Whoopie . . .

By Rick Farris

Just got a call from an old friend. Her name is Mandy Chamberlain.
For more than two decades Mandy has been Whoppie Goldberg's wardrobe designer.
Whenever Whoopie works, Mandy works, it's in the actress' contract. Same is true for hair stylist, Julia Walker.
Even when Whoopi made occasional appearances on the "Star Trek-Next Generation series", Mandy and Julia came in with the actress.
Whoopie takes care of her people. People who are loyal to each other, and friends.

I'd meet Mandy in 1993, when we both worked on Whoopie's film "Sister Act-2".
We worked long hours and the crew became close. You get to know people you spend 16 hours a day with.
It can be like a family, and Whoopie was everybody's "big sister". She is a very good person, kind and we all laughed a lot.

I once mentioned my daughters names to Whoopie one day after lunch, something about taking them horseback riding.
A week later my daughters, who were ages 9 & 7 at the time, visit the set.
After stepping off the set, Whoopie sees the girl's watching just off camera. She smiles and approaches them.
"Hello girls. You must be Kimberly & Kirsten?" I was impressed. So were my kids.

I asked Mandy how Whoopie was doing?
Mandy still works with Whoopie Goldberg when the entertainer does a film, awards show, stage, etc.
However, she declined an offer to move to N.Y. and work with Goldberg on "The View".
"I love Whoopie but the other women on the show are insane" she said.

I remember getting a call from Mandy back in the mid 90's, when she worked with Whoopie on her nightly TV talk show of the time.
The costume supervisor was excited about meeting her favorite rock guitarist, Carlos Santana.
Whoopie knew that Chamberlain liked Santana, and didn't tell her friend that Santana would be a guest star.
When the guitarist was introduced to the audience and took his seat next to Whoopie, she insisted that Mandy come out and meet him on camera.
"I was never more shocked in my life, and she pulls me right on stage," she told me. "It'll be on later tonight, if you get a chance watch it."

Later that night I caught Whoopie's talk show and saw Mandy called on stage to meet Carlos Santana.
The wardrobe supervisor was speechless, the musician amused, and Goldberg laughing hysterically at Mandy's red face.

It was good talking with Mandy again.
She's gearing up to fly to New York to help Whoopie with some sort of project.
"I saw your number in an old book and took a chance I'd reach you", she said. "We had some good times, didn't we?"

Yes, we did have some good times and worked with some great people. None better than Whoopie Goldberg.