In her debut as host of U.S. chat show The View, Whoopi Goldberg began with a friendly high-five from Barbara Walters, but just 15 minutes into Tuesday's show she served notice that she would court controversy.

That's when Goldberg launched a defence of football star Michael Vick in his conviction for dogfighting.

Whoopi Goldberg joined the ABC talk show The View on Tuesday.
(ABC/Associated Press)

"You know from his background this is not an unusual thing for where he comes from," Goldberg said, referring to Vick's heritage in Newport News, Va.

"There are certain things that are indicative to certain parts of our country."

The Atlanta Falcons quarterback pleaded guilty to federal dogfighting charges last week, admitting that he provided money for a dogfighting ring that operated on his Virginia property.

Co-host Joy Behar seemed shocked at Goldberg's statements, saying Vick's actions were "dog torture and dog murdering."

"Unfortunately it's part of the thing," Goldberg replied.

Goldberg said she would not have defended Vick if he came from New York, but it seemed from his demeanour that he really did not understand the controversy.

"It seemed like a light went off in his head when he realized that this was something the entire country really didn't appreciate, didn't like," Goldberg said.

Vick has been suspended indefinitely by the National Football League and will be sentenced on the dogfighting charges in December.

Goldberg, veteran of more than 100 films and an Academy Award winner for Ghost, was selected to replace Rosie O'Donnell, whose stormy tenure on the ABC program lasted less than a year.

O'Donnell was not mentioned on the show.

She ended her first show with the traditional sign-off, "Have a great day and take time to enjoy The View."

With files from the Canadian Press