'Why Do You Care?': Whoopi Goldberg Defends Malia Obama Against Backlash for Dropping Her Surname in Film Debut

Whoopi Goldberg wasn’t going to sit back amid Malia Obama slander!

On the Wednesday, February 20, episode of The View, the longtime host addressed the backlash the former first daughter received after choosing to drop her last name during her recent directorial debut at the Sundance Film Festival.

“She knows she’s an Obama, why do you care?” Goldberg said of former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama’s eldest daughter during the Hot Topics section of the talk show. “Why do you care what she calls herself? If she wanted to call herself Jeanette McDonald, she has the right to! If I can be Whoopi Goldberg, she can be whoever the hell she wants to be!”

This particular argument was likely close to Goldberg’s heart as the EGOT winning star’s real name is Caryn Elaine Johnson. At the start of the famous actress’ career she decided to go by the stage moniker, which she found more suited to Hollywood.

“I mean, why are people triggered by this kind of stuff? Why are people wasting their time?” Goldberg continued.

Co-host Joy Behar then jumped in, agreeing with the 68-year-old’s sentiments.

“It’s not like her last name is Nixon,” the 81-year-old joked, before noting, “Her last name has great vibes around it. So she might as well use it.”

Alyssa Farah Griffin then shared how the Harvard grad's situation is unique, saying she is “d----- if you do, d------ if you don’t.”

“If she went as Malia Obama, they’d be like, ‘She’s riding her parents’ coattails.’ And I can’t think of a bigger shadow to feel like you’re living in than the president and first lady of the United States,” she explained.

Farah Griffin also stated how using “Malia Ann” makes sense in this situation, as the 25-year-old is doing something far out of the realm of politics.

“If she was running for congress in Illinois and was like, ‘I’m running as Malia Ann,’ I’d be like, ‘That’s too cute by a half, you’re obviously an Obama following in Obama’s footsteps,’” Farah Griffin continued. “But she’s doing her own thing!”

Never miss a story — sign up for the OK! newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what OK! has to offer. It’s gossip too good to wait for!

Sunny Hostin later added how “nepo babies” have been a big conversation in media recently. She also expressed she was shocked the public wasn’t more supportive of the youngster trying to make it without using the clout her name gives her.