Anthropologist says Shakespeare might have smoked marijuana

Minneapolis-St. Paul Star-Tribune ^ | 5/4/03 | Peg Meier

[MikalM]

To toke or not to toke? That is one question.

Several 17th-century clay pipes found at the site of William Shakespeare's home were used to smoke marijuana, a South African anthropologist says. Although he has no proof that the Bard was the guy who smoked the pipes, he surmises that some of Shakespeare's sonnets and plays also lend credence to the possibility that the writer smoked marijuana for inspiration.

[Aracelis]

Oh no! The Bard's been bagged!

[Terpfen]

So Shakespeare inhaled, did he?

This explains some of his plays. Particularly Othello.

[wardaddy]

Well, if it was plain ol Kansas style rope hemp, it'll only get you high if you climb the rope.

Voice of experience here kids.

[crazykatz]

The article says.....Although there is NO proof.....

These idiots are so trying. If you don't have proof shut the heck up!!

[TrebleRebel]

...he surmises that some of Shakespeare's sonnets and plays also lend credence to the possibility that the writer smoked marijuana for inspiration.

I wonder how many students have had to smoke marijuana in order to study those sonnets and plays...

[Texas Eagle]

"Cursed be he who moves my bones."

(GASP!) Could this be another veiled reference? Did Shakespeare play ........yahtzee?

[Texas Eagle]

The article says.....Although there is NO proof.....

Obviously this guy is no Jayson Blair.

[The Hon. Galahad Threepwood]

I am in bud
Stepp'd in so far that, should I wade no more,
Returning were as tedious as go o'er.

[BenR2]

His aunt may have had balls, too, but . . . . we really don't know, do we?

[Sonny M]

The article says.....Although there is NO proof.....

I had to scroll back up and see if this was from the NY Times.

[Maximum Leader]

A better question would be, did the Earl of Oxford smoked pot?
:o)

[Arkinsaw]

Somebody ask Joe Sobran if this is true.

[jejones]

Well, Sobran would say that it was Edward de Vere who was toking, wouldn't he? :)

[Charles Henrickson]

"Dude, wherefore art thou?"

[Charles Henrickson]

"To be or. . . . What was the question?"

[Slings and Arrows]

Several 17th-century clay pipes found at the site of William Shakespeare's home were used to smoke marijuana, a South African anthropologist says.

"You're a very silly man, and I'm not going to interview you."

[Behind Liberal Lines]

So this is what journalism has come to.

A headline that says something "might" have happened, and a sentence buried in the article that "there is no proof."

What's next?

Headlines like "Elvis MIGHT be alive," "John Kerry MIGHT be a shaved bigfoot," "George W. Bush MIGHT have been abducted by aliens"?

Talk about turning mainstream into tabloid journalism.

[dark_lord]

Two [pipe fragments] also showed evidence of cocaine.

Yeah, must be space aliens running that cocaine processing and transport to England back 400 years ago.

[AxelPaulsenJr]

One of Will's descendants is still keeping up the family tradition.