In an interview with Black Voices, Star Jones, not known for keeping things to herself, took a gentle swipe at Barbara Walters about being omitted from an ABC special on heart surgery. (Gentle swipe… is there such a thing as a gentle punch in the face? What I mean is, it wasn’t intentionally catty but made a point.)
Turns out BW did a special on heart surgery after her own… the program featured the likes of President Bill Clinton, David Letterman, Regis Philbin, Charlie Rose and Robin Williams. Other than Barbara, no other women (even though heart disease is the number one killer of women.)
It’s not all that surprising that Walters wouldn’t immediately think of ringing up Jones after all that drama between the two years back. But apparently Jones thinks in this case, the cause supercedes the dramz. (And it probably would have gotten more publicity with a reunion, come to think of it!)
Jones says:
Normally I would say: “Now, Jawn, don’t try to start anything.” However, this time it really isn’t about me, but about the new face of heart disease. This disease is no longer your old white man’s disease. It is the number one killer of women and the number one killer of African Americans. Heart disease kills more women and blacks than the next four causes of death combined. I had open heart surgery a little less than a year ago, and regardless if it was my “heart story” or someone else’s, by not being more inclusive, BW missed a tremendous opportunity to educate, inform and influence the actual people that cardiovascular disease is affecting.
It’s easy to point the crazy card at Star Jones, but I’ll admit she makes a valid point. If not her, then another woman of color would have been a fitting addition to bring attention to this serious health issue.
Wow. This got very serious. I think I’ll quickly do an additional post with a video of someone falling down or something about Lindsay Lohan. Just to make sure you don’t think I’m getting all sobering on you.