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*Whoopi Goldberg spoke candidly about menopause, her "new teeth" and the importance of kindness during Monday’s first broadcast of her radio program “Whoopi in the Morning” from New York’s WKTU (103.5 FM). Then, things turned ugly.
The actress, who kept her subject matter positive and uplifting with such segments as “Manners Monday,” was eventually bombarded with prank calls from listeners of rival syndicated morning team Opie and Anthony, who broadcast every morning from New York’s WFNY (92.3 FM). According to the New York Daily News, Whoopi’s co-host, Cubby Bryant, screened most of the calls before they got on the air, but Whoopi was still annoyed.
“Howard [Stern] is my friend. These others are not worth the dust he walks on,” Whoopi told her audience. Opie and Anthony reportedly responded to the Oscar winner on their show with: "Go back to Hollywood, you b****."
Despite the irritation, Goldberg’s first day went smoothly, according to the Daily News. She reportedly sounded comfortable on the mic and played about five songs an hour that fit in with WKTU’s format, including "Ladies Night," Mariah Carey's "We Belong Together," Shakira's "Hips Don't Lie," "Lady Marmalade" and Cher's "When You Walk Away."
According to the Daily News, several running themes for the show were cemented Monday, including Goldberg's fondness for the Yankees, fixing Bryant up with a date, and a general sense of accentuating the positive.
Whoopi praised callers who touted experiences that ranged from creating jewelry for adoptive parents to playing music at senior centers. Under the “Manners Monday” theme, she took calls about thank-you notes and listeners’ pet peeves about the erosion of civility.
The show will air two weeks in New York before its national launch via Premiere Radio Networks.