WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) – Twitter exchanges between comedian Whoopi Goldberg and New Hanover County Commissioner Woody White continued Friday. The entertainer initiated the new exchange by responding to White’s request that she donate a portion of her $85,000 fee to perform at Cape Fear Community College later this year. White replied, calling for a truce.
First, here’s Goldberg’s statement.
Dear @WoodyWhite5, Thank u 4 ur interesting and informative response. I don’t normally discuss financial matters w/strangers but since a
a number was put out there by u, let’s discuss. Because of my tax bracket, about 50% of that fee will go to state and local taxes, 10%
2 folks who booked the show (agents), fees to 2 bus drivers & fuel. Also, I run a company & pay business managers, lawyers and 9
employees & more taxes for the business,. Understand I’ll never make enough money 2 b entitled 2 NOT pay my taxes. I tell u all of this 2
disabuse u of this idea that I don’t know what it’s like to work for a living or that somehow the work this school does would somehow
b lost on me. Perhaps if u look me up & saw me as a real person instead of just some stereotype u disagree with, you’d know how I live
my life and where I come from & it might help u find a more gracious way to solicit a donation. Unfortunately I won’t be able to do
more than perform because this is a quick trip that keeps my performance soul lubricated as being in just 1 place can feel constrained.
I’m thrilled 2 b invited 2perform. I keep my fingers crossed, that these exchanges between us have given u some insight into me. Whoop
White replied with the following statement:
@WhoopiGoldberg thank you for your comments and willingness to share more information. The last 24 hours has convinced me more than ever,
that the tone and tenor of how we all communicate is at an all/time low. It’s sad that we have all learned to disagree in
such a negative way. I am just as culpable as you, and many others. As I said yesterday, I do not agree with your political
views. And I have a right to say that, which I did. But my intentions were, instead, to really call attention to 2 things:
1)how higher education funding lines have blurred and grown over the years, and how this hurts local tax payr on fixed inc.
and 2) how colleges often lack balance in performances of left/right. As a fellow American I respect your right to speak
and earn$. But my job here in my small town is to try and stem the growth of our local budget. My personal views on the
value of your show are just personal. But my views on the millions our school has spent on this building are fiscal.
last tweet:
Perhaps we call truce: and then we both pledge to be more civil in our debate. Good luck with your show.
This all started when White questioned the decision to allow the comedian to perform at Cape Fear Community College.
Goldberg’s appearance, set for June 23, was announced earlier this week. In a Facebook post Wednesday night, White said he inquired with CFCC on whether taxpayers were subsidizing the comedian’s performance and whether the organization was planning to bring any conservative performers to the Wilson Center.
“Personally, I think having her here is a horrible idea – at a community college, especially,” White wrote on his Facebook page. “A school devoted to developing the workforce, and helping fill the labor gaps, provides a venue for someone who just a few weeks ago was moving to Canada in protest to Trumps election? Terrible.”
Later Wednesday, Goldberg responded to the article that appeared on the subject. She took to Twitter (@WhoopiGoldberg) with the following statement.
This appeared 2day & I want 2 set it str8
Well, if u r going 2 talk about me, get it right. I get that it’s 2 ur
advantage to remain ignorant of the facts but for what it’s worth I never said I would leave if Trump became President U can look it up
tho I don’t expect u will because if u were interested in facts or truth, u wouldn’t have had any basis for what u wrote about me.
That’s neither here nor there, but the fact that it would not occur to u that women & girls would be offended about the prospect of
someone who thinks grabbing women by the genitalia and also saying out loud “that if you are famous, woman will allow that kind of
thing then Im surprised u r OK w/ that & questioning me. It just makes me glad my mother raised me 2 know what is truly offensive. So
if nobody buys tkts, I won’t come, but u will lose all credibility as a 1st amendment guy – oh, wait, that’s not u – u’ll still be
known as the man excusing the bad behavior of another grown man who should’ve known better.
Commissioner White replied to Goldberg on Twitter (@WoodyWhite5) with the following statements.
I’m glad you took a few minutes to contact me. Thanks. I hope while you are here for 2 hours, earning 85k, that you will
have time to tour our community college vocational training classrooms and compare them to the arts center where
you will be performing. Maybe you’ll decide to donate some of that money to ease the pain inflicted on our local tax payers.
The President of CFCC, Dr. Amanda Lee, responded to White’s requests with information from the director of the Wilson Center, Shane Fernando. The cost of Goldberg’s performance will be covered by ticket sales, but will be subsidized by sales from other successful shows should ticket purchases fall short of expectations. That is unlikely, according to Fernando. Goldberg IS guaranteed $85,000 for her performance in June.
Fernando indicates the Wilson Center is pursuing The Beach Boys for a future performance. That group was a headliner at the Republican National Convention. Fernando also pointed out the recent appearance of Jordan Smith, the winner of NBC’s The Voice, who performs Christian music.
Tickets for Goldberg’s performance went on sale Friday.