CNN’s D.L. Hughley Breaks the News, take two

Did D.L. Hughley make the necessary improvements to his comedic take on the headlines in his second week anchoring a CNN show? Judging by the clips of the Nov. 1-2 edition of D.L. Hughley Breaks the News that we can see online…well…for the monologue, Hughley is seated at a desk and tells your basic headline news jokes (better than last week), Hughley does have a meaningful discussion with the Rev. Al Sharpton (good), his video conference with Democratic campaign vet Donna Brazile sounds like a regular CNN segment, only with jokes (OK), talks to party planners about Election Night plans (fakery with comedian Hugh Fink as a McCain party planner, and Donnell Rawlings returns as the Obama party guy — it comes off as Daily Show lite), and there is another CNN Truth Squad interruption (video removed, possibly due to lameness). Let’s hope the rest of this episode is both reasonable and reasonably humorous.

Here is the Hughley-Sharpton exchange, in which Sharpton implores of the comedian: "You’ve got to perform now that you’re here." Other clips after the jump!

UPDATED: So here’s what else you may have missed. The monologue clip shown below cuts some jokes that didn’t quite work. On the plus side: Hughley’s interviews, when he plays it fairly straight but still acts as a comedian interviewing real people — Princeton Professor Andrew Appel on voting machine flaws, ACORN CEO Bertha Lewis, and 538 pollster Nate Silver — actually provide us with news and insight that CNN isn’t otherwise providing us during its regular political spin programming! But, a very very large minus side goes to ongoing attempts to inject fake news and "humor" into real CNN programming, with segments involving CNN’s Erica Hill and "undecided" Hughley viewers and the Truth Squad guy falling flatter than flat. Please, just stop. It’s bad enough watching CNN (or FOX or MSNBC) news personalities attempt to be funny off-the-cuff; even worse watching them intentionally parody themselves.

Sean L. McCarthy

Editor and publisher since 2007, when he was named New York's Funniest Reporter. Former newspaper reporter at the New York Daily News, Boston Herald and smaller dailies and community papers across America. Loves comedy so much he founded this site.

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3 thoughts on “CNN’s D.L. Hughley Breaks the News, take two

  1. I tried halfheartedly to get into this show, but it needs more time to gel before I’m willing to give it another shot. If it’s still on the air in a few months, I’m there.
    CNN also needs to hire some promo producers with some comedy experience. Those spots aren’t doing much to sell that show.

  2. The show is on point! huge improvements. fitting a comedian on cnn is not easy, but it is nice to see that everyone there is willing to help promote the show. It shows the family atmosphere in the work place. I hope the producers give this show time to develope, D.L. seems more relaxed when he feels he has nothing to loose. Almost like he’s relaxed.

  3. I am surprised at what this show brings, but it is VERY funny and smart. CNN took a chance and I think that it will greatly pay off.. I hope that it stays good and gets better with time.

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