Whoopi Goldberg previously told audiences why her name appeared in the files. The View's Joy Behar addresses why her name is in the Epstein files Whoopi Goldberg previously told audiences why her name appeared in the files. :maxbytes(150000):stripicc()/JoeyNolfiauthorphotoba4923fec03a4027868306485696ef41.jpg) Joey Nolfi is a senior writer at . Since 2016, his work at EW includes RuPaul's Drag Race video interviews, Oscars predictions, and more. EW's editorial guidelines February 20, 2026 11:00 a.m. ET :maxbytes(150000):stripicc()/joybeharjeffreyepstein0219267f1642fa3ba240aa8c0fab99c0ca85a3.

Whoopi Goldberg previously told audiences why her name appeared in the files.

The View's Joy Behar addresses why her name is in the Epstein files

Whoopi Goldberg previously told audiences why her name appeared in the files.

Joey Nolfi is a senior writer at *. *Since 2016, his work at EW includes *RuPaul's Drag Race* video interviews, Oscars predictions, and more.

EW's editorial guidelines

February 20, 2026 11:00 a.m. ET

Joy Behar; Jeffrey Epstein. Credit:

Arturo Holmes/Getty; Rick Friedman/Corbis via Getty

Amid the slow release of millions of pages of documents related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, *The View* cohost and comedian Joy Behar has clarified why her name appears in the controversial Epstein files.

The 83-year-old and her *View* cohosts — whom have long spoken at the Hot Topics table in support of Epstein's victims — discussed Thursday additional reactions to the Justice Department's handling of the ongoing controversy.

Behar observed that "the list has a lot of crazy names on it," before addressing why she and fellow *View* panelist Whoopi Goldberg are mentioned among them. Neither Behar nor Goldberg has been accused of any wrongdoing.**

"It's almost a way to muddy the waters. So you say Whoopi's on the list and so am I, I think. We're on the list because we were at a party or a wedding or something that somebody [else] might've been [at]," Behar said on the show.

Whoopi Goldberg, Sara Haines, Joy Behar, Sunny Hostin, and Savannah Chrisley on 'The View'.

She added, "I was at [Donald] Trump's wedding to Marla [Maples]. Maybe Epstein was there too? Who knows! That means that I'm not guilty, obviously, but these other ones, how are you going to decide who's guilty and who's not? It's very tricky."

Goldberg jumped in to tell her longtime colleague that the matter wasn't as complicated, in her estimation.

"If you look, you know why my name is there, because someone was looking for a plane and that's what people do. They go to all the people who have private planes and say, 'Do you have one?'" Goldberg said, summarizing why her name appears alongside Behar's in the documents. "I didn't get on the plane. I didn't know they were looking for a plane. I had no idea that the plane I was supposed to be on was no longer available. So, I'm named on there like, 'Whoopi Goldberg needs a plane.'"

Legal expert and *View* cohost Sunny Hostin, a former federal prosecutor, told her peers that "there are plenty of people named in the list that may have not done anything wrong, but I think there are a lot of people on that list that are guilty of wrongdoing."

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Two days prior on Tuesday's episode, Goldberg clarified why her name was in the files.**** "Now, in the name of transparency, can you put up… my name is in the files," the 70-year-old EGOT-winning actress told the audience. She then explained that she's mentioned in email correspondence between Epstein, who died in prison in 2019, and another person whose name was redacted. The conversation, she said, involved attempting to find a private jet for Goldberg to get to Monaco to attend an event for Julian Lennon's charity called the White Feather Foundation.

"It says, 'Whoopi needs a plane to get to Monaco… Julian Lennon's charity is paying for it. They don't want to charter so they're looking for private owners. Here's the info,'" Goldberg said on *The View.* "And they give all the information and they're saying, do you want to offer your G2?"

'The View' cohosts.

ABC/JEFF LIPSKY

** has reached out to a representative for *The View* for additional comment.

Earlier this month, Goldberg condemned the role other women — including Epstein's currently jailed associate Ghislaine Maxwell — played in aiding his abuse of multiple victims.

"Not only did they protect each other, but we were complicit in all of this. We are complicit," Goldberg said, later elaborating, "I'm going to tell you how. Women didn't say, 'Hey, don't do that. Don't stand up for that.' Women did not stand up for other women. Women saw what was going on and didn't say, 'Stop this.' They didn't come out and say this was going on."

*The View* airs weekdays on ABC.

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Source: "EW Talk"

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Source: Talk

Published: February 21, 2026 at 02:00AM on Source: PRIME TIME

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