A Different View for Whoopi Goldberg

October 8th, 2008 | By Sonnie Johnson

Elizabeth Hasslebeck catches a lot of grief for telling her views on The View. I won’t pretend I watch the show. I never have. If you know anything about me, you know that’s not how I roll. But if I ever had the chance to go on the view, it would go a little like this.

First off, I want to thank you, Whoopi. Since I was a little girl, I looked up to you. I watched your movies like a religion when I was young and they are still ranked high on my list of best movies ever. Of course, Color Purple is my all time favorite. I’ve watched it 4 to 5 times a year, sometimes more, for the last 15 years.

Celie inspired me to pray harder; God doesn’t take you through the bad stuff without a plan. Celie inspired me to want to teach myself; I was living with my dad and and evil step mother, I didn’t get much encouragement. Celie and Nettie’s relationship made me want to stay close to my sister; which is funny because we watch it on those days we have nothing to do and we still do the hand slaps every time. And you, Whoopi Goldberg, gave me inspiration that one day I could make my dreams come true.

One day I was sitting around with one of my older brothers and I said ‘I think Whoopi Goldberg is beautiful’. Oh, he laughed and laughed and I got mad. See, he didn’t think you fit into what was beautiful. I saw this black woman doing it by not trying to fit in, but by trying to stand out. I own Sarafina, Jumpin Jack Flash, Fatal Beauty, Corrina Corrina, Made in America, Sister Act 1 & 2, Clara’s Heart, Ghost of Mississippi, hell I even watch “Call Me Claus” every year.

That’s why I’m so pissed off at you. I don’t think you understand the power you have over young women’s lives. Because I know that there are women like me that can’t wait until their daughters get old enough to watch and understand ‘The Color Purple’. You could be spread a message to all women that we can make it.

Prior to this show, I did a little research into your career. And I noticed something I normally don’t pay attention to. You are one hell of an accomplished woman. One of only a few to win an Oscar, a Tony, an Emmy, and a Grammy. I don’t pay attention to stuff like that because I think so many movie roles go unnoticed on Award Shows. But hell, you rack them up. And reading that only made you more of an inspiration to me.

I know how to separate the lessons from the people. Because right now, I agree with my brother, you are one hell of an ugly woman. To see you trying to fit in makes me want to vomit. O.K. maybe I’m being a little melodramatic. It sure makes me want to curse.

It makes me want to say things like. How in the hell can you sit here and tell me that there are not opportunities for me now, when your ass started acting 20 something years ago. You trying to tell me that times are worse now than they were then. Bullshit.

Right about now, probably a lot earlier, one of the white co-host would make a comment. To which I would respond. “You’re a Racist. I’m trying to talk to my black sister and you want to bring me down. You must be a Racist.”

And then as everyone starts yelling the stupid shit I see in clips here and there, I would look at Elizabeth Hasslebeck and say “Chill out, I got this one. Enjoy.”

I’m going by the standard of God All Mighty Barack Obama. If anyone questions anything about him, they must be a racist or if black, a self hater. Oh wait. Does that only apply to the “Messiah”. So if you don’t want to hear the word “Nigga” out of Elizabeth’s mouth, then I don’t want to her shit out of Barbara’s or Joy’s. Or are you some how the only special one that can decide who can say what.

So Whoopi, As I was saying. You make me want to say things like. “How in the fuck could you have been the all time highest paid actress at one time and turn around and tell me the system is going to hold me down. Did the system breakdown after you became a Millionaire.” Or

The basic stereo type for a woman is Tall, Skinny, Straight Hair and you are none of those. Could it possibly be because your talent stood out. Are you trying to say I don’t have the talent you had to stand up and make them take notice? To over achieve my wildest dreams just like you did?

Or are you trying to tell me that once you make it to the top it’s just better to fit in? All you viewers out there understand that. She didn’t try to fit into what the world thought she should be. But she would not be denied. Her Talent would not be denied. So when she tells you, “The government is out to get all black people, question why they haven’t got her ass.” So when she asks if she’ll ever be a slave again, “Tell her ass she ain’t never been a slave before.”

But maybe because you’ve been such a inspiration to me, Ms. Goldberg, I’ll ask you this. “Would it kill you to look into that camera and tell every single black girl and boy, man and woman watching that no matter who becomes President, just look at me as inspiration that you can do it.?”

Can you look into that camera right there and tell the Viewer’s, “Your success depends on nothing but the work you put into it. There is no phantom in the night waiting to steal all your hopes and dreams. They are out there for the taking.”

Or explain to me Barack Obama, Jay-z, 50 cent, every black doctor, lawyer, judge, C.E.O., every small business owner; why can they do it, even when times are bad, and I can’t. We are everywhere now. And you should be using your position to let everyone know that. Instead you feed them crap to make them want to fit in. To make them want to use excuses I’m sure you never used when working your way up the ladder. Because excuses don’t get you anywhere. Action does. Tell that to the cameras.

How much did you have to sacrifice to make it? Tell them, so they can understand they are not the only one’s to have doors slammed in their faces. It’s only important that you keep on knocking. Tell them don’t try to fit in because then you don’t get noticed. Use your wit to explain what would have happened if you straighten your hair and tried to be the sexy vixen. Tell them what would have happened if you didn’t value your own opinion of yourself more than the opinions of others.

Instead you install fear. Fear to even try. What’s up with that?

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Now I’d expect the fast, slick talking Whoopi to be ready with a response. I doubt very seriously she would sit there and take the words of a “Nobody” like me. But what does that tell you about how they think about you. All of the One’s that make it to Millionaire status and only tell one half of the story. They speak as though it’s impossible to make it in America, then you see them on cribs.

I’m not be a Millionaire, yet, so I can understand your hesitation to lock on to this. If you try to fit in with out being a Millionaire first, then you will go unnoticed. But if you go in with talent that can not be denied, if you go in and stand out, then any thing is possible. Don’t worry, when I get to the top, I’ll still be pushing the same message. It’ll just be a little more like, “Come with me. How can I help you get rich, too.”

And when the excuses come, I won’t validate them. Even if they happen to be true. Because it’s only a speed bump, it’s not the be all end all. Just get up. We got more knocking to do.

P.S. The only reason I put the link for The View on my page was to show the hypocrisy. I’ve seen the clips of how they treated John McCain in his interview. The they put the nice cozy picture on the front of their web page, with no pictures of Barack Obama. Yeah, like we’re buying that.