Whoopi Goldberg has once again addressed why her name appears in the Epstein files.
Goldberg, 70, previously responded to online speculation suggesting she had a personal relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, and she has now reiterated that the reference is tied to travel logistics for a charity engagement.
The email mentioning her is dated May 8, 2013. It relates to event organizers trying to arrange transportation to Monaco by contacting private jet owners after another option reportedly fell through.
“If you look, you know why my name is there, because someone was looking for a plane and that’s what people do,” she said on The View on Friday (19 February).
“They go to all the people who have private planes and say ‘do you have one?’
“I didn’t get on the plane. I didn’t know they were looking for a plane.
“I had no idea the plane I was supposed to be on was no longer available. So I’m named in there like ‘Whoopi Goldberg needs a plane.”
The email itself spells out the request and the reason her name ended up in the correspondence.
The email reads: “Whoopi Goldberg needs a plane to get to Monaco. John Lennon’s charity is paying for it. They don’t want to charter so they are looking for private owners. he scheduled jet fell through yesterday and they are scrambling to get Whoopi over to Monaco.”
It continues: “I am sure the jet owner could attend the fete and get fuel reimbursed (otherwise, if it is to be paid for, we would love to know the costs so we can factor it in for John. Obviously the more money we keep, the more goes directly to the charity.)’ Would you want to offer the GII?”
Epstein can be seen responding to the email with a curt: “No thnaks [sic].”
In another recent discussion on The View, Goldberg also revisited the situation while pushing back on the wider idea that a name appearing in the documents automatically signals misconduct.
She explained: “In the name of transparency, my name is in the files. Yes.
“And what does it say? It says ‘Whoopi needs a plane to get to Monaco John Lennon’s – it should say 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. And they give all the information and they’re saying ‘Do you want to offer your G2?’”
Co-host Joy Behar commented: “So in other words, anyone can be on this list.”
To which Goldberg confirmed: “This is my point. I’m telling you when people are trying to turn me into – I wasn’t his girlfriend, I wasn’t his friend, I was not only too old, but it was at a time where this is just not – you used to have to have facts before you said stuff.”
She then appeared to grow more visibly irritated as she described how the claims have spread online.
Appearing visibly frustrated, Goldberg then added: “I’m speaking about me because I’m getting dragged. People actually believe that I was with him. It’s like ‘honey, come on.’
“Every man that I’ve ever been with you’ve known about him because either the Inquirer wrote about it, people wrote about this stuff. And no I didn’t get on the plane because you know what I would have to do to get on that plane? They’re trying to get me to get on a plane to get to this thing for Julian Lennon.”
Goldberg is one of several well-known figures whose names are referenced in the documents, though a mention alone does not equate to evidence of wrongdoing.