Whoopi (TV series)

Whoopi Goldberg starred in this comedy as one-hit wonder Mavis Rae, a cigarette-smoking, alcohol-drinking, menopausal and especially opinionated hotelier. In 1986, Mavis had one huge, spectacular hit song, the two-time Grammy Award-winning "Don't Hide Love". Quickly realizing that her initial success was a fluke, she parlayed her finances from that hit into purchasing the Lamont Hotel in Manhattan. Mavis operates the hotel on her charm and wit while assisted by Persian handyman Nasim (Omid Djalili) and Eastern European housekeeper Jadwiga (Gordana Rashovich), who share a love-hate relationship with each other. Staying at the hotel is her baby brother Courtney (Wren T. Brown), a moderate Republican attorney who attempting to get back on his feet after being laid off from Enron amidst its bankruptcy scandal. Courtney begins dating medical imager Rita Nash (Elizabeth Regen), who spoke jive and was portrayed with an exaggerated urban black stereotype despite the fact that she was white. Rita and Mavis frequently clashed over the course of the series, leading to many of the conflicts that drove the plot of each episode. Other plots revolved around political clashes between the conservative Courtney and the liberal Mavis; post-9/11 Islamophobia that is faced by Nasim, who was often mistaken for an Arab; and, after its introduction in a later episode, the all-female poker group that Mavis and Rita belong to. == Cast ==

Main • Whoopi Goldberg as Mavis Rae • Wren T. Brown as Courtney Rae • Elizabeth Regen as Rita Nash • Omid Djalili as Nasim Khatenjami Recurring • Gordana Rashovich as Jadwiga • Mary Testa as Sophia • MaryAnn Hu as Soo Lin • Danielle Lee Greaves as Danielle Notable guest stars • Enrico Colantoni as Victor the appliance salesman ("Pilot") • Anson Carter, Scott Gomez, Darius Kasparaitis, Jay Pandolfo, and Scott Stevens as themselves ("Smoke Gets in Your Eyes") • Sheryl Lee Ralph as Florence Lamarck, Mavis' former bandmate ("She Ain't Heavy, She's My Partner") • Ralph had previously worked with Goldberg in 1993's Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit. • Diahann Carroll as Viveca Rae, Mavis and Courtney's mother ("Mother's Little Helper") • Carl Gordon as Lawrence Rae, Mavis and Courtney's father ("Mother's Little Helper") • Rue McClanahan and Eli Wallach as hotel guests using marijuana with a group of "ill" seniors ("American Woman") • Wallach had previously worked with Goldberg in 1996's The Associate. • Patrick Swayze as Tony, Mavis' former choreographer and lover ("The Last Dance") • Swayze had previously worked with Goldberg in 1990's Ghost. • Celeste Holm as Diana, an elderly tenant of the hotel ("The Squatter") • Both Holm and Goldberg are winners of the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. • Krysten Ritter as Brynn, Diana's granddaughter ("The Squatter") • Joe Morton as Martin James, an assemblyman whom Courtney challenges ("Sins of the Sister") • Novella Nelson as a rude nurse and desk clerk ("Once Bitten") • Keith Richards and Phil Collins as themselves (“Sticky Fingers”) == Episodes ==

The series was filmed at Kaufman Astoria Studios in Queens. == Reception and cancellation ==

The debut episode of Whoopi drew 15.1 million viewers, and was ranked number four for the week. On October 31, NBC ordered a full 22-episode season of the series. However, the series faltered from its initial success. The series received mixed-to-negative reviews from critics upon its premiere. Ratings in following weeks were unsteady. The latter half of the season also saw competition against the third season of American Idol, which caused ratings to collapse even further. NBC eventually cancelled the series in May 2004. == Notes ==