D.L. Hughley’s CNN Show Starts Well

D.L. Hughley launched his new show "D.L. Hughley Breaks the News" on CNN on Saturday night, and was generally a success despite his nervousness and a lack of really dynamic guests for the first show. Hughley has starred in such films and television shows as The Kings of Comedy and The Hughleys, and his comedy tends to focus on race. Despite that, Hughley’s approach to the subject is subtle, and delivered in such a low-key and sometimes self-deprecating manner than the punch lines to his jokes sneak up on the audience rather than bashing them over the head.

The juxtaposition with other less talented comedians who make race the primary fodder for their schtick is welcome, though it remains to be seen if CNN will continue to support the show if the ratings don’t justify doing so. During the first show, Hughley explored a number of topics, including a piece on Sammy Davis’ 1933 film Rufus Jones for President and an interview of Scott McClellan, the former White House press secretary under President Bush.

During the show, McClellan made it clear that he was voting for Obama, a point that may have been surprising to the host, but was played up and probably delighted Hughley, since the news broke on his show rather than on a more established program. Said McClellan, "From the very beginning I have said I am going to support the candidate that has the best chance for changing the way Washington works and getting things done and I will be voting for Barack Obama." Ironically, Hughley once played a sketch comedian on the short-lived but generally well-received show Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, a role that he is nearly reprising in real life on his new show.