Inside Ted Danson And Whoopi Goldberg's Whirlwind Relationship

Before the media was obsessed with rumors about Jennifer Aniston and Brangelina, there was Ted Danson and Whoopi Goldberg — a controversial Hollywood love story no one saw coming. The two first crossed paths in 1988 as guests on "The Arsenio Hall Show." While they struck up a friendship, it wasn't until 1992, when they co-starred in "Made in America," that their on-screen chemistry sparked a real-life romance. At the time, Goldberg was single, but Danson was married to his second wife, Cassandra Coates.

Given Danson and Goldberg's prominence within the industry, their relationship quickly became the talk of the town. As rumors of their affair spread, Danson's 16-year marriage to Coates ended in a highly publicized divorce, which reportedly cost him $30 million, one of the most expensive Hollywood divorces at the time. 

Despite the controversy, Danson and Goldberg's relationship captivated the public for breaking barriers as an interracial couple in the early '90s. Sadly, just 18 months after their romance began, it ended in dramatic fashion.

Ted Danson and Whoopi Goldberg's relationship wasn't just a romance; it was a media spectacle. As one of Hollywood's most high-profile interracial couples of the early '90s, they were met with intense scrutiny, and the spotlight took its toll. The turning point came in 1993 during a Friars Club roast of Goldberg when Danson took the stage in blackface and performed racially charged jokes. Goldberg defended Danson's jokes, telling The New York Times that she'd never cared about political correctness. But his routine was widely condemned as racially insensitive, and it sparked a media firestorm. 

Not long after the roast, Danson and Goldberg ended their relationship. They cited the overwhelming public attention and personal differences as key reasons for their split. Both stars have since moved on with their lives. Danson married actress Mary Steenburgen in 1995, and the couple remains happily together. Goldberg tied the knot with her third husband, Lyle Trachtenberg, in 1994, but the marriage ended just a year later. While she has been in relationships since, Goldberg has firmly stated that she won't get married again.

Danson and Goldberg's relationship took Hollywood by storm in the early 1990s, opening up conversations about race, fame, and love. Though brief, their story remains one of Tinseltown's most memorable romances.