Whoopi Goldberg Launches Publishing Imprint With Blackstone To Spotlight New Voices

The EGOT winner is expanding her business portfolio with a new imprint focused on amplifying diverse authors and stories.

After decades of building a career in entertainment, including publishing more than a dozen books of her own, Whoopi Goldberg is adding publishing executive to her résumé.

The Oscar-winning actress has launched a new publishing imprint, WhoopInk, in partnership with Blackstone Publishing, with a mission to bring fresh and diverse voices to the marketplace.

“I am personally looking forward to finding new authors, working with established authors, and bringing influential voices into this curated imprint,” Goldberg said in a statement Monday.

According to the announcement, Goldberg will play an active role in the imprint, contributing to everything from cover design to marketing and promotion.

The move positions Goldberg alongside a growing number of high-profile creatives, including Reese Witherspoon, John Legend, and Sarah Jessica Parker, who have all launched their own imprints or literary initiatives in recent years.

One of the first authors under WhoopInk will be Rick Bleiweiss, a Blackstone executive who worked on Goldberg’s bestselling memoir “Bits and Pieces: My Mother, My Brother, and Me.” The imprint is expected to publish the next installment in his mystery series “Pignon Scorbion & the Barbershop Detectives.”

The longtime co-host and moderator of “The View” also plans to release new work of her own through the imprint, including a follow-up to her memoir “Bits and Pieces,” and a collaboration with longtime business partner Tom Leonardis.

Goldberg’s move into publishing is the latest chapter in a long-running pattern of entrepreneurial expansion. Over the years, she has consistently leveraged her platform to build businesses that center both purpose and underserved audiences.

One of her most notable ventures includes her early entry into the cannabis space with Whoopi & Maya, a medical cannabis company launched in 2016 that focused on providing relief for menstrual discomfort. As previously reported, the brand helped establish a niche market within the industry before ultimately shutting down in 2020 amid shifts in the business and regulatory landscape.

More recently, Goldberg has continued to explore opportunities in the cannabis sector. In 2025, she partnered with Pure Genesis to launch Whoop-Tea, a hemp-derived THC beverage designed to offer a more social and accessible alternative to alcohol. The collaboration reflects her ongoing interest in wellness-focused products and culturally driven consumer experiences.

With each new venture, Goldberg continues to position herself not just for growth, but for long-term influence across industries where culture and commerce intersect.

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