Whoopi on Weed

The bond between black women and Whoopi Goldberg is undeniable. Today the Guardian announced that Whoopi (Just the single name is fine of course. We're all friends here) will be writing a column for the Denver Post. Colorado is still celebrating its weed freedom (which we at Politrixie applaud and support -- and envy). The Guardian's lede on its Facebook posting asked "What do you think of the hire? Will you be reading Whoopi's column?"

Clearly the intern who wrote the post didn't know who he was talking to. Such a question could only be directed toward the Guardian's white audience because Whoopi Goldberg's connection and meaning to black women of my age group the 30-something and 40-somethings who grew up watching The Color Purple is strong like a bloodtie.

Even as an adult I will stop doing whatever it is I am doing should The Color Purple come on tv. I will stop, watch the film in its entirety, and weep. I weep hard, my ugly cry pouring down as if I never heard the story of Miss Cielie before. I laugh and cringe and rock when Miss Sophia is cowed. I clutch my heart when Miss Sophia finds herself again, her strength, at the holiday dinner and crows "Ah yes Miss Sophia BACK!"

I don't watch The View but I can't say that I don't pay attention because the truth is that I pay attention to anything Whoopi says or does. She's just a kind of guru for black women of my generation. And there have been nutty, rude, strange things that she has done -- Blackface with her boyfriend of the time, Ted Danson, anyone? -- that caused me to give her a wide berth and some side-eye but we never, like, broke up over anything.

Watching her on Oprah finally get to the bottom of their feud? Only to discover that there had never been any feud!! Each woman had been duped by the tabloids to believe the other had lied on, talked behind the back of, and disrespected the other!! But sitting on the stage together Oprah and Whoopi both admitted that personally, privately neither had ever had any problem with the other! It was an emotional moment, y'all. I cried. Then the whole cast of The Color Purple came on stage to talk about their 25 anniversary and the memories. Oh it was wonderful. And it all began with Whoopi.


Maybe the Guardian doesn't know it but it's no surprise that Whoopi is devoted to weed. Formerly a heroin addict she had to clean up her druggle lifestyle in order to pursue her ambition for theatre which lead her far beyond into television, film, Broadway, host of the Oscars. Basically Whoopi has the kind of cultural pass that allows her to contribute creatively anywhere she has a mind to go. So now that she plans to write for the Denver Post's website thecannabist.com is simply one more notch on the belt of a woman who has become the embodiement of something almost inexpressibly powerful for some many black women. She says what she wants to say. (Her rebuttal to Elisabeth Hasselbeck's tearful diatribe against black people using the word nigga "We use it how we want to use it!"and "{America}It isn't balanced, and we would like it to be, but you have to understand, you have to listen to the fact that we're telling you there are issues, there are huge problems that still affect us," she said.

So now Whoopi has decided to discuss how her vape pen has changed her life. No longer a junkie, yet member of the rarified club of artists who possess the Oscar, Grammy, Golden Globe and Emmy. Even when she hasn't performed in deep profundity ("Eddie") I've never been mad at her for getting that check. 

Whoopi on weed? Yes please!