The View's Whoopi Goldberg 'scares' her co-hosts after revealing how she exposes FAKE friends who spread gossip about her - after being 'burned' by trusted confidantes one too many times

The View's Whoopi Goldberg has revealed her sneaky tactic for exposing gossips in her life - while opening up about being 'burned' by people she once considered as trusted members of her inner circle.

Whoopi, 68, who first found fame as an actor in the early eighties, laid bare her thoughts about 'gossips' in a very heated discussion during Thursday's show, during which she spoke out about the toll that rumors and speculation can take on 'famous people'. 

The Sister Act star, who has been married three times, even shut down her co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin during the show when the former White House aide tried to say that gossip can be 'harmless'.

'There's no such thing!' the mother-of-one fumed, before she explained how back in the day 'you used to be able to rip up the newspapers,' before adding: 'Now once it's out there, it's there.'

Whoopi Goldberg has revealed how she once shared false information about herself 'to see who was talking' about her

Whoopi explained to her co-host Joy Behar that she doesn't like it when people who gossip and has been 'burnt many times'

The View's Sunny Hostin admitted that she 'enjoys a little tea' and even took a sip from her mug as she said it

Whoopi also called out her other co-host Sunny Hostin when she admitted that she 'enjoys a little tea,' and told the lawyer: 'But you don't like tea being about you!'

The Academy Award winner made her stance on gossiping very clear as she and the panel, including Joy Behar, discussed a new study which claims to have found that there is an 'upside to being a gossip.'

'Researchers claim it can help people collaborate better as a group and give the gossipers social power and provide useful information about someone as long as the gossip is honest,' Whoopi read out with a rather sarcastic look on her face.

'What do you think?' Joy, 81, asked her as Whoopi quickly replied: 'I don't do it.'

'You don't do gossip?' the comedian probed further, as Whoopi reiterated: 'I don't like it,' which led to Joy trying to explain the different types of chatter.

'Well it depends on what you find as gossip,' she said. 'Like you know, "guess who is sleeping with so and so", is gossip or "I don't like how she's wearing her hair..." but Whoopi fired back: 'I don't like that either!'

Alyssa,34, chimed in and said: 'There's fun, harmless gossip and then there's mean-spirited...' but the Ghost star butted in and told her: 'There's no such thing!'

Sunny then added: 'Well, the mean-spirited has to be untruthful I think,' before taking a sip from her mug as she admitted: 'I, myself, enjoy a little tea...'

The 68-year-old Sister Act star said that gossip can be 'really tough on famous people'

Sunny explained to her co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin that she 'usually has something on the other person' when she's talking about them

Joy, 81, joked that she was 'sworn to secrecy' and was now 'scared' of her co-host Whoopi

'Yes, but you don't like tea being about you,' Whoopi responded as Sunny explained: 'I don't mind because I usually have something on the other person,' which led Alyssa to joke: 'Ohhhh you're one of those!'

'Yes I am!' Sunny snapped back as Whoopi blurted out: 'She'd like you to think that she is, but she's actually not.'

Sunny continued: 'They also say, Whoopi, the University of Maryland says that you shouldn't shun the resident blabbermouth.'

'I do!' Whoopi replied. 'Because the resident blabbermouth is not checking to see if I'm comfortable with my business in the street and I don't like it, and I think this comes with age. I don't people talking about what I'm doing.'

'Because you've been burnt,' Joy revealed, to which Whoopi admitted: 'I've been burnt many times. Really burned. Even if it's true, if I haven't put it out why are you putting it out?'

Still trying to argue her point, Sunny said: 'I'm thinking it's more personalized gossip. Like, Joy and I like a little tea here and there...' as Alyssa accused her of 'calling Joy out'.

Referring to fame, Whoopi then said: 'It's really tough on people, it's tough on their kids. Listen, because people don't think of famous people as being human or having feelings, or their kids having feelings, or what you have to deal with when there is a lie that's been told...

'Because you can't take lies back now. You used to be able to rip up the papers, and the newspapers, but now once it's out there, it's there.'

Whoopi said she doesn't like gossip because 'the resident blabbermouth is not checking to see if I'm comfortable with my business in the street'

Whoopi, pictured here in 1986, with her daughter Alexandrea and her second husband David Claessen

The Academy Award winner pictured with her daughter Alexandrea and two of her grandchildren in 2006

Alyssa then added: 'You know what I like to do? I like to try to catch a gossip. You can plant false information and see if it makes it's way around,' as Whoopi admitted: 'We have done that. We did that to see who was talking,' which Alyssa described as 'smart'.

'Now, you see, that's a little bit of gossip I would like to know about!' Sunny joked as Joy told her: 'She doesn't gossip so you'll never find out!'

'But you do!' Sunny responded, as Joy joked: 'I'm sworn to secrecy, and I'm sacred of both of you now!' as Whoopi told her: 'As well you should be, damn it!'