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 4 of 14)
46. were did all these black people come from all of a sudden on cnn? so basis and racist. i don't watch it anyway. larry king is old news, never has an opinion. why aren't there any conservatives on cnn? give me fox anytime.
babygirl at 9:24PM on Dec 1st 2008
47. Well, I see your point, Mo. My Dad was a professional radio announcer, went to school for it. Sometimes, when he gets behind a microphone, that professional announcer's voice comes on. He is almost 70. We need to have people with a solid viewpoint that can articulate what needs to be said, and putting something of themselves into what they report. The personalities that are shown have no personality of their own. I have seen many that are bland and uninteresting. They are 'groomed' for the part. No matter what is said, people like Bill O'Reilly have personality, and you watch him even if you hate him, just to see what he says. Probably why his is one of the cable's top rated shows. I grew up in the aura of Walter Cronkite, Donald Allen, and others. They had class, style, and as Bruce Lee admonished "..you must have emotional content".
Brad at 7:16PM on Dec 3rd 2008
48. Author.... Soledad Obrien is half cuban.... Do you honestly think that Suzanne Malveux isn't half-something??? You should have left HER out, too, if you chose to leave out Soledad....
Peace at 9:51PM on Dec 1st 2008
49. It's not an issue of race, it's an issue of adding to the news and sharing the truth. If someone else provides the intellectual property to make the news and create history then give that person credit. Mo boring is boring. You were boring at the Dick Cheney Dinner so that's not a reason to lose one's voice. Give credit where credit is due...that means you too.
Cecil Jones at 9:24PM on Dec 1st 2008
50. Right on about Donna Brazile. I think she is fabulous, and she is pretty in-demand as she seems to turn up on a lot of political shows I catch. They should offer her a tremendous salary, and hope she takes it. She is one of those people that makes me stop flipping channels and listen to what she is saying.
Shawnee at 9:23PM on Dec 1st 2008
51. Mo: Buddy, you are so dang cool. Your descriptions and language on who's up and who's down in anchors from the 'hood was just great! Look, maybe I don't get out much, so this is the first time I have come across your corner of the Internet. But I'll be back. Furthermore, I'm making Mo Rocca 180 my homepage, and the first place I stop for news, laughs and occasional fishing tips. Keep up the great work! Verne Strickland, Wilmington, NC
vernestrickland at 9:28PM on Dec 1st 2008
52. How about more qualified people who happen to be interesting no matter what color they are.
watdafuk at 9:31PM on Dec 1st 2008
53. Fire the entire freakin bunch; especially the "white" ones. Ms. "My Shit Doesn't Stink" Brown should head the list of the unemployed. What a puke.
oldman66 at 1:36AM on Dec 2nd 2008
54. I,m white and watch CNN. I listen to the news and never have givin a thought if the newscaster was black,white or whatever. Never thought it really mattered. Get off the black white crap were all people.
Mike at 10:50PM on Dec 4th 2008
55. Very few people watch CNN, the best news coverage is Fox News.
Larry Taylor at 9:45PM on Dec 1st 2008
56. Please what can you be thinking? Obviously CNN is Obama's campaign network, so of course black is "in" there! Will 'white' or 'brown' be in someday? no, that would be racist. sorry. How can we determine if anything any CNN head says is the 'news/facts' , or, is it what he;she feels? I do not see how they will ever rstore a semblance of 'news' credibility. Too bad.
Gene Bernard at 9:51PM on Dec 1st 2008
57. I don't care if the announcer is black, white or some other mix. I only want news in my news, not views.
gserlin at 9:57PM on Dec 1st 2008
58. Kozz Mo has Malfaux as a black woman...perhaps you were speaking of Soladad when you went on like that abut all the creole,,,I for one have never understood a person who is so mixed deciding they are one or the other..Obviously if you have mixed blood you are just that MIXED racially just like our new president.Now why any of this should matter in 2008 with all the problems in the world I don't know.GROW up people.I have been a nurse for over 30 years and I can tell you there is NO difference in the HUMAN body between the races of any clinical significance.We all bleed the same ,cry the same ,mourn the same and die the same from the same diseases....
mo at 10:00PM on Dec 1st 2008
59. Brazile is just another stupid nitwit liberal. Booorrriiinnnggg!!!!
LarryG at 9:59PM on Dec 1st 2008
60. What's with the "blatina" We DON't need another race or sub-race !
Too much emphasise is being placed on race, and we wonder why there is a "race" problem??!!
What's wrong with saying he/she is a great American, without adding the race, gender, nationality etc etc before "American?"
No wonder the "race" card is always thrown in where it doesn't belong.
Grow up people.
Ray at 10:00PM on Dec 1st 2008