The Root Explains ‘Why Black People Love Charlie Sheen:’ We Know ‘Crackheads’

by Mark Joyella | 11:42 am, March 4th, 2011

» 14 comments

Here’s a fresh angle on the Charlie Sheen saga: according to Natalie Hopkinson at The Root, Sheen’s “a new celebrity crackhead on the scene, and some folks can barely contain their glee.” Quoting a series of influential–and, yes, funny–black comics and stars like Floyd Mayweather, Tichina Arnold and Elon James White, Hopkinson concludes “it’s as if all of black Twitter and Facebook strained its collective neck to watch this 50-car pileup that is Charlie Sheen explode all over the mass media.”

How does Charlie Sheen earn a spot next to “fallen black cracked-out icons pimped for ratings” like Whitney Houston and Marion Barry? It’s the “perverse thrill” in watching him:

No one knows how unfunny addiction is more than black people. It’s a tragic disease that devastates families and whole communities. We know crackheads. They are our neighbors. They are in our families. We are the ones who invented laughing to stop from crying over it. That’s why even the cracked-out panhandler I just passed in traffic was shaking his head, no doubt finding some comfort and solace that someone is more self-destructive than he is.

Charlie Sheen, Natalie Hopkinson, The Root

skyfet

Whats the point in identifying with a Junkie, whatever color they are.
justanotherconservative

like, what is the point of this article?? how moronic.
Sean68

Blacks have particular empathy for suffering blacks but whites do not show particular empathy for suffering whites. Maybe white do have more empathy for other whites but have been conditioned not to express it.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/04/100426182002.htm

Another interesting stuy–this one from the University of Florida–shows that black people experience pain more severely when the person inflicting it is white than non-white.

http://news.ufl.edu/2001/05/02/ethnic-pain/
goldmind

The only thing to love about Charlie, is his well-thought-out-road-to-self-annihilation. He comes from a genetic cesspool of degenerate clowns. Thus, the attraction to the Hollyweird tradition. Freaks, abound in this network of theatrical bi-polarites. In spite of their many flaws and contradictions, they have become the yardstick by which far too many Americans craft their lifestyles. It’s a tragic testimonial, of how low a once purpose driven nation can stoop. When people like Lady Goo Goo, Justin Birdbrain, 50 Cent and scores of other circus players can captivate a nation…there are issues. i think it is safe to say, we have become a degenerate country. With so many vitally important problems to address in our midst, how does Sheen fit into the equation? Why is the “red carpet” soaked in the blood of our soldiers not in the headlines? Or, hungry American children? Instead, people are more content,examining the weave on Trump’s balding skull…or thirsting for the pharmaceutical wisdoms of Dr Odd. This has become, a Humpty Dumpty dilemma…and nothing will be able to put us back together again.
http://gordonbloyershow.com gordonbloyershow

Then blacks should like Olbermann and Matthews too?
notsofast

I heard that when Oprah went up the stairs, people looking up saw 100 pounds of crack on her!
http://rtcportraitsandmore.com Tcopper

Whitney told everyone “Only poor people do crack.” Well, I, who was once a bartender at a popular white club, know for a fact that’s a lie. Most of the crack heads, and pill poppers I know where mostly white. Isn’t the right Rush Limbaugh?
ProObamaAgenda

gordonbloyershow said:
Then blacks should like Olbermann and Matthews too?

leave it to you to add total ignorance to the discussion…..u dumb a hole
ProObamaAgenda

gordonbloyershow said:
Then blacks should like Olbermann and Matthews too?

you never fail to disapoint me….youve got to be the dumbest whiteman on earth….kkk shitheads like you are sickening
Sean68

Tcopper said:
Whitney told everyone “Only poor people do crack.” Well, I, who was once a bartender at a popular white club, know for a fact that’s a lie. Most of the crack heads, and pill poppers I know where mostly white. Isn’t the right Rush Limbaugh?

I did crack when I was in high school. This was even before it became popularly known as “crack.” Back then we called rock cocaine “hubbas.” Maybe this was just a Bay Area thing.
njoy-d-ride

Sean68, I think you’re too much into this whole black and white pain thing. and there are other races of man besides Caucasoid and Negroid.

ProObamaAgenda, you also add total ignorance to the discussion with your language. Is this really how you want to be seen?
Gasket

Sean68 said:
Blacks have particular empathy for suffering blacks but whites do not show particular empathy for suffering whites. Maybe white do have more empathy for other whites but have been conditioned not to express it.

http://news.ufl.edu/2001/05/02/ethnic-pain/

I will agree with this. Whites generally don’t like showing discomfort about ugly situations in public. Blacks on the most hand are not shy about showing it. (Blacks and whites referred to are Americans or those who have lived in US long enough to assimilate and acclimate to local cultural mores)

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/04/100426182002.htm

Another interesting stuy–this one from the University of Florida–shows that black people experience pain more severely when the person inflicting it is white than non-white.

Society conditioning.
chicgoods10

===== http://www.chic-goods.com/ =====

===== http://www.chic-goods.com/ =====
Montecore

Sean68 said:
Blacks have particular empathy for suffering blacks

Oh give me a friggin break! If black have so much empathy for suffering blacks then why are there so many black drug dealers selling black people drugs? Addiction plays no part in color, nationality, stupid, smart, rich or poor people! And please don’t anyone use that tired excuse that black people have no other choice either.

Go to any 12 step meeting that deals with addiction of alcohol or drugs in any major city and you will find young, old, different nationalities and color. You will find veterans of different wars and people who have been in prison or jail. You will find writers, producers, lawyers, doctors and law officers. Yet no matter what their income is and despite their differences, they have one goal in common: that is to remain clean and sober. They are the winners and people like sheen are the losers but are afraid to admit it.