The fact is that CNN, in the interest of diversity, has an unprecedented number of black faces on the air. This is good. But too many of these anchors and pundits are Boring. Have they been coached to tone down their personalities, in order to seem newsy? Perhaps. But they do so at their own risk:
My sources tell me that over 20 contracts are up the day after Barack Obama's inauguration. (Expect unemployment figures to soar when the Election Center's army of pundits is decommissioned.) So jobs really are at stake.
With that in mind, this post is meant not as an attack -- but as constructive advice to those less than scintillating personalities on how they can stay on payroll during these trying economic times.
First, those African-Americans at CNN who have it going on. They don't need any advice:
DONNA BRAZILE
She puts the Cajun in CNN. Raised in Louisiana, this saucy Earth Mother became involved in local politics at the age of nine and has been "Cooking with Grease" (the title of her memoir) ever since. She can be funny. She can be ferocious. And of course she occupies a permanent seat in the Election Center's front row, thank you very much.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX
CNN's stunning and icy cold White House Correspondent hearkens back to Hollywood's greatest Noir Bad Girls. A black Bacall. A sexier Stanwyck. Rhonda Fleming with a reporter's notebook. But as great looking as she is, her sex appeal comes from her smarts. A warning to any male interviewee who thinks he can play Malveaux: she will play you. Every time. (The title of her inevitable biopic? Basic Cable Instinct.)
T.J. HOLMES
The studly Razorback with the shaved head used to report from the street. Now he's brought street to the anchor desk: "I'm gonna throw it over to my man Ed Henry at the White House. Ed, buddy, what's up? ... (and after the report) ... Aight, we'll check back with you later on." Unorthodox? Yes. And thank goodness.
ROLAND MARTIN
CNN's most operatic pundit is never afraid to chew the scenery. But his aria on the night of Barack Obama's victory was pitch perfect. Like any great diva, he is either loved or hated -- but never ignored!
(SOLEDAD O'BRIEN is not included in the list above since she is half-Cuban. She will be included in my upcoming list of "CNN's Best and Brightest Blatinas.")
OKAY, now for those anchors and personalities who need help:
DON LEMON
He's an Emmy and Edward R. Murrow award winning journalist, the latter for his coverage of the D.C. Sniper. (As someone with family in the area, I thank him!) But as a daytime co-anchor alongside peppy gal-pal Kyra Phillips (the network's Gidget), he seems overly restrained. Come on, Don, let that personality shine. Let's turn a Lemon into Lemonade!
FREDERICKA WHITFIELD
I remember the Fredericka Whitfield of NBC. A hard news version of Jayne Kennedy, she reported fearlessly from the field - throwing to anchor Tom Brokaw ... and leaving him breathless. Now she's CNN's Saturday morning anchor/babysitter -- and as bored as a Real Housewife of Atlanta. Phylicia Rashad without the fire. And her wardrobe? As edgy as Murphy Brown's. My advice: get out of the weekend morning ghetto, girl -- and back on the street. Bring back "Fred"!
AMY HOLMES
With her corkscrew curls and megawatt smile, this conservative commentator should be riding the goodship lollipop to her own show. But perhaps in a bid to seem like the "nice" conservative, she all too often comes off as bland. (It doesn't help that she worked for Bill Frist, the blandest Majority Leader ever.) Amy is smart - and her background is fascinating. For heaven's sake, she was born in Zambia, though you'd never know it from her performance. C'mon, Amy, give us some zip, some zing. Show us some Zambia!
TONY HARRIS
Harris began his career as a radio disc jockey -- and you hear that in every story he reads. He's the only anchor who can report on a genocide and make it sound like a Barenaked Ladies concert ticket giveaway. He's likable and goodness knows he's got energy. So no, he's not boring. He just needs to lower his voice once in a while.
Reader Comments ( Page 13 of 14)
181. I learned something new from this installment.
1. That the correct spelling for black is Black (with a capital "B"). I am serious, I did not know this before.
2. Many knee jerk liberals, one of which is blogger Morocca, assume conservatives aren't really nice people.
He says of Amy Holmes:
"But perhaps in a bid to seem like the "nice" conservative, she all too often comes off as bland."
This confirms my own suspicions after my own experience during the fall Prez campaign. A door-to-door Obama campaign worker actually said to me, "You're a Republican?" "But you're so nice!"
You need to get out more, Morocca. Broaden your horizons. Expose yourself to some actual diversity.
JillJG at 10:48AM on Dec 2nd 2008
182. On the other hand, here is an example of "not nice", #27.
"Amy Holmes? The woman who has NO idea what the African-American experience is like? Speaking as an African-American? I want to rip her throat out when she spouts the Republican party line! She doesn't have a clue what she's talking about! Now that I know she's from Zambia, it's at least logical that she is entirely unaware of what it's like to be black in this country.
