Told You So

It was too easy to predict this, and it's unfair to call attention to it, but I've gotta say... I told you so.

I said last week that we'd hear all sorts of absurd comments about the firing of Whoopi Goldberg. Let's see what people are saying...

Michael Paul Williams of the Richmond Times-Dispatch writes: "People who exercise their First Amendment right and criticize the Bush administration are liable to be called a traitor or a terrorist. The new political correctness calls for you to support the president - or else."

Sorry, Mr. Williams, this had nothing to do with President Bush. This had to do with tens of thousands of SlimFast customers who were offended and disgusted by the spokesperson hired by the company. The only sensible thing the company could do was let her go. It's about business, not politics, you idiot.

Diversity promoter Asa Khalif said, "I smell racism from beginning to end... SlimFast must realize that black women have every right to voice their views."

And, Mr. Khalif, SlimFast has every right to choose who they do and don't want representing their company. Apparently, they don't want a spokesperson who might alienate half their customer base.

On the other hand, the New York Daily News editorial page seems to have a clear idea of what's going on: "Whoopi Goldberg has every right to her embarrassingly witless political observations... And SlimFast has every right to dump a shill who's maybe not good for business... Goldberg is no victim. Just somebody who got rude and was asked to leave the table."

And one of my favorite comments comes from Paul Mulshine of the Newark, New Jersey Star-Ledger: "If this is now a country where diet- product companies are no longer enlisting artists and writers to pitch their products, then it is a better country than it was seven days ago. Perhaps we are making progress toward the day when no American who wishes to be taken seriously will ever be seen pitching a product."