Rachel Bilson responds to Whoopi Goldberg criticism on ‘The View’

Rachel Bilson has clarified her comments after she faced criticism for being “judgmental” on a potential partner’s sexual history.

On the latest episode of her Broad Ideas podcast, the actor was asked how she viewed a potential boyfriend’s past experience with previous partners.

“If it’s really low, at this day and age, you’d be like, ‘It’s a little weird,’” Bilson said. “This is going to sound so judgmental, but if a dude’s, like, in his 40s and he’s slept with like four women. But it all depends. Maybe he’s been in, like, decade[-long] relationships.”

Later in the podcast, Bilson walked back her comments, adding, “No, I don’t know, it’s not fair for me to say either way,” and that “a person is a person”.

Whoopi Goldberg criticised her initial comments on Thursday’s episode (October 5) of The View, questioning why it should be a concern when entering a relationship.

“I’m sorry, I think it’s very odd that you’re concerned that he’s had sexual partners – any sexual partners,” Goldberg said. “Why is it your business? Listen, men, traditionally, were taught to have many sexual 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.”

Goldberg added: “If he’s happy with you and you’re having a good time, why are you bitching?”

Following the episode, Bilson has responded to Goldberg’s comments, clarifying that she doesn’t stand by her initial statement.

“It was a flippant comment that I was just talking with friends, and then I retracted it, because even talking about it now, I’m like, I don’t actually believe that,” Bilson told Entertainment Weekly. “That’s why I think it’s important to stand up for it and clarify.”

Bilson also criticised The View for not highlighting the entirety of her comments, adding: “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.”

Bilson is best known for playing Summer Roberts in The O.C., along with roles in How I Met Your Mother, Hart Of Dixie and 2006 film The Last Kiss.

The post Rachel Bilson responds to Whoopi Goldberg criticism on ‘The View’ appeared first on NME.