Whoopi Goldberg Defends Malia Obama's Decision to Use the Stage Name Malia Ann

On The View, Whoopi Goldberg stood up for Malia Obama’s choice to present herself under the name Malia Ann. Goldberg, who herself opted for a stage name instead of her birth name Caryn Elaine Johnson, brought her own story into the discussion, emphasizing the longstanding tradition of name changes in the entertainment industry for various personal and professional reasons.

“If she wants to be called Jeanette MacDonald, she has the right to! If I can be Whoopi Goldberg, she can be whoever the hell she wants to be!” Goldberg directly responds to critics of the young creator.