You know Whoopi Goldberg – but did you know that “Whoopi Goldberg” isn’t her real name?!?
It’s true – the iconic actress and comedian was born Caryn Elaine Johnson, and when she started acting, she went by Whoopi Goldberg. But Why?
Well, Whoopi’s granddaughter, Amara Skye Dean, is appearing on tonight’s episode of the ABC game show Claim to fameand during the episode (via Entertainment Weekly ), she reveals the truth behind what makes Whoopi, well, Whoopi.
So during the episode, Amara tells an anecdote involving her grandmother and legendary comedians Robin Williams and Billy Crystal — specifically about how the three of them got into a fart in an elevator. Yes indeed.
“I guess they were dutch ovens, just basking in the atmosphere of farting,” Amara shared after saying that “Robin Williams just farted his life away.”
“My grandmother got her name because she likes to fart a lot,” Amara said. “So, whoopee pillows, farts. That’s how Caryn Johnson became Whoopi Goldberg.”
What a revelation! Although, to be clear, this isn’t the first time we’ve gotten a whiff — sorry — of how Whoopi’s love of flatulence inspired her stage name.
“When you’re performing on stage, you never really have time to go into the bathroom and close the door,” she explained to the New York Times in 2006. “So if you get a little gassy, you have to let it go . So people used to say to me, ‘You’re like a whoopee pillow.’ And that’s where the name came from.”
Hey, let’s face it — farts are fun, and so is Whoopi Goldberg. It’s a match made in airy heaven.
You can see Claim to fame clip here.