Whoopi Goldberg has said she would rather erase the 1988 film *The Telephone* from her career, describing it as a project that sounded strong on paper but failed in its final form. The remark highlights the gap that can arise between a promising script and a finished film, even for an established performer.

In a 1990 interview, Goldberg said the film “read brilliantly” but was “cockadoo on the screen”. She also named *Fatal Beauty* as another film she felt could have been better, while viewing *Jumpin’ Jack Flash*, *Burglar* and *Clara’s Heart* more favourably; *The Telephone* remains the work she most clearly regretted making.