Debbie Allen’s Recruitment of Whoopi Goldberg for ‘A Different World’

During an episode of “The View,” Whoopi Goldberg shared that she doesn’t care what her co-hosts are discussing over the weekends when they are not filming the show. Goldberg was mentioned as Debbie Allen’s “secret weapon” during a heartfelt episode of “A Different World.” The cast of the 90s sitcom reunited on “The View,” where Allen revealed that Goldberg played a crucial role in opening gateways to acceptance after appearing on an episode that focused on the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

In the episode “If I Should Die Before I Wake,” Goldberg played the role of Dr. Jordan, a professor who assigned her class the task of eulogizing themselves. This is where a student named Josie, played by Tisha Campbell, revealed that she had HIV. Allen credited Goldberg as a key element in tackling the difficult subject of AIDS on network television during a time when it was not widely addressed.

The episode aired in 1991, the same year Goldberg won an Academy Award for best supporting actress for her role in “Ghost.” Allen mentioned that after Magic Johnson’s announcement about his HIV diagnosis, “A Different World” became the first network television show to address AIDS. Goldberg’s involvement was crucial in making this episode a success, and she was willing to take part in the project when asked by Allen.

Goldberg, in a recent episode of “The View,” shared her experience of being part of “A Different World” and how it gave her a unique opportunity to work on a show with a predominantly brown cast. She mentioned that opportunities like this were rare back then, and she was always willing to say yes to any request made by Debbie Allen. Despite leaving “The View” hosts’ group chat, Goldberg emphasized that whenever Allen asked her for something, she readily agreed.