While the 'View' moderator defends the box office hit against allegations that it takes aim at the patriarchy, director Greta Gerwig continues to maintain that the film is for all.
- Jul 26, 2023
AceShowbiz - Whoopi Goldberg has been left appalled by right-wing backlash against "Barbie". While the movie has enjoyed a massive success worldwide since its debut last week, it also faces allegations that it wants to emasculate men. Coming to the film's defense, Goldberg has fired back at the criticism in a recent episode of "The View".
"It's a movie!" the actress said on Tuesday, July 25. "It's a movie about a doll! I thought y'all would be happy. [Barbie] has no genitalia, so there's no sex involved. Ken has no genitalia, so he can't - it's a doll movie! And the kids know it's colorful and it's Barbie."
The "Sister Act" star went on challenging the critics, "You guys, I want y'all to tell your daughters why you're not taking them to the 'Barbie' movie. I want you to explain to them what's wrong with 'Barbie'...It's a doll movie, guys. I'm shocked that that's what's freaking you out these days."
The 67-year-old further explained the movie, "They hit two things: they talk about the real world that everybody lives in, and they talk about Barbie world. And they're two different things. And it's meant to make you just think or pause, it's not meant to do anything but give you a good time. Go see the movie!"
"The View" co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin, who served as assistant to the president in 2020 under Donald Trump, agreed with Goldberg. "It's fun," Griffin said. "Greta Gerwig's brilliant...I'm so taken by some of these right-wing men who have all these thoughts on masculinity. Like, somehow, the 'Barbie' movie Is going to make them feel emasculated. No, caring so much about it is honestly the most emasculating thing I could think about it."
"Barbie" has been facing right-wing efforts to boycott the film for its alleged "man-hating" and "woke feminism." Even Elon Musk joined the anti-"Barbie" campaign by mocking the film for taking aim at the patriarchy.
"If you take a shot every time Barbie says the word 'Patriarchy,' you will pass out before the movie ends," the Twitter owner posted on Monday. Other conservative figures like podcaster Matt Walsh have condemned "Barbie" as "the most aggressively anti-man, feminist propaganda fest ever put to film."
Meanwhile, Gerwig admitted that she didn't anticipate the right-wing backlash. "I wanted to make something anarchic and wild and funny and cathartic," she told The New York Times about her intention with the film, "and the idea that it's actually being received that way, it's sort of extraordinary."
The director continued to maintain that the film is for all as she said, "My hope for the movie is that it's an invitation for everybody to be part of the party and let go of the things that aren't necessarily serving us as either women or men." She further stressed, "I hope that in all of that passion, if they see it or engage with it, it can give them some of the relief that it gave other people."
"Barbie" has become a box office hit following its release on July 21, exceeding expectations with $162 million opening in its first weekend in North America. It posted the biggest opening of 2023 so far and the largest opening for a film helmed by a female director.
