Whoopee for Whoopi

Whoopi Goldberg radio show will be good or not, but I am very optimistic and I applaud Clear Channel for making the deal.

Lots of folks are dismissing this notion out of hand, but I think they’re being too hasty. At least give the show a chance to materialize before you critique it!

In general, I think radio is skeptical about celebrity talent because of the spotty record of such talent on the radio in the past. But the fact is, all entertainment is spotty in its success, not just radio. And Whoopi, to her credit, has kept her career alive much longer than most in Hollywood by reading the tea leaves and switching gears accordingly. She is, after all, comic, actress, host, producer, and she’s good at all of them.

Whoopi’s celebrity is the invitation audiences need to check out her show. It will then rise or fall on its merits. And that’s more of an invitation than most shows get as they struggle in obscurity.

The fact that Whoopi really wants this show (as opposed to her being drafted to do it) will make a huge difference in its odds for success.

And, as I have long argued, we’ll be seeing more efforts like this in the future, not fewer.

So good luck to you, Whoopi. And good luck to you, Clear Channel.