D.L. Hughley's "Break the News" Show on CNN Is A Disgrace

I found D.L. Hughley's "Break the News" an offensive show that perpetuates the negative stereotypes that have dogged blacks in this country for too long. We are on the verge of making history with the first African American, Barack Obama, becoming the President of the United States and all Hughley could do is to insult blacks. The show needs to be on Comedy Central, BET or HBO. It has no place on CNN. What upsets me is that throughout the presidential campaign race has been an omnipresent issue with many people asking whether whites would reject Obama on the basis of his race. The last thing we need is someone like D.L. Hughley being the moral authority for blacks. I am appalled that a major cable news network such as CNN decided to discuss race in such an offensive way, reminiscent of Amos and Andy, a situation comedy based on reinforcing stereotypes about blacks and widely popular in the United States from the 1920s through the 1950s.

Hughley warned that the election of a President Obama would lead to a health plan with grills for all. Grills are shining metal caps worn on the teeth of blacks while they drink malt liquor from a paper bag. Is that mindset representative of all blacks in this country? Certainly not. His guest, "Freddie Mack," attired in the traditional pimp attire complete with hat and bling, described Obama's fund raising prowess as "Big pimping." In fact, Freddie Mack went on to say, "Politicians are pimps and the electorate are their hoes." Thus, he reasoned, "bitch better have my money." In a response dripping with racism and misogyny, he reminded Americans that the financial crisis was about his sister Fannie May or Fannie may not again, utilizing the hoe moniker for black women. Does that belong on CNN, Fox News or MSNBC? That was simply degrading on so many levels.

Hughley also predicted that the election of a President Obama would result in a meteor striking America. His expert guest assured him of two things. The first is that such would not happen during an Obama administration and that if it did, blacks would be protected because of the complexion of our skin while whites would not. As if this was not enough, the anchor conducted an interview in which a black maid of a Jewish woman decried her years as a maid for that Jewish woman and warned that she would "clean her clock" if the old Jewish woman did not vote for Obama. Of course, besides portraying black women as violent, it also escalated the issue of Jews voting for Obama during this election. The message, it seems, is that blacks cannot convince with the facts but with fists.

The show was without substance and I am disappointed that CNN chose to cater to such low levels of humor. There are so many other prominent black radio and television personalities that would have served the company better. This is not a time for us to perpetuate the stereotypes. What he has managed to do is to remind us of a place where we should not revisit. CNN has vociferously condemned the racism displayed throughout this campaign, a throwback to the Jim Crow era. It is, indeed, shameful that CNN has displayed such hypocrisy. CNN, like the slave masters who profited from slavery and racism, has decided that there is still "gold in those hills," rather than stand on the side of reason. What they have done, is pick up where Sarah Palin has left off. To sum this up, CNN is your source for the "best dose of racism" on television. They are giving legitimacy to the vilest stereotypes against blacks in this country, specifically the notion that black men are pimps and black women "hos." Thanks D.L. Hughley for making a mockery out of yourself and other blacks in the process. Shame on you CNN!