Whoopi Goldberg Defends Controversial Beyoncé Snub

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Why the drama over Beyoncé’s country album snub? Whoopi Goldberg isn’t buying into the controversy.

On the Tuesday, September 10 episode of The View, the 68-year-old seasoned moderator shared her two cents on Queen Bey’s country crossover album, Cowboy Carter, getting no love at the 2024 CMA Awards. “A lot of people are surprised — I don’t know why — that it didn’t receive a single CMA Award nomination,” Goldberg stated, adding, “I don’t think she was snubbed, I think they just didn’t… it wasn’t for them.”

Whoopi Goldberg visits the SiriusXM Studios on July 23, 2024 in New York City. Fast forward to September, the revered commentator addresses Beyoncé’s surprising snub at the 2024 CMA Awards. Cindy Ord/Getty Images

The album, which includes a reimagined “Jolene” featuring Dolly Parton herself, seemed a shoo-in for at least a couple of nominations, according to Sunny Hostin. “I thought she would at least get nominated for ‘Jolene’ and ‘Texas Hold ‘Em,’” the legal expert expressed. She added a nugget of wisdom from her mom, saying, “Find the audience that’s looking for you. This audience is not looking for her.”

But not everyone agreed. Conservative panelist Alyssa Farah Griffin pointed out, “The country Billboard charts do not lie… Listeners are with her. People are totally here for the crossover in genre.” This prompted a rebuttal from the Sister Act actress who reminded her that fans and voters aren’t always on the same page: “Listeners are not the voters.”

As the chat rolled on, host Sara Haines chimed in with her take, suggesting that creating music is more about reaching the audience than winning accolades. “She knows who she is. The best revenge is success,” said the 46-year-old Daytime Emmy award nominee.

Despite the controversial snub, Cowboy Carter soared to No. 1 on the Billboard 200 upon its release in March, with its lead single, “Texas Hold ‘Em,” dominating the Hot 100 chart. Beyoncé, 43, also made history as the first black woman to reign over the Hot Country Songs chart.

Goldberg’s perspective isn’t new. She’s long dismissed the idea of awards as the ultimate accolade. “There are no snubs,” the Ghost star said on The View in January. “Not everybody gets a prize, and it is subjective.”