RantCrush Top 5: January 6, 2017

New Hanover County Board of Commissioners Chairman Woody White ranted yesterday after Cape Fear Community College in North Carolina announced it would have Whoopi Goldberg perform later this year. It seemed like the commissioner took offense to the idea that the school would pay a liberal celebrity. “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 [Trump’s] election? Terrible.”

It didn’t take long for the school to respond that Whoopi’s pay would be fully covered by ticket sales, and for the celebrity to hit back on Twitter:

(2/9) Well, if u r going 2 talk about me, get it right. I get that it’s 2 ur

— Whoopi Goldberg (@WhoopiGoldberg) January 5, 2017

(3/9)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

— Whoopi Goldberg (@WhoopiGoldberg) January 5, 2017

(4/9) 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.

— Whoopi Goldberg (@WhoopiGoldberg) January 5, 2017

A lot of people stood up for Whoopi on social media and also questioned why, if White was really concerned about the taxpayer issue, he didn’t bring it up directly with the school in private rather than invite controversy by writing a Facebook status.

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.