Whoopi Goldberg dismisses controversy over bride costume for children: 'What the hell?'
Whoopi Goldberg has criticised the controversy surrounding a Halloween bride costume for children that has been pulled from sale.
She weighed in on the recent uproar over the costume sold by Kmart in Australia on US talk show The View. The costume, a bridal gown for children, was pulled from shelves by the big box chain after a petition was started, accusing the getup of normalising child marriage and sex trafficking. A Kmart spokesperson said, in part, “It was not intended to cause offence and we sincerely apologise.”
Goldberg wasn’t on-board with the controversy, chastising objectors by saying, “It’s a Halloween costume! What the hell?” She added, “It’s Halloween — leave the kids! It’s one day of candy!”
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Fellow panelist Joy Behar said the costume isn’t appropriate, but for different reasons. “They’re programming you to get married and have children,” said Behar. “You should have a choice in that,” she added.
Much like the panel, viewers on Twitter were split over whether the bride costume is appropriate for children. Some said it wasn’t a big deal at all:
It’s Halloween cmon now why is this even a Hot Topic y’all can do better. pic.twitter.com/SzHWWgnixA
— Nylistic (@nylistic) October 24, 2019
— 🎃🎃🎃 (@kingstonjk824) October 24, 2019
It’s every little girl’s dream. How many of us pretended to be a bride when we were young? Not a big deal at all.
— Christine (@guelphgirlchris) October 24, 2019
Others said it’s not okay at all:
NO! My niece let her daughter do this when she was 4/5. It’s cringeworthy.
— JMZ 🖤💔🖤 (@johnOmendez) October 24, 2019
I think it is a bit creepy in todays day, I would have encouraged her to go as a princess. Save the wedding dress for flower girl
— RhyannonMGD (@RhyannonMGD) October 24, 2019
One dad objected, but for his own reasons:
Ahem, as a Dad of a 16-yr-old,
the #bride costume is as SCARY a trick
as they come! lol— 👁️ (@realBenEmerson) October 24, 2019
Elsewhere, yesterday saw it confirmed that Goldberg would be reprising her role as Deloris Van Cartier for a 39-date run in the London stage musical version of Sister Act.
Goldberg originally portrayed the singer hiding out in a convent in the 1992 film and its 1993 sequel.
The production will run at London's Eventim Apollo in summer 2020, where Goldberg will star alongside Jennifer Saunders who is playing Mother Superior.