Blame it on Jon Stewart. We love the guy, but the success of “The Daily Show” seems to be sending traditional news executives into a jealous frenzy — and people who tune in to CNN for hard news will be the poorer for it. Of course, the blurring of TV news and entertainment is an old story. But now CNN is dragging things to a new low. The network announced this week that it has tapped comedian D.L. Hughley to host a new show featuring his comedic take on everything from politics to entertainment. (What? they’re not the same? Ain’t that a kick in the head!) “Hughley Breaks The News” (working title) premieres Oct. 25. It will air on Saturdays at 10 p.m. (ET) and replay on Sundays at 10 p.m.
CNN could be forgiven for trying to sprinkle some of Stewart’s mojo into its programming (which has been rather erratic the last few years, well, ever since Fox News started to dust CNN in ratings earlier this decade). But Stewart’s show appears on Comedy Central. And the last time we checked, CNN was still a legitimate news organization and not a vehicle for celebrity shtick. CNN ought to be ashamed of itself. But since shame has gone the way of the Edsel, that’s simply a nonstarter.
I’ve got nothing against Hughley. (I heard him on Howard Stern’s show once, and he seemed very well-informed.) Nevertheless, he’s hopping on the cynical track that CNN has laid down for him and thereby giving CNN a hand in abrogating its responsibility. (Yes, even if it’s for just two hours a week.) Levity and wit have their place on cable news, but not like this.
If the suits at CNN’s parent company, Time Warner, really want to do Hughley a favor they should carve a niche for him on one of their many other cable outlets (HBO, TBS, TNT) rather than give him a show on CNN, which will only diminish its brand.
