I never got it, but then again the whole concept of "infotainment" eludes me anyway. Apparently, D.L. Hughley's ill conceived "news" show on CNN has met with an inglorious end. Bourbon and Branch Water grieves with the brother for having failed, but applauds the decision. (here's where I tip my glass of bourbon for the show "that ain't here" --cue the music..."it's so hard to say goodbye to yesterday...")
Feeble attempts to mix the late and lamented Dave Chappelle Show with actual news, such as what the entire country was forced to endure with Hughley's show, will always suffer the birth defects of such an inappropriate union. Great satire like Chappelle's and that found on the venerable Saturday Night Live, have an enduring quality, that is born of genius, and which enriches the culture by making people think -- even as they laugh. Hughley's show made me by turns, angry, embarrassed and bewildered that anybody thought that this Frankenstein monster of a show would make good television, either as news or entertainment.
Television news can be smart, informative and engaging without resorting to awkward and sensationalistic variety show tactics. Witness Keith Olbermann and Rachel Maddow, who completely get it, in my view, and are the true trail blazers in the way news analysis should be done in the 21st century. The Daily Show and Colbert (almost 100% satire) are a different animal completely. Hughley tried to combine the two genre's with disastrous results.
Can an African American do it? Of course, with the right concept, writing and production. Tavis Smiley could do it in a heart beat. Michelle Martin of NPR and dozens of other Black journalists, political professionals and the like would be instant rock stars, uhh hip hop stars. This blogger, I might add, would be terrific. (I'm available, call me.)
To my fellow African-Americans, if you're wondering, as would any self respecting Black person who has been alive for more than five years, if D.L. was set up to fail -- on this one, don't waste your valuable and frequently appropriate Black rage. The flaw of this show was congenital and D.L. can't deny his parentage.
D.L. should go back to comedy, something at which he is particularly talented. Let the news, as boring as some people make it, be the news.
I watched DL's show once. It was too painful, and not worth staying up for. They need to give the slot to a new face.
ReplyDeleteYou're not suggesting that Tavis could do satire, are you? That man, bless his heart, takes himself too seriously.
i never got into the show. saw it once. it seemed kinda weird & not as savvy as one would have thought.i think Chris Rock could pull it off (he sorta did it something similar w/ his old HBO show).
ReplyDeletei DO heart Olbermann. he is the perfect mix of top notch intelligence that doesn't take himself too seriously.