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Monday, October 27, 2008
10/27: D.L. Hughley debuts comedy show on CNN, photo of Robin Meade & Regular Guys
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
D.L. Hughley is attempting to inject humor into the normally staid and serious CNN mold with his show “Breaking the News,” which debuted Saturday. Naturally, the opener was a mixed bag, lacking the timing and precision of Jon Stewart, the smoothness of Leno, the archness of Letterman. Then again, Hughley is new at this and it will take time for him to find his place. (CNN has committed to a year’s worth of shows.)
Hughley opened with a monologue, riffing off the news. His first stab was not nearly as good as his better peers but then again, this was his first stab. One note: he has a bad habit of laughing at his own jokes, even if the small audience didn’t.
Typical joke: “Barack Obama has raised $710 million. Wow! A brother with that type of money and he doesn’t even have a shoe deal!”
Hughley was supplemented by various CNN on-air personalities. Josh Levs, part of the “truth squad,” pretended to take Hughley’s jokes seriously. At one point, when Hughley says a joke was a joke, Levs said, “Here at CNN Center in Atlanta, we call that lying.” “Wait a minute, I’m a comedian!” “Liar,” Levs said.
Other moments: a guy dressed as a pimp pretending to be “Freddie Mac,” which is not actually a person but the federal home loan operation that has been bailed out for problem mortgages. “The politicians are the pimps and the voters are their ho’s,” “Freedie Mack” said, which got a rise out of the small audience.
He also interviewed Ali Velshi, the CNN business correspondent, and Maryline Blackburn, who beat Sarah Palin in the MIss Alaska pageant in 1984. “Black person in Alaska. Were you in the witness protection program?” Hughley said. She’s an Obama supporter but said she recalls Palin as a tough cookie who speaks well, but criticized her for lack of substance.
He shows a review of black presidents through the years in film including “President Sammy Davis Jr.” from a film decades ago. He includes Morgan Freeman presiding over the destruction of the U.S. thanks to a comet (“Deep Impact”) Hughley segued this by talking to Neil deGrasse Tyson, the director of the Hayden Planetarium, who says an asteroid might be on its way to Earth in 2029. Hughley did like to make black jokes a lot. The Hayden Planetarium guy says black folks won’t suffer as much when a supernova fries everybody. “Black skin protects you from a nova,” Hughley cracks. “Black skin does not protect you from the police!”
He also got Scott McClellan, former Bush spokesman, to say he’s endorsing Barack Obama. “If I only get 60 million more people,” Hughley said.
And he took advantage of the reach of CNN by talking to correspondents in Russia, China and India. The Indian correspondent, when asked about our presidential race, said, “90 percent of Indians polled said they don’t care. We have too much going on here.”
- And here’s a shot I took of a couple of Regular Guys (Eric Von Haessler and “Southside” Steve Rickman) and CNN morning host Robin Meade before the NASCAR race at the Atlanta Motor Speedway Sunday. My observation: Dagmar Midcap — you have competition!
