Whoopi Goldberg admits using weight loss drug Mounjaro when she got so heavy she 'couldn't breathe'
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Whoopi Goldberg has revealed that she struggled to breathe when her weight reached 300 pounds in 2021 and attributed her life's transformation to the weight-loss drug Mounjaro.
In a recent interview with Page Six, the 68-year-old 'The View' host revealed more details about her decision to try Mounjaro, saying that it not only helped her lose weight but also enhanced her general health.
Whoopi Goldberg revealed weight-loss drug Mounjaro helped her 'metabolism move'
Whoopi Goldberg disclosed earlier in March that she took Mounjaro in 2021 while filming the movie 'Till,' after claiming to have attempted several other unsuccessful diet plans.
She clarified that she had been using steroids after back surgery, which had disrupted her "metabolism" and caused her to gain a lot of weight.
During the Gardens of Laughs event on Wednesday night, March 27, at Madison Square Garden, the 'View' co-host revealed that she "was 300 pounds. I was like, ‘Oh, please, God, make this work.'"
The Type 2 diabetes medicine, according to Goldberg, was "the only way [doctors] could jumpstart [her] system," and it caused her "metabolism move" after having back surgery and being put on steroids.
The EGOT winner initially discussed her use of Mounjaro on 'The View' earlier in March, stating that she did not prioritize maintaining a healthy weight throughout the years.
She said on the ABC talk show, "It’s never been an issue for me because I don’t listen to what other people say about me, so it has never been a problem." However, Goldberg became aware that her weight was becoming an issue when she was promoting the 2022 film 'Till.'
Goldberg added, "It was a lot of weight for me to be carrying, and I didn’t realize how much weight I was carrying. I mean, I saw myself every day, but it didn’t look strange to me, and then I couldn’t breathe."
"I had taken all those steroids, I was on all this stuff and one of the things that has helped me drop the weight is the Mounjaro... That's what I use," she said at the time.
Other celebrities who've used weight-loss drugs
The 'Sister Act' actress is not the only famous person to use diet pills like Ozempic and Mounjaro to lose weight.
Elon Musk, Amy Schumer, Sharon Osbourne, and her 'View' co-host Sunny Hostin have all admitted to experimenting with semaglutide or tirzepatide.
Hostin, her cohost, acknowledged using it as well and disclosed that the Covid pandemic had caused her to gain 40 pounds.
"All I did was eat... I love to cook and I found out I love to eat and I was horrified by the fact I would have to come out on here," she remarked.
In August 2023, Tracy Morgan revealed to Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager on the 'Today' show that he receives Ozempic injections every Thursday.
The stand-up comedian remarked of the diabetes medication, "I ain’t letting it go. It cuts my appetite in half. Now I only eat half a bag of Doritos."
In July 2023, Michael Rubin, the founder of Fanatics, admitted that he had used Ozempic competitor Mounjaro to help him lose weight because he didn't want to "be the Pillsbury Doughboy."
Amy Schumer acknowledged using Ozempic and being “so skinny,” but she had to quit using the medication because it made her feel "so sick."
In June 2023, the comedian stated on 'Watch What Happens Live': "[I] couldn’t play with my son. I was so skinny and he’s throwing a ball at me and [I couldn’t]," per Page Six.
Following months of rumors, Oprah Winfrey finally acknowledged to PEOPLE in December 2023 that she takes a prescription medicine "as a tool to manage" her weight. She did not, however, disclose the specific medication.
Elon Musk admitted having used Wegovy — an injectable intended to help people with obesity, Type II diabetes, high blood pressure, or high cholesterol — to maintain a healthy weight.
