On a very special Maury…. Who the Baby Daddy?

Once in a while a news story comes along that completely and utterly has me in tears laughing from the surrealism of it. Such was the breaking story about Al Sharpton’s ancestors allegedly being owned by the family of that paragon of tolerance…. Strom Thurmond. Sharpton is demanding DNA testing to see if they share the same blood-line.

You be the judge - Is there a family resemblence? I want *that* family reunion as an HBO special!

You remember Strom…. that ancient Senator from South Carolina who conducted the longest filibuster ever conducted by a United States Senator in opposition to the Civil Rights Act of 1957.

One 1948 speech included the following:

“I wanna tell you, ladies and gentlemen, that there's not enough troops in the army to force the Southern people to break down segregation and admit the nigra race into our theaters, into our swimming pools, into our homes, and into our churches. “ Shortly after Thurmond's death on June 26, 2003, Essie Mae Washington-Williams publicly revealed that she was Strom Thurmond's illegitimate daughter. She was born to an African American maid, Carrie "Tunch" Butler (1909–1947), on October 12, 1925, when Butler was 16 and Thurmond was 22.

Apparently, he had no problem admitting himself into (as he would say) “them”.

Next... on a very special episode of Maury.......