNN the day prior that Goldberg's colleagues "know what's in her heart" and that she's "not an anti-Semite."

"When you have five women, discussing complex topics, in five-minute segments on unscripted, live TV, sometimes things come out the wrong way," said Navarro, who also works as a political commentator for CNN. "We are human and make mistakes. The difference between us and others is, we acknowledge it and try to correct it. Whoopi clarified and apologized without caveats."

Following her initial comment on Monday, Goldberg faced backlash from viewers and various Jewish organizations, including the U.S. Holocaust Museum and the Anti-Defamation League.

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"No @WhoopiGoldberg, the #Holocaust was about the Nazi's systematic annihilation of the Jewish people – who they deemed to be an inferior race," Jonathan Greenblatt, the CEO of the ADL, wrote on Twitter. "They dehumanized them and used this racist propaganda to justify slaughtering 6 million Jews. Holocaust distortion is dangerous."

In her apology on The View Tuesday, Goldberg said she "misspoke" the day prior.

"While discussing how a Tennessee school board unanimously voted to remove a graphic novel about the Holocaust, I said that the Holocaust wasn't about race and it was instead about man's inhumanity to man," the actress said. "But it was indeed about race because Hitler and the Nazis considered Jews to be an inferior race."

"Now, words matter and mine are no exception. I regret my comments, as I said, and I stand corrected. I also stand with the Jewish people as they know and y'all know because I've always done that," Goldberg concluded, before introducing Greenblatt to speak about rising antisemitism in the U.S. and the importance of keeping Holocaust education in schools.

According to The Jewish Chronicle, Goldberg spoke at a charity event in 2016 about being Jewish.

"I just know I am Jewish," she said at the time. "I practice nothing. I don't go to temple, but I do remember the holidays. Religion is a lot of work, it's exhausting. So I keep it simple, I have a pretty good relationship with God. We talk.'"

Though the Sister Act star — born Caryn Johnson — once told The New York Times the first part of her stage name comes from a "whoopee cushion," she said the name "Goldberg" derives from her family heritage.

"My mother did not name me Whoopi, but Goldberg is my name," she said, per The Jewish Chronicle. "It's part of my family, part of my heritage. Just like being black."

Goldberg added that she once visited Israel "many moons ago" and planted a tree while there. "I feel a real connection there, but also with Palestine as well. We are one people, we really are," she said.

On Tuesday evening, ABC News President Kim Godwin released a statement announcing that Goldberg would be suspended for two weeks "for her wrong and hurtful comments."

"While Whoopi has apologized, I've asked her to take time and reflect and learn about the impact of her comments," Godwin said. "The entire ABC News organization stands in solidarity with our Jewish colleagues, friends, family, and communities."

Greenblatt addressed the suspension during an appearance on Don Lemon Tonight Tuesday and said he hoped Goldberg uses the time "for a process of introspection and learning," but added that he understands public figures "can say clumsy things about race or faith or gender."

"I don't believe in cancel culture. I like the phrase that my friend Nick Cannon uses: We need counsel culture. We shouldn't cancel Whoopi because she made a mistake," Greenblatt continued, later noting that he has accepted her apology.