Whoopi Goldberg has embarked on a new chapter in her illustrious career with the launch of her cannabis brand, Emma & Clyde, set to hit select stores on July 20. This venture isn’t just a business move; it’s deeply personal, inspired by her family's relationship with cannabis. The beloved cohost of The View is opening up about her experiences and the motivations behind this bold step.
Whoopi’s Vision for Cannabis as Medicine
In a candid interview with Forbes, Whoopi, now 68, expressed her strong belief in the medicinal potential of cannabis. "Cannabis is probably the greatest medicine on the planet that everybody can have," she passionately stated. She shared her personal experience, explaining how it has been a lifeline for managing menstrual cramps. "For people like me, it was always used to stop the cramps—and the side hustle of that is that it was fun, it made you laugh and stuff," she reminisced, adding a touch of humor.
A Tribute to Her Family: The Story Behind Emma & Clyde
Whoopi revealed the heartfelt reason behind naming her brand after her late mother, Emma Harris, and her brother, Clyde K. Johnson. "Emma & Clyde is named after my family because my mother used cannabis for medicinal purposes. And my brother liked the recreational. They are two people that represent weed as it stands in the real world," she explained, highlighting the dual nature of cannabis use.
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Her memories of using cannabis with her brother bring a warm nostalgia to her storytelling. "My brother and I used to smoke in the days when it was just something that you could do under the tree in the backyard when nobody could see you," Whoopi fondly recalled. "And I know that he would love this idea that you can go and get what you need medicinally. You can go and get what you need recreationally," she added, emphasizing the evolving acceptance of cannabis in society.
Exploring Personal Growth Through Memoir
This isn't the only significant project Whoopi has taken on recently. In May, she released her latest memoir, Bits and Pieces: My Mother, My Brother, and Me. In this deeply personal work, the EGOT winner, who is also a proud mom to daughter Alex Martin, delves into her experiences with grief and self-discovery before achieving Hollywood fame.
Reflecting on her upbringing, Whoopi shared, "I was insanely lucky. I was really lucky that I was my mother’s child because I was the correct child for her to have. Both my brother and I, we were just odd. We liked different stuff. We were open to many, many things. You know, you grew up here in New York City, and you had access to lots of things. And so, my mother’s attitude was, you’re in a place where you can do and see just about anything. So, what do you want to do? Who are you? Who do you think you are? I just always felt like I was quite lucky to have her."
Despite promoting the memoir on The View and discussing it on the show’s "Behind the Table" podcast, insiders revealed that Whoopi was deeply affected by the book's sales performance. "Despite a whirlwind of publicity, the book has shockingly landed at number 800 on the bestseller list after just a few weeks," an insider noted. "Whoopi is devastated by the flop, questioning how such a high-profile release could fall so flat. She thought she’d be as successful as Prince Harry and Britney Spears and even hoped it would be turned into a movie—but that’s unlikely to happen after such disappointing sales!"
