“Only in America …
“Only in America …
I kept on saying that to myself when I heard the word that supposed comedienne Whoopi Goldberg was suspended from her duties on the long-repulsive and long-running “The View” TV show after showing off her less-than high school education by emphatically stating that the Holocaust “was not about race.”
Only in America can a black comic who has appropriated a Jewish last name for her own benefit be suspended from a popular TV show during Black History Month talking about what she obviously doesn’t know about the Holocaust, where six million Jews perished simply because of their religion and the belief that they were an "inferior race" when compared to the Aryan "race."
“Only in America …
I kept on saying that to myself when I heard the word that supposed comedienne Whoopi Goldberg was suspended from her duties on the long-repulsive and long-running “The View” TV show after showing off her less-than high school education by emphatically stating that the Holocaust “was not about race.”
Only in America can a black comic who has appropriated a Jewish last name for her own benefit be suspended from a popular TV show during Black History Month talking about what she obviously doesn’t know about the Holocaust, where six million Jews perished simply because of their religion and the belief that they were an "inferior race" when compared to the Aryan "race."
A little look back on the the comic's own personal history is in order before we talk about the main course:
Goldberg, whose actual name is Caryn Elaine Johnson. Is an American success story if there ever was one.
She rose from much less than nothing, living on the streets and doing whatever she could to survive—I will leave that to your imagination what lengths she went to survive—as she pursued a comedy career.
She also appropriated a Jewish last name—and a somewhat strange first name which kind of alludes to what she was doing to stay alive during those days—for a variety of reasons.
She has stated that although she is not Jewish, she always felt an affinity to the Jewish people, and thus, took on that stage name.
It is also kind of obvious that she took on not only her last name, but her first name, for something of a “shock” value, because the name was certainly intriguing, stood out from the norm, and when show biz people saw who she was, and then saw whatever talent she had, it got them going.
And it all worked out for her pretty well indeed, a great American success story if there ever was one …
Although in later years, we have found out that appropriating a group’s status just because of personal needs is not the right way to go.
Remember that NAACP executive who claimed that she was black, and then when outed as white, said that she felt black for a variety of reasons and thus, should be considered to be what she said she was?
That flew as low as a wounded duck’s flight, and she was chastised and reviled for her actions.
But “Only in America” can you take an obvious Jewish last name and make millions off of it even if you aren’t Jewish.
But back to the present …
On Monday, while discussing a Tennessee school district banning “Maus,” the graphic novel about the Holocaust, Goldberg said, "If you're going to do this, then let's be truthful about it because the Holocaust isn't about race."
Goldberg said it was about "man's inhumanity to man" and that both groups of people were white, so how could it be about race?
Her fellow cast mates were aghast at her comment, as was the studio audience, and she was summarily suspended from the show for two weeks, to give her time to examine her actions and to read up on the Holocaust.
Goldberg, of course, apologized for her actions, and this is where things get a bit more dicey.
She said on Twitter she had spoken to the head of the Anti-Defamation League about her comments.
"As Jonathan Greenblatt of the Anti-Defamation League shared, 'The Holocaust was about the Nazi's systematic annihilation of the Jewish people--who they deemed to be an inferior race.' I stand corrected," she wrote.
"The Jewish people around the world have always had my support and that will never waiver. I'm sorry for the hurt I have caused," she added.
That is all fine and good, but then, she later added that she felt it was wrong of her to be suspended for what she said—and her cast mates, who had been as aghast at what she said as anyone, actually agreed with her!
Goldberg has threatened to leave the show permanently, and her cast mates have also stated that they are thinking about their own futures on this show.
Look, let’s be honest about it … if Goldberg was a white woman and said what she said, not only would she have been suspended from the show, she would have been fired for what she said.
And then to basically walk back on her “apology”—which seems as if it was written by her agent to begin with—by stating she should not have been suspended smacks of egocentric behavior, because ABC could not, and would not, let her get away with saying what she did.
