# Rev. Al on Whitney Houston--WTF?? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 14, 2012, 11:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rev-al-on-whitney-houston-wtf/612805 "2012-02-14T11:02:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 11:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rev-al-on-whitney-houston-wtf/612805/1 "2012-02-14T11:02:41Z")
So I heard Al Sharpton on MSNBC last night (I was just home from work and removing my workclothes and making my dinner–don’t give me a hard time) and he was rattling on about Whitney Houston, just like everyone else in the broadcasting industry, but he had a somewhat unusual theme: the cause of her sad story is “Society.” (Sorry, no link, I did a half-assed search and couldn’t find a transcript.) I have no idea how “Society” could be responsible for Whitney Houston’s death. Even Rev. Al seemed clueless–he kept explaining how he had no idea how to fix “Society” so future Whitney Houstons could be kept alive longer, but that didn’t stop the little retard from repeating his inane cliched point. I suspect any cure for “Society” would have involved a rule or a law or a position of some kind that would restrict junkies from getting their hands on drugs, and that would have undermined some of Rev. Al’s most sacred civil-libertarian views. I mean the woman was a lifelong stone junkie, putting shit up her nose, in her veins, down her throat with reckless disregard and a bottomless wallet–how were we expected to prevent that without trampling on her freedom considerably? And probably failing at preventing shit, anyway. So I pit Sharpton for making me follow his tortured logic for 15 minutes last night. I probably should have put on music instead of MSNBC. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rev-al-on-whitney-houston-wtf/612805/2 "2012-02-14T13:31:47Z")
[Man in Black]It’s possible. Society kills a lot of people.[/Man in Black] ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rev-al-on-whitney-houston-wtf/612805/3 "2012-02-14T13:33:44Z")
So “Rev Al” weighed in on Whiney’s demise? Surprise! “Whitey” is always to blame! I’m sure old Al could tie her death to slavery, or prejudice, or…or…anything but personal responsibility. Who listens to this creep? ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rev-al-on-whitney-houston-wtf/612805/4 "2012-02-14T13:48:27Z")
Ralph–I bow to no rightwing nutjob in my general contempt for Sharpton, but I’ve been mildly surprised by the rationality of some of his points as I’ve tuned into his show on occasion (I get home at 6 PM, and he’s what’s on MSNBC), so much so that I found it mildly surprising to hear him ranting last night in a way that made no rational sense. Which is why I Pitted him–I suspect you would like to Pit him just for being alive, and require no specific acts on his part. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rev-al-on-whitney-houston-wtf/612805/5 "2012-02-14T13:53:22Z")
[![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3IaYucXhXo) Comedian Joey Diaz talking to Joe Rogan about selling a shitload of cocaine to Whitney Houston around 1998. This was shot and posted long before her death. It is amazing she lived this long. It wasn’t society that bought her the coke or the other drugs. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rev-al-on-whitney-houston-wtf/612805/6 "2012-02-14T13:55:25Z")
It is a shame how society treats gorgeous rich talented women. They just can’t get a break! ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rev-al-on-whitney-houston-wtf/612805/7 "2012-02-14T13:55:51Z")
And I thought I was 95% joking in [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=14765119#post14765119). I guess Al agrees with Mick on this one. ---
**Author:** ![Vicullum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/6de8d8/32.png) [@Vicullum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vicullum)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rev-al-on-whitney-houston-wtf/612805/8 "2012-02-14T13:59:06Z")
Why does anyone still listen to that race-baiting media whore? ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rev-al-on-whitney-houston-wtf/612805/9 "2012-02-14T14:01:19Z")
> [@Vicullum](#): > > Why does anyone still listen to that race-baiting media whore? Like I said, he’s on at 6 PM when I get home, and the TV is tuned to MSNBC (from Morning Joe when I leave for work) when I turn it on. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rev-al-on-whitney-houston-wtf/612805/10 "2012-02-14T14:30:56Z")
