'Whoopi' Ignites Furor (Anti-smoking goons upset with Goldberg & NBC)

Los Angeles Times ^ | 8.4.03

[mhking]

The first scene in NBC's new fall sitcom "Whoopi" begins with the star, Whoopi Goldberg, puffing on a cigarette, ignoring a nearby "No Smoking" sign.

"You know, secondhand smoke kills," says an irritated guest of the hotel Goldberg's character owns.

"So do I," she shoots back, glaring at the guest.

Scheduled to premiere Sept. 23, the show is designed to be a Norman Lear-like commentary on American society, in the same vein as the groundbreaking "All in the Family." That show was built around bigoted jokes that boomeranged on Archie Bunker, while "Whoopi," featuring a relationship in which her brother is dating a white woman, takes a swipe at everything from fears about terrorism, Arab American stereotypes, kids who talk in exaggerated street slang to mispronunciations by President Bush.

But the topic that's catching fire is Goldberg's smoking.

It is "extraordinary when you have an interracial couple in the show, and the thing that people are freaking about is that I'm smoking," Goldberg said recently. "I love it."

[Mears]

Good for Whoopie! At least someone is willing to go against the anti-smoking fantics.

This whole anti-smoking thing is ridiculous,especially where television and movies are concerned. The sex,violence,and alternative lifestyle crap is okay but God help anyone who lights up a cigarette.

[ibheath]

A black organization whose acronym is pronounced "Nappy"???

ROFL!!!!

[hchutch]

Nicole Kidman lit up during a press conference - Cannes, IIRC.

[isthisnickcool]

I saw Whoopie and she "influenced me" to become black. I'm no longer white

I saw OJ and he "influenced" me to slit my ex-wife and some guys throats then butcher them. He also influenced me to search for the killer. Fore!

I saw that story about Kobe Bryant. I'm now and NBA player and rape women when I want.

I saw the story on Kobe Bryants accuser and now I'm a young wman that entraps NBA stars.

etc,etc,etc,etc

[TheSpottedOwl]

"We expect TV to portray real life and people smoke in real life," said Andy Donchin, director of national broadcast for the ad-buying firm Carat North America. "But we wouldn't want anything that portrays drinking or smoking in a positive light."

The entertainment industry never fails to amaze me. Oh no, you can't show people smoking or drinking, but you can show young people bedhopping on 'reality' shows. While I understand that cigarette smoking is a wretched habit(actually managed to quit for 23 whole days), I don't find it leads to the problems that occur when young people are promiscous.

The crap I see on tv, and they whine about someone smoking cigarettes. I'm going to check this show out. I'll probably check Roseanne's show too, because until the last season, her show with John Goodman had some great moments. I'll skip Ellen.

[jae471]

Nice Catch.

[50sDad]

She has an "Iranian" handyman who drops "funny" comments on the order of..."this toilet is shot more than the Repblican Guard."

Why is the Left so fond of "tolerance" on one hand, and then feels it must "push the envelope" and offend people on the other?

Hey Hollywood! The country is different after 911!

[CygnusXI]

.
Why are people (libs especially) more concerned with physical health than spiritual/soul?

The moral crevass that is on TeeVee 24/7 is O-Tay, while showing someone smoke a cigarette is taboo?!?!

WTF.

[Drew68]

Nicole Kidman lit up during a press conference - Cannes, IIRC.

And the press (particularly Australian) went ape s--- over it.

See: Smoking Kidman Sparks Controversy and Nicotine Nic (Kidman in trouble over public smoking) .

Be forwarned, these threads take a long time to load. Some of us FReepers decided that any thread about Nicole Kidman required lots and lots of pictures.

[hchutch]

She dished second-hand smoke out to the French?

*applause*

[Drew68]

She dished second-hand smoke out to the French?

No such thing as second-hand smoke in France.

French resturaunts have two sections: smoking and chain-smoking.

*rimshot*

[Drew68]

Be forwarned, these threads take a long time to load. Some of us FReepers decided that any thread about Nicole Kidman required lots and lots of pictures.

Unlike threads about Whoopie Goldberg.

[small_l_libertarian]

...She will portray the smoker that Smoke Gnatzies think we all are...

You know, that wouldn't have even occurred to me, but I bet you're right. Good thinking.

[Hillary's Lovely Legs]

I seem to recall an interracial couple on tv in the past.

[Lee'sGhost]

Man, that's a gaggle of ugly people.

[Conspiracy Guy]

She is a smoker in real life and is not good for the cause. She is the Smoke Gnatzies' dream smoker and will only serve to reassure the nannies that they are indeed doing the right thing. Would you want some convicted crack head killer being the spokesperson for legalizing Marijuana, or Eric Rudolph speaking out for Pro-Life.

No of course not. The extreme left and the extreme right can accomplish little on their own. Each group must court the middle to get a majority. That may suck but that's America and the sooner we all realize it the better ; )

[honeygrl]

"A parent, grandparent, sibling, cousin, aunt, uncle, etc has a much greater impact on the "behavior and attitudes of young people" than any other one item."

Some parents screw the kids up so badly though that they want it to be anyone's fault but their own.

[honeygrl]

""Just Damn" has officially achieved UTTERLY ANNOYING status along with: "

If you don't like it, don't be on the ping list. Some of us enjoy it though.

[rockfish59]

You know, second hand smoke causes extreme ugliness!

I know, and so am I!

Anyone got a pic of Ted Danson in 'black face?'