Whoopi Goldberg flubs The View guest's name, calling her 'Dr. Jennifer Aniston' during tense deba...

Goldberg challenged cohost Ana Navarro on a Japanese zoo's handling of Punch the macaque. Whoopi Goldberg flubs The View guest's name, calling her 'Dr. Jennifer Aniston' during tense debate on air Goldberg challenged cohost Ana Navarro on a Japanese zoo's handling of Punch the macaque. :maxbytes(150000):stripicc()/JoeyNolfiauthorphotoba4923fec03a4027868306485696ef41.jpg) Joey Nolfi is a senior writer at . Since 2016, his work at EW includes RuPaul's Drag Race video interviews, Oscars predictions, and more. EW's editorial guidelines February 23, 2026 1:00 p.m.

Goldberg challenged cohost Ana Navarro on a Japanese zoo's handling of Punch the macaque.

Whoopi Goldberg flubs *The View *guest's name, calling her 'Dr. Jennifer Aniston' during tense debate on air

Goldberg challenged cohost Ana Navarro on a Japanese zoo's handling of Punch the macaque.

Joey Nolfi is a senior writer at *. *Since 2016, his work at EW includes *RuPaul's Drag Race* video interviews, Oscars predictions, and more.

EW's editorial guidelines

February 23, 2026 1:00 p.m. ET

Whoopi Goldberg and Dr. Jen Ashton on 'The View'; Jennifer Aniston. Credit:

ABC (2); Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty

*The View* moderator Whoopi Goldberg united the nation Monday morning, upon committing the same mistake that perhaps every American viewer of the ABC network has at some point over the last six years: Identifying the network's former resident medical expert, Dr. Jennifer Ashton, as *Friends* actress Jennifer Aniston.

Goldberg's relatable flub came amid a Hot Topics discussion about Punch, an adorable macaque whose story of abandonment and bullying at the hands of other primates inside his Japanese zoo enclosure took the internet by storm across the last week.

"Why aren't these zookeepers protecting Punch and putting him in a padded room?" cohost Ana Navarro asked her colleagues, as Goldberg — who joined the show via remote feed due to a blizzard in New York City — pushed back in what ultimately became a somewhat tense clash of ideals over Punch's ordeal.**

Whoopi Goldberg, Sara Haines, Ana Navarro, Sunny Hostin, Dr. Jennifer Ashton, and Amanda Carpenter on The View.

"I can tell you why, because they can't interfere," Goldberg said, while Navarro raised her voice to exclaim, "Yes they can, Whoopi! They should!"

An exasperated Goldberg cut in over the chatter to say, "No. 1, you guys, do you want the answer? I'm telling you the reason they don't do it. They don't do it because they have to let it play out the way it would play out in the wild. It's just the way it is."

She then launched into what would become an iconic fumble as she shifted the program to a commercial break, telling viewers, "But, you know what? You know who I'm going to ask this question to? When we come back, Dr. Jennifer Aniston is going to be with us, and I'm going to ask her what she thinks."

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Navarro cut in to remind her cohost, "It's not Aniston! *Ashton*!" Goldberg replied, "I know. *Thanks*! Thanks Ana! We'll be right back." The show then moved to an ad break as Navarro could be heard saying, "I want the monkey in my room!"

When* The View* returned, Goldberg addressed the nation and owned up to her mistake.

"Welcome back. I just want to point out that I called my friend, the great primate specialist Dr. Jen, 'Dr. Jennifer Aniston,' and Dr. Jennifer Aniston said to tell y'all I was correct. It's to not create a new situation in the monkey enclosure," the *Ghost* and *Color Purple* star said, jokingly doubling down on her mistake.

Whoopi Goldberg on 'The View'.

She then properly addressed Ashton by her correct name, and welcomed her to the Hot Topics table to discuss a landmark health initiative that saw her donate $1 million to help begin an education program assisting cardiology research and OBGYN care.

Ashton served as a regular health contributor for ABC across a 13-year period, which ended in 2024 as she moved to launch her Ajenda newsletter.

*The View* airs weekdays on ABC.

Original Article on Source

Source: "EW Talk"

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Source: Talk

Published: 2026-02-24T10:00:25Z on Source: RED MAG

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