D.L. Hughley's New Show on CNN Sucks!

Someone on CNN is on some special crack if they actually thought that giving D.L. Hughley a weekend show was a good idea.

I'm sitting here watching a repeat broadcast of the premier episode and had to pull out my laptop to tell you all not to make the same mistake. It's terrible. Not only is Hughley not funny, but the show's content consists almost entirely of one Black stereotype after another. CNN, I really expected more out of you. D.L. Hughley might be pushing the stereotypes, but I'm declaring you guilty by association. Such a shame.

Perhaps CNN was trying to boost ratings among Black households. If they were, then someone needs to explain to CNN that D.L. Hughley pretty much got his Black pass revoked a long time ago. He was granted a temporary pass back after the display of love he showed at Bernie's memorial service (widely circulated on YouTube), but most Black people were pretty much over him when he made the following remarks immediately after the Imus controversy, "Now they aren't 'hoes,' but there were some nappy-headed women on that team...Those are some of the ugliest women I've ever seen in my whole life." Really, Hughley? Wait. Let me not digress here.

The highlight of the CNN show was that former White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan announced his support of Barack Obama during a sit-down with Hughley and, for a brief moment, it looked like D.L. Hughley was actually going to indulge us with an intelligent, witty one on one. Note please that I said, "for a brief moment" as that little piece of grace was too short-lived to redeem the other 55 minutes CNN wasted on Hughley's Tom Foolery.

In another interview, as Hughley poked fun at the brilliant, African-American astrophysicist Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson, it was clear that he couldn't keep up with the Doctor's explanation of Apophis (a meteor expected to hit earth in 2029). So what does he do? He "attempts" a few more jokes (asks the Doctor if he ever just gets a "chick", drinks "some wine" and gets "little bit") and then asks the Doctor if the failed UPN equally buffoonish series, Homeboys From Outer Space, will ever be back on the air. Clearly, Hughley was out of his element sitting face to face on CNN with Doctor Tyson. Seems Hughley is far more comfortable with stereotypical Blacks and since Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson doesn't dine at that level, Hughley opted instead to cut, for a second time in the show, to a clip of a very young Sammy Davis, Jr. portraying a Black president while dancing and singing with a greasy pork chop in one hand. You can't make this stuff up, folks. In the same clip shown earlier, Sammy is surrounded by his Black presidential advisors who, you guessed it, are also dancing with greasy pork chops in hand. At his swearing in ceremony, he promises that all pork chops will be offered free of charge during his presidency. What the...? I would expect this from Fox, but CNN?

Now I understand Hughley is supposed to be a comedian, but you're not a very clever comedian when every joke in your repertoire spews a Black stereotype. My skin is pretty thick when it comes to these things, so if I was uncomfortable, I'm warning you now CNN to be prepared for the "Blacklash".

For those of you who missed the Hughley show on CNN, be happy that you didn't have to sit through the "Freddie Mack" satire (a Black pimp who gave his "colorful" commentary on the present economic crisis and described Obama as a fellow pimp...I'm sure Fox is going to run far with that one). "Freddie Mack" also managed to weave in a phrase about how a "b_tch better have his money". Predictable and still tasteless. Be grateful that you also missed the Black housekeeper threatening her elderly White Jewish employer to vote for Obama or she'd have to clean her "clock". Or Hughley reporting that, instead of affordable healthcare, all Americans would be forced to get gold grills for their teeth if they elected a certain candidate. In Hughley's very Wayan-esque comedy on CNN, there was also talk about cars being powered by energy generated by spinning rims. Pimps, hoes, pork chops, gold grills and spinning rims. Wow. Just wow. Proving that he'll do almost anything for a paycheck, D.L. Hughley thoroughly disappointed this viewer and took CNN down with him.

Understanding that CNN was probably looking to create something along the lines of SNL's now infamous political satires or a show that could compete with Comedy Central's successful political comedy shows; but of all the brilliant comics out there who are actually able to do political satire...CNN tapped a King of Comedy? No offense to Steve Harvey, Cedric the Entertainer or Bernie (RIP) Mac, but none of these gentlemen are exactly known for their political or intellectual humor. Hello? CNN, why would you think that a King was right for the job? Personally, though, I have to admit that I didn't even think D.L. Hughley belonged on the Kings of Comedy bill. See, this dude really isn't all that funny. I mean, he's average in that run of the mill sort of way that you can find at any comedy club on any given night. He can get a laugh or two at times and his sitcom was decent, but he doesn't exactly stand out in a comedy crowd. In fact, I can recall watching him perform in clubs when he was still an unknown and let's just say that I never in the land of ever imagined he'd get as far as he has. I give him props for what he's managed, though. Seems that a carefully crafted image gets you quite far in Hollywood, indeed.

As we're entering the Obama era, I have noticed more Black pundits and other experts than I ever knew existed. I'm not going to ask CNN where they all were before Obama took the scene by storm. No, we'll save that one for another time. But now that the cat is out of the bag and America knows that Black people really do have intelligent, expert opinions, is this really the best that you could do in tagging Hughley. for this spot?( Hint to CNN: Hughley even failed on BET. Do you know how bad you have to be to bomb on BET?)

Heck, Donna Brazile is funny. CNN, why not give her a show? Or what about Roland Martin? Neither of them are comedians, but if you're looking for a Black person to be the new face of a more relaxed "unfiltered" CNN show, I'm sure they could pull it off a lot better than Mr. Hughley attempted to this evening.

Basically, CNN, the show was a nice concept, but D.L. Hughley just isn't the one. Until you can come up with something better, we insist that you leave political comedy up to the other guys. And if you can't do that, well, we'll just turn to the other guys every Saturday during the Hughley timeslot.