You saw her on Hollywood Squares, you laughed at her in Sister Act and you cried with her in The Color Purple.
And, if you're lucky enough to score a ticket, you may just get to see her at Irvine Auditorium next month.
Whoopi Goldberg will be this fall's keynote speaker, according to a press release issued today by the Connaissance committee of the Social Planning and Events Committee.
Goldberg will speak about her experiences in entertainment and community service, including her newly acquired role on ABC's popular daytime talk show The View.
She will field questions from audience members at the end of her talk.
"We had our eyes set on her," SPEC Connaisance co-director and College senior Elana Wilf said. "The process took a while, but we were pretty determined to get her."
Connaisance director and College senior Charlie Weinberg said Goldberg was chosen primarily because the past three speakers have been European-American males, and Goldberg is a Jewish, African American female.
Students, too, seem excited about seeing the Academy Award-winning actress on campus.
"It doesn't get any funnier than Whoopi Goldberg," College sophomore Yaphet Kifle said.
College junior Liz Wayne said she'd be interested to hear Golberg talk about "her career . as a pretty good actress."
SPEC Connaisance put together a list of possible speakers last year, focusing on finding a speaker that broke the mold, Wilf said.
Connaissance co-director and College junior Michael Zorger emphasized Goldberg's community service as the highlight of her career.
"She has an unwavering commitment to children's welfare and AIDS awareness, and is an ideal role model to our generation," he said in the SPEC press release.
The event will take place on Saturday, Oct. 6 at 8:00 p.m.
Tickets will be available via a lottery system on SPEC's Web site specevents.net starting today and ending Sept. 28.
Lottery winners will be able to purchase a maximum of tickets on a first-come, first-serve basis the week of the event.
"We hope to fill up Irivine Auditorium," Weinberg said. "Hopefully, she appeals to everyone."
