In a resurfaced clip that has set social media ablaze, Whoopi Goldberg finds herself in hot water after implying that millennials’ desire for shorter work hours is to blame for their struggles with homeownership.
The clip, originally from November, captures Goldberg, 68, on a tirade about the younger generation’s purported laziness.
“Every generation comes and wants to be better than their parents did,” she declares, before launching into a scathing critique: “But I’m sorry, if you only want to work 4 hours, it’s going to be harder for you to get a house!”
TikTok user Freddie Smith thrust the clip back into the spotlight with a video that has amassed more than 14 million views.
Smith juxtaposed Goldberg’s remarks with sobering statistics, highlighting the stark reality facing millennials and Gen Zers.
“Whoopi, here is the problem millennials are facing today,” Smith says. “If you look from 1980 all the way to 2019, the average home prices — this column is what is important,” he indicates to a graphic, referring to the income needed to qualify for the average home every year.
According to Smith’s breakdown, the dream of homeownership has become increasingly elusive for younger demographics due to soaring housing prices and stagnant incomes.
“The median household income was more than what you needed to qualify until 2023,” Smith explains, pointing to a troubling trend of income falling short of housing costs.
Furthermore, Smith points out the burden of rents, which have skyrocketed to consume a significant portion of millennials’ and Gen Zers’ incomes. He attributes this crisis not solely to inflation, but also to a systemic failure in addressing housing supply and demand issues.
“You could rent for just 14% of your income, 17% of your income, 16% of your income,” Smith adds in the clip, pointing to the ’80s, ’90s and early 2000s. “But look when millennials entered the chat. 25%, 25%, 30%.”
As Smith’s analysis underscores the financial hurdles facing younger generations, social media erupted with condemnation for Goldberg’s remarks.
“She’s out of touch with reality,” one commenter said, capturing the sentiment echoed by many.
Others sarcastically lamented missed opportunities, with one saying, “My mistake was not buying at 14.”
Another ruefully quipped, “I should have bought a house in 2000 instead of being 7.”
Frustration mounted among viewers who felt Goldberg’s comments were dismissive of the genuine struggles faced by millennials and Gen Zers.
“I’m sick of people telling us millennials and gen zs aren’t working hard enough. We can’t even afford basics!” one commenter said.