I saw him on one of the talk shows this weekend. He’s either getting healthy by losing weight, or he’s a sick man from the looks of it. ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rev-al-on-whitney-houston-wtf/612805/11 "2012-02-14T15:27:47Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > I saw him on one of the talk shows this weekend. He’s either getting healthy by losing weight, or he’s a sick man from the looks of it. He lost weight years ago, so if it’s a disease, it’s a slow one. As an aside, Sharpton is surprisingly knowledgeable about politics and issues. I use MSNBC as a radio station while I work sometimes and he isn’t terrible as a host. ---
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rev-al-on-whitney-houston-wtf/612805/12 "2012-02-14T15:34:58Z")
Many people like to bask in an a vage warm feeling of victimhood and martyrdom by proxy. Sharpton deliveres just that. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rev-al-on-whitney-houston-wtf/612805/13 "2012-02-14T15:37:02Z")
> [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](#): > > Ralph–I bow to no rightwing nutjob in my general contempt for Sharpton, but I’ve been mildly surprised by the rationality of some of his points as I’ve tuned into his show on occasion (I get home at 6 PM, and he’s what’s on MSNBC), so much so that I found it mildly surprising to hear him ranting last night in a way that made no rational sense. Which is why I Pitted him–I suspect you would like to Pit him just for being alive, and require no specific acts on his part. Quite the contrary-how about Sharpton’s disgraceful record? Tawana Brawley comes to mind-you may recall that he caused the suicide of a man over Brawley’s lies. Or the riots in Harlem, in which several people were injured, and a man killed. Yeah, I guess remembering this criminal past makes one “a right wing nutjob”. Sharpton is a lying, morally bankrupt POS. He should not be a figure given any respect. ---
**Author:** ![Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omg_a_Black_Conservative)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rev-al-on-whitney-houston-wtf/612805/14 "2012-02-14T15:43:02Z")
Al Sharpton is a race baiter. I don’t know why people listen to him or treat him seriously. ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rev-al-on-whitney-houston-wtf/612805/15 "2012-02-14T15:46:06Z")
> [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](#): > > Al Sharpton is a race baiter. I don’t know why people listen to him or treat him seriously. So the guy who chose _OMG a Black Conservative_ as a handle is calling someone else a race baiter. Hrm. Interesting. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rev-al-on-whitney-houston-wtf/612805/16 "2012-02-14T15:55:53Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > Surprise! “Whitey” is always to blame! “Society” isn’t the same thing as “Whitey.” And I guess mis-blaming everybody is still better than mis-blaming just Crown Heights Jews. ---
**Author:** ![Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omg_a_Black_Conservative)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rev-al-on-whitney-houston-wtf/612805/17 "2012-02-14T16:00:48Z")
> [@Lobohan](#): > > So the guy who chose _OMG a Black Conservative_ as a handle is calling someone else a race baiter. Hrm. Interesting. …Yeah… So where you looking for a serious answer or the metaphorical eye roll? ---
**Author:** ![Vita\_Beata](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/a9a28c/32.png) [@Vita\_Beata](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vita_Beata)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rev-al-on-whitney-houston-wtf/612805/18 "2012-02-14T16:03:39Z")
> [@Revtim](#): > > It is a shame how society treats gorgeous rich talented women. They just can’t get a break! Cue that haircolor (?) commercial: “Don’t hate me because my hair is beeyoutiful!” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rev-al-on-whitney-houston-wtf/612805/19 "2012-02-14T16:07:24Z")
Al’s a good guy. I wouldn’t call him a race-baiter when he stands up against outrages like the Arizona Show Me Your Papers Law, or when he stands up against anti-Muslim bigotry, or when he stands up for women’s rights, or for unions, or for any number of progressive causes. So our resident Oreo thinks he’s a race-baiter. I’d take that as a compliment if I was him. If you can provoke outrage from that lot, good for Sharpton. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rev-al-on-whitney-houston-wtf/612805/20 "2012-02-14T16:21:53Z")
You know what I blame this on the breakdown of? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rev-al-on-whitney-houston-wtf/612805.md?page=2)