Number 32 of 52 Compelling Communicators: Whoopi Goldberg
August 12, 2013
There are a bucket of
reasons I could have chosen to write about Whoopi being a compelling
communicator but I am going to narrow it down to three. First, for the way she
describes her early inspiration, then how she decided upon her stage name and the third for the way she
connected during a live event I attended.
Deciding on a different
name must be a liberating experience. I suppose actors are quite accustomed to
this. It is hard to picture Whoopi as Caren Elaine Johnson. Changing something
as personal as your name is communications at a fundamental level. It is your
brand, it immediately says something about who you are.
Whoopi got hers from,
quelle surprise, a whoopee cushion. She has been known to be quite comfortable
about the usually delicate subject of farting – “If you get a little gassy,
you’ve got to let it go”. And, after
people telling her she was analogous to the jokester pillow she adopted the
name. Then, she took on the Goldberg surname because her mother felt that Johnson
was not “Jewish enough” to make her a star.
Only a comedian or
extremely ballsy woman could package herself up like that. Our names or
nicknames can speak volumes as we introduce ourselves. My husband goes by
Smitty – combine that with my name Della and it makes us somewhat more
memorable as a couple. My workshop coordinator, Xenia is constantly asked for
the origin of her name and I think it adds a certain cache to her persona. (It
is the Greek word for hospitality and she is not Greek). Even geeky or odd
names can sound fabulous if you say them with conviction. Who could have
predicted someone named Whoopi could rise to fame. Imagine that discussion
around an executive table.
A compelling story
that Whoopi often shares is her reaction to seeing Nichelle Nichols character Lieutenant Uhura
on Star Trek. Upon seeing Lt. Uhura on the popular tv show as a young woman she
looked at her mother and said “Momma! There’s a black lady on TV and she ain’t
no maid!”. We all like to know what inspires others, it can create a powerful connection.
Whoopi is one year younger
than me and I also recall being inspired by Ms. Nichols character. Being raised
colour blind (race was not discussed in our home – it was a non issue) I did
not connect on that front I just saw a cool woman in a position of power – she
was the communications officer on a star ship - Wow, what a cool job! Little did I know I would
follow in her footsteps and take on communications as my career choice.
On to the final reason I
chose to write about Whoopi. I am a big fan of her movies and especially, The
Color Purple. Having met a couple of celebrities through my work I tend not to
want to meet or watch interviews of big name actors, it can be so
disappointing. More than a few times, I have been so turned off by the real
person I can no longer see their movies. I took the risk with Whoopi and booked
an opportunity to see her – live. I invited a couple of girlfriends and we made
a night of it. It was not her stand up act, rather an informal night where she
talked about her life.
She was funny and it did
feel a bit like she was doing a comedy routine but then there were authentic magical
moments. When she talked about her grandkids or certain men in her life, you
could tell it was real. At times, it felt like we were just a group of friends
sitting in a living room versus a thousand people in a theatre. Creating that
intimacy is an art.
The communication lesson
with this profile that genuine stuff sticks. You can be a great entertainer and that is
powerful but it is even more captivating when we get to know the person behind
the actor’s mask. I think we all put on a bit of a show and polish ourselves up
for certain situations but people connect best when we let down our hair and
give of our true selves.
Watch this quick clip of
the real Whoopi when a man with autism shares a moment with her:
Thanks Whoopi for sharing parts of yourself with us.
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