JillJG at 10:57AM on Dec 2nd 2008
183. The best way to end racism is to stop focusing on race! I am African-American and personally find it insulting that people assume we all "think alike". I happen to be a conservative, Roman Catholic that voted for John McCain. Stop putting people in boxes! All accomplishments glorify God who is the author of success. I don’t see a person of color; which is a stupid term because we all have color, unless you are an albino, and think, "wow, I am so proud". We should not take pride in any good work, but acknowledge him who makes it possible. Stop treating me like I am special, an invalid, vulnerable, or deserve kid glove treatment! Treat me like a human being with no preference or deference.
janesophie1 at 10:58AM on Dec 2nd 2008
184. JillJG,
There is no "black experience". There is a human experience shared by all people. We are one species. All that elevates or diminishes one is felt by all. I like Amy Holmes! Your problem is you want to believe skin color is the overriding issue; it isn’t. I don’t spend time worrying about skin color. I accept people as individuals. It may surprise you, but not all African-Americans think alike. Some of us do no allow the past of slavery to determine out future. Some of us healed long ago and resent the crabs in the bucket always pulling us down into their misery!
janesophie1 at 11:22AM on Dec 2nd 2008
185. Correction; My apologies JillJG. My last post was directed at Madeleine McBride in response to #27.
janesophie1 at 11:47AM on Dec 2nd 2008
186. Janesophie, You misunderstood my post. If you look again you'll see I was quoting #27's screed.
I can tell you must me a free, strong and God loving woman. Thank you for your comment. It is heartening to me.
Jill
JillJG at 11:48AM on Dec 2nd 2008
187. The salient item I've noticed about CNN commentators is the female anchors have to be young, hot and redheads, even if they're Vietnamese. Maybe CNN stands for Carotenized Nubile Nabobs?
Clif Kuplen at 3:41PM on Dec 2nd 2008
188. Can any one of the CNN black commentators pass the 'paper bag' test?
Per David Alan Grier, if you ain't darker than a paper bag, you ain't really black.
That probably won't work for honkies. If your skin is the color of a Kmart bag you've probably been dead at sea for three days.
Clif Kuplen at 5:17PM on Dec 2nd 2008
189.
I like all 80 12 thousand...
Do I HAVE TO choose?
Mr. Rocca...
You could point out as many sparkling or lame (insert ethnicity here) folks....
This is getting obtuse, as much as I love ya bunches.
There MUST be something else out there w/ a pimple on it.
-(;o)~
Sherry
S.L. at 8:17PM on Dec 2nd 2008
190. At this point I have to say that a good journalist, just like beauty, is in the eyes of the beholder. To some like me, Don Lemon, whom you call boring is a class act at what he does. To someone else, #187, O'Reilly of Fox has "personality" but to someone like me, he is an angry, boorish bully who has no class and treats his guests like trash unless they are in agreement with what he says. Most people love crazy and I believe his ratings are high for the same reason Flava Flav's ratings were high. There are people like me though who are respectful and laid back and I can't stand both of them because normal human beings have no reason to be that way. At least Flava Flav was trying to entertain, what's O'Reilly's excuse?
Emmy at 12:55AM on Dec 3rd 2008
191. Don Lemon is an excellent journalist. He is engaging and warm on camera. The only people at CNN who need help are the executives who thought putting that un-funny, derogatory D.L. Hugley on their network was a good idea.
Angela at 1:08PM on Dec 4th 2008
192. Why do you refer to Soledad O'Brien as part Latina? Amy Holmes is half white and in some instances that so called "color" is make-up! Donna Brazile and Roland Martin is not that light-skinned as they appear on TV! And why are you writing about these people being bland and boring? I think you call yourself a comedian but I have never found you funny!
Joy at 1:23AM on Dec 4th 2008
193. Mo Rocca needs a total makeover and also to find a real job. If he is so great, why doesn't he try anchoring?
Katherine at 1:48PM on Dec 4th 2008
194. black people need a more interesting CNN. If you are some other color or lack of it, you could use a little better excuse for a news station too. TV journalism sucks short chain amines.
Clif Kuplen at 1:00AM on Dec 5th 2008
195. Are you kidding? As Barack Obama says, "There is not contradiction between diversity and excellence." And for you to insinuate that there is a difference is deplorable. It's not that CNN is focused on diversity and that's why they have black anchors. CNN understands excellence and the fact that the best anchors are not always white as you have insultingly suggested here. I'm disgusted. You're clearly both an idiot and a jerk. Get a clue.
Alissa at 3:34PM on Dec 5th 2008