Whoopi Goldberg has come under fire after she suggested that millennials and Gen Zs should just simply ‘work harder’ if they want to be able to afford a home or to start a family

Goldberg said millenials “just need to work harder” if they want to purchase property and provide for their families (Image: AP)

Whoopi Goldberg, the star actress of  Sister Act and The Colour Purple, has come under significant public backlash after she had some harsh advice for Gen Zs and millennials.

Goldberg emphasised during a session on The View, where she hosts alongside others, that they “just need to work harder” if they want to purchase property and provide for their families.

The comment came when the 68-year-old listened to how younger individuals are finding it more difficult to make ends meet in contemporary society.

Issues raised by panellists identified student debt, inflation, and lacklustre professional progression as significant contributors to this difficulty, making it any aspiration such as home ownership, starting a family, or advancing in their careers a tougher endeavour compared to their parents’ time.

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Whoopi, who is said to have a net worth of around $60 million [£30 million], responded, saying: “Every generation comes and wants to do better than their parents.”

She expressed disbelief at the complaints, stating: “I’m sorry, if you only want to work for four hours it’s going to be harder for you to get a house.”

She continued: “I feel for everybody that feels this way, but I’m sorry we busted our behinds, we had to bust our behinds because we didn’t have the option of going back. Listen, we had all kinds of stuff. Every generation is told ‘You’re going to do worse than your parents’ and you know what people raise themselves up.”

Wrapping up her views during the discussion, Whoopi stressed the importance of being proactive and said, “This is what you’ve got to do – it’s called being a good citizen.”

Her remarks recently ignited a heated online debate after going viral. TikTok sensation Freddie Smith, known for his mission to ‘debunk boomers’ and enlighten folks on modern financial realities, responded to Whoopi’s statements in a video that amassed 18.9 million views and 2.3 million likes

The fervent financial guru stated: “Hi Whoopi, I’m Freddie I run numbers on the internet and I’ve got to show you something. The minimum wage in 1980 was three dollars and ten cents, it is now seven dollars and twenty-five cents. The average salary was 12,500, it’s now 59,000, the household income was £22,000 and now it’s only £77,000 for a 3.5 increase.”

“However rent was $234 on average, now it is $1900 for a 7.8 times increase. The house price was $47,000, it is now $419,000 for an 8.9 times increase. And the big one – college was $2.3K, it is now $30,000 – thirteen times more expensive.”

He elaborated that if average incomes had kept pace with housing and university costs, salaries would need to be $171,000 and household incomes should be at $286,000. “So whooping with all due respect, I think millennials and Gen Z’s have it at least eight to 10 times harder than you all did.”The video sparked over 30,000 reactions, with one person commenting: “I’m a boomer – I work harder now than I did in 1977 when I started working.”

Another chimed in: “We work so much harder than they ever did.”

One person reflected on their past, saying: “1999, I made $7/hr, work a 48 hr work week and picked up waitress or baby sitting on the side. I purchased my house for $32K. My house with minimal upgrades was appraised at $148K. I would never have been able to afford it now!”

Another wrote: “Hey The View and Whoopie Goldberg in particular. Maybe get a ——- grip and get in touch with Gen Z and Millennials and realize that literally none of us ‘only work 4 hours a week’ to get by. All of us are working 40+ hours, multiple jobs just to pay bills. STFU”

Yet, there are those who concur with Whoopi’s views, as another noted: “No, but she does have a point and I’ve dealt with it first hand. It’s not just millennials and Gen Z. Ever since Covid it seems like no one wants to work.”