Rachel Bilson Reacts to Whoopi Goldberg’s Criticism of Her Sex Comments: ‘We Were Just Talking’

Rachel Bilson reacted to Whoopi Goldberg’s criticism of the comments she made about a a potential partner’s lack of sexual experience. “I want to say that I’ve been a fan of Whoopi’s for a very long time, so when I saw the tagline that she criticized something I said, I of course was concerned,” Rachel, 42, explained to Entertainment Weekly on October 5. 

The Hart of Dixie alum then elaborated, “We make it a very safe open place to discuss anything, and we were just talking. I have the power to edit our podcast, and I chose to keep the conversation as a whole in, because a lot of the time in life, you say something, and maybe you have a minute and you reflect on it.”

While she admitted that it was not “fair” of her to critique a person’s sex life, Rachel clarified that she had only made a “flippant comment” while “just talking with friends.” Nevertheless, Rachel noted that she “retracted it” because she doesn’t “actually believe” what she initially said. 

“That’s why I think it’s important to stand up for it and clarify,” the former star of The O.C. told the outlet. “Whatever’s out there — a clickbait comment — if you go on to listen to the conversation as a whole, and hear what I have to say, it actually isn’t what was first presented. … I think it’s important to hear a whole conversation before casting your own judgment or criticism on something.”  

Earlier in the week, Rachel weighed in about a romantic partner’s lack of sexual experience during an episode of the “Broad Ideas” podcast. She said that “if it’s really low, [in] this day and age, you’d be like, ‘It’s a little weird.’” 

“This is going to sound so judgmental, but if a dude’s, like, in his 40s and he’s, like, slept with, like, four women … But it all depends,” she said during the episode. “Maybe he’s been in, like, decade[-long] relationships.”

In Thursday’s episode of The View, Whoopi, 67, said it was “very odd” that Rachel is “concerned that he’s had sexual partners — any sexual partners.”

“Why is it your business?” she continued. “Listen, men, traditionally, were taught to have many sexually partners. That’s how it was. Men could go and do whatever they wanted to do, and women were not supposed to. Now that has been shifting, and young women have been bitching about, you know, ‘Why are you telling me what I should be [doing?]’ Now, it’s happening, and you’re mad. I don’t understand.”