Chuck Woolery, 78, is the co-host of a conservative podcast called Blunt Force Truth and a former game show presenter on programs including Love Connection and Wheel of Fortune.
Google searches for Woolery spiked on August 20, 2019, and he was trending on Twitter after posting a message about race the previous day.
In the tweet, Woolery appeared to downplay the significance and impact of racism in the United States. He wrote that racism was merely a political tool used by the “progressive left” in order to “hold on to the Black Vote.”
Here’s what you need to know.
1. Chuck Woolery Wrote on Twitter That ‘Racism Has Nothing To Do With Race’
RACISM HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH RACE. Racism is the Progressive Left crying out for attention. If you disagree with the ProgressiveLeft. They consider you a Racist. They are desperate to hold on to the Black Vote.
Chuck Woolery posted on Twitter during the morning of August 19, “RACISM HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH RACE. Racism is the Progressive Left crying out for attention. If you disagree with the ProgressiveLeft. They consider you a Racist. They are desperate to hold on to the Black Vote.”
It took about 24 hours before the tweet really began to catch on and spread around the internet, based on Google Trends. The name “Chuck Woolery” was trending on Twitter during the afternoon of August 20.
His post prompted more than 17,000 comments, most of which appear to either mock or criticize Woolery’s position. A few people posted the Merriam-Webster dictionary definition of racism, which reads “a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race.”
Author Kurt Eichenwald posted a black-and-white photo of a lynching in his response, writing, “Yah, nothing to do with race. This photo was taken not long before you were born. It was made into very popular post cards that were likely still circulating when you were a toddler. But yah, this hatred that back then was used to justify murder is just – POOF! – gone.”
Comedian Cyrus McQueen responded, “Yup, sounds like something a racist would say… ?”
Author Craig Rozniecki wrote in the comments, “Racism: prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against someone of a different race based on the belief that one’s own race is superior. Yet this has nothing to do with race. See how stupid that sounds? Actually, you probably don’t…”
@PauletteParis1 mocked, “Humanity has nothing to do with humans! Certainly nothing to do with you…”
There are a few comments from people who expressed support for Woolery. For example, @carrieksada wrote, “I love you Chuck. You are bold and unafraid. We need warriors like you. Thank you for fighting for America. Thank you for fighting for freedom.”
@LivethLifeULove wrotem “I am so proud of you, you hit a nerve and now you are trending. Seems like the truth hit some people pretty hard. I wonder if they avoid mirrors, both to avoid looking themselves in the eye and because they are such vampires trying to feed on the American people.”
2. Chuck Woolery is Best Known as a TV Game Show Host
Chuck Woolery had a long career as a television game show host. In 1975, he became the first host of Wheel of Fortune when it launched on NBC. He remained on the show for seven years. His replacement, Pat Sajak, took over in 1981 and has been the host ever since.
Between 1983 and 1994, Woolery hosted more than 2,100 episodes of Love Connection. On the dating series, the audience would select a match for the contestant, who would return to talk about how the date went.
Woolery hosted a talk show that debuted in 1991 called the Chuck Woolery Show. It aired on CBS for 65 episodes, according to IMDB.
Woolery’s hosting resume includes programs including The Big Spin; Scrabble; The Home and Family Show; The Dating Game; Greed; and Lingo. Woolery also made multiple appearances as a panelist on Hollywood Squares.
3. Chuck Woolery Pursued a Career as a Singer & Actor Before Becoming a Host
Early in his career, Chuck Woolery had a desire to find success as a musician. On the website for his current podcast, Woolery wrote in the bio that “being in front of an audience simply came naturally” to him as a young man.
Woolery helped to launch the musical group called The Avante-Garde in 1967. He and fellow singer Elkin “Bubba” Fowler’s music was described as “psychedelic pop.” Their single “Naturally Stoned” reached the #40 spot on Billboard’s Hot 100 list in 1968. But the band never released a full album before breaking up.
Woolery also pursued acting while he continued to sing as a solo musician. According to IMDB, his TV credits included roles on “New Zoo Revue,” “Love, American Style” and a movie called “The Treasure of Jamaica Reef” in 1974.
After finding success as a TV game show host, Woolery had guest appearances in TV series including “Scrubs,” “Drop Dead Diva,” and “The Roseanne Show.”
4. Woolery Describes Himself as a ‘Hollywood Conservative’ & Political Activist
Nicholas Giordano (@PASReport) discusses the large number of college students who have little knowledge about the U.S. Constitution. Find out more on this episode of #BFT. t.co/rWyzfI2JQA
Chuck Woolery is the co-host of a conservative podcast called “Blunt Force Truth” alongside Mark Young. On the website, Woolery explained on his bio that he was inspired to start talking publicly about politics in the lead-up to the 2012 election.
His bio states that Woolery wanted to “speak out about the problems plaguing the country. He decided to go against the grain and ‘come out’ publicly as a rare Conservative in the entertainment industry, without aligning himself specifically with any political party or candidate.”
The podcast is described as a venue in which Woolery examines “current events and politics through his no-nonsense, conservative perspective.” For example, the episode published on August 19, 2019 featured political science professor Nicholas Giordano to discuss the “failed education system.” The summary on the website includes, “Chuck and Mark kick off by asking Nicholas about the current push by the left to forgive student debt. They discuss how today’s generation comes out of college feeling entitled and unwilling to make sacrifices, which has led to our growing student debt issue… They finish up with why the Democrats’ control of media is causing younger generations to be ignorant of what is truly going on in the world. They discuss how older generations are much better educated, even if they did not complete the same level of education of today’s generation.”
5. Chuck Woolery Has Been Married Four Times & Has Six Children
Host Chuck Woolery (L) talks to Cara (C) and Carmella, Playboy Playmates who were contestants on the gameshow “Lingo” October 17, 2003.
Chuck Woolery has been married four times. His first marriage was to Margaret Hayes in 1961, when he was 20 years old. According to People, they had three children together: Cary, Katherine and Chad. His son, whose full name was Charles Daniel Woolery, died in early 1986 at the age of 19 in a motorcycle crash in Bel-Air, California.
Woolery’s first marriage ended in divorce. He married actress Jo Ann Pflug in 1972. The union lasted about eight years and produced another daughter named Melissa.
Woolery was married to Teri Nelson from 1985 until 2004. They had two sons together named Michael and Sean.
Woolery’s current wife is Kim Barnes, whom he wed in 2006 in a small Las Vegas ceremony.
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