The book of memories Whoopi Goldberg, Bits and Pieces: My Mother, My Brother, and Mehas just been published and among its paragraphs are passages dedicated to his intense fight against cocaine addiction.
“I had managed to stay away from drugs, with the exception of marijuana, after detoxing in the early ’70s,” says the EGOT-winning actress, who entered a rehab program before finding fame.
After his success as a co-star in The color purple by Steven Spielberg and the furor over his one-man show Whoopi Goldberg: Direct from Broadwaythe actress explained that the environment in Hollywood and New York during the 1980s normalized her perception of “recreational drug use.”
“It was common to be welcomed at parties with a plate of Quaaludes to choose from at will. Cocaine was offered in lines on tables and bathroom counters for consumption by guests.“, wrote. Those meetings were characterized by their casual atmosphere where “the majority participated,” and he did not consider it “dangerous” since it seemed to be accessible to everyone.
Golberg confessed that he felt able to “control” his cocaine consumption, and managed to keep his addiction hidden for a year, working and fulfilling his commitments without problems. However, she admitted that she later began to be seriously affected by the drug, which “began to dominate her.” The situation deteriorated to the point that experienced hallucinations.
The comedian received “a slap” from life when she was staying in a luxury hotel in Manhattan. She was in a closet consuming PBC and was surprised by a cleaning employee who, when she opened the door, screamed in fear. Hurriedly getting up and looking in a mirror, Golberg saw her face covered in white powder.
According to what he said, it was at that moment that the star of Star Trek He became aware of his situation. She ended her addiction “quickly,” although she knew it wouldn’t be easy to maintain it long-term. She “was aware that she needed to change friends and decline certain invitations,” but she was willing to do it. “I didn’t want to die. I was going to do whatever it took to stop putting drugs up my nose,” she concluded.
The celebrated actress and host of the program The View, recently shared more details about his autobiography on said program. On that occasion, she focused on narrating some difficult episodes that she experienced with her mother, Emma Johnson, who was subjected to electroshock therapy during a psychiatric hospitalization that was approved by her father.
According to an article by The Sun, who obtained prior access to the manuscript, the Goldberg family initially settled in low-cost housing projects in New York. Emma was a nurse who, despite her hardships, fought hard to provide for her and her older brother, Clyde, without relying on welfare. However, in the privacy of the home there were strong emotional tensions.
In one of those episodes, Goldberg saw that his mother, in a state of anguish and confusion, attempted to inflict self-harm. “I saw how she approached the oven, she turned it on and put her head inside it. She was old enough to know that was bad. “I ran towards her, grabbed her waist and pulled her hard,” he said.
Emma was later taken to the medical center on a stretcher. “There was a time in this country when your husband, your brother or any man involved in your life could make medical decisions for you. My mother’s father, and my father, approved that my mother received electric shock treatment for two years”, he detailed.
As time went by, Whoopi’s mother began to restore her psychological stability and managed to complete a master’s degree with the aim of improving her financial situation and supporting her daughter, who was seeking opportunities in California. She died in 2010 following a heart attack.