I mean, they had to do something, and a two week suspension from a show that airs every weekday is really nothing more than a slap on the wrist for something that she should have been fired for.
It is the ultimate “chutzpah” that she now says that she might leave the show on her own, because it demonstrates that she has not learned one thing about opening her trap about something she knows little about.
Appropriating a Jewish last name doesn’t make you Jewish, and talking about something you don’t really understand on national television as if you were an authority on the subject does not endear you to anyone.
Sorry Whoopi, yoiur time is up.
Stop the pouting, and learn why what you said was so insulting to not only Jews, but non-Jews alike.
Goldberg, whose actual name is Caryn Elaine Johnson. Is an American success story if there ever was one.
She rose from much less than nothing, living on the streets and doing whatever she could to survive—I will leave that to your imagination what lengths she went to survive—as she pursued a comedy career.
She also appropriated a Jewish last name—and a somewhat strange first name which kind of alludes to what she was doing to stay alive during those days—for a variety of reasons.
She has stated that although she is not Jewish, she always felt an affinity to the Jewish people, and thus, took on that stage name.
It is also kind of obvious that she took on not only her last name, but her first name, for something of a “shock” value, because the name was certainly intriguing, stood out from the norm, and when show biz people saw who she was, and then saw whatever talent she had, it got them going.
And it all worked out for her pretty well indeed, a great American success story if there ever was one …
Although in later years, we have found out that appropriating a group’s status just because of personal needs is not the right way to go.
Remember that NAACP executive who claimed that she was black, and then when outed as white, said that she felt black for a variety of reasons and thus, should be considered to be what she said she was?
That flew as low as a wounded duck’s flight, and she was chastised and reviled for her actions.
But “Only in America” can you take an obvious Jewish last name and make millions off of it even if you aren’t Jewish.
But back to the present …
On Monday, while discussing a Tennessee school district banning “Maus,” the graphic novel about the Holocaust, Goldberg said, "If you're going to do this, then let's be truthful about it because the Holocaust isn't about race."
Goldberg said it was about "man's inhumanity to man" and that both groups of people were white, so how could it be about race?
Her fellow cast mates were aghast at her comment, as was the studio audience, and she was summarily suspended from the show for two weeks, to give her time to examine her actions and to read up on the Holocaust.
Goldberg, of course, apologized for her actions, and this is where things get a bit more dicey.
She said on Twitter she had spoken to the head of the Anti-Defamation League about her comments.
"As Jonathan Greenblatt of the Anti-Defamation League shared, 'The Holocaust was about the Nazi's systematic annihilation of the Jewish people--who they deemed to be an inferior race.' I stand corrected," she wrote.
"The Jewish people around the world have always had my support and that will never waiver. I'm sorry for the hurt I have caused," she added.
That is all fine and good, but then, she later added that she felt it was wrong of her to be suspended for what she said—and her cast mates, who had been as aghast at what she said as anyone, actually agreed with her!
Goldberg has threatened to leave the show permanently, and her cast mates have also stated that they are thinking about their own futures on this show.
Look, let’s be honest about it … if Goldberg was a white woman and said what she said, not only would she have been suspended from the show, she would have been fired for what she said.
And then to basically walk back on her “apology”—which seems as if it was written by her agent to begin with—by stating she should not have been suspended smacks of egocentric behavior, because ABC could not, and would not, let her get away with saying what she did.
I mean, they had to do something, and a two week suspension from a show that airs every weekday is really nothing more than a slap on the wrist for something that she should have been fired for.
It is the ultimate “chutzpah” that she now says that she might leave the show on her own, because it demonstrates that she has not learned one thing about opening her trap about something she knows little about.
Appropriating a Jewish last name doesn’t make you Jewish, and talking about something you don’t really understand on national television as if you were an authority on the subject does not endear you to anyone.
Sorry Whoopi, yoiur time is up.
Stop the pouting, and learn why what you said was so insulting to not only Jews, but non-Jews alike.
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