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 5 of 14)
61. Are you joking?
I think CNN needs more INTERESTING people and not necessarily black. Just interesting.
Some of those who give the news or who are commentators are pretty dull and I'd like to see some new faces.
Dee Lightner at 10:06PM on Dec 1st 2008
62. Perhaps we should all just listen to the news cast and not look at the color of the skin. Try listening with your eyes closed. Then judge the news people on their content, not their shade.
NotesToMel at 10:04PM on Dec 1st 2008
63. Amy Holmes is Burning up She's so hot
zzanis at 9:15AM on Dec 2nd 2008
64. AMY HOLMES IS SOOOOOO HOT
zzanis at 9:12AM on Dec 2nd 2008
65. UGH
Joann at 10:09PM on Dec 1st 2008
66. # 33
The Black are the ones that always crying Black, not the White.You are on a pity trip.
Take your pity*** out and find a job. We the White are tired of paying more taxes so you can lay on your lazy***.
All you do is sit around and wait for the freebies, the White are tired of PAYING YOUR WAY. I see people at the store selling their food stamp card for half what it's worth, so they can buy booze or drugs with the money the we work for.and their kids home without food. They come up to you and ask, hey you got fity cent. Yes I can spell fifty, but you seem not to be able to say it.
Get off your pity and take a trip looking for a job, your not going to get anything from the tan man. He has already went back on most of what he promised you.
I also get sick of hearing, oh we gonna get dis and dat, you jst wat an see. he be good to us, He not liken da Whities.
Well I have said it and I feel much better, enough is enough and I have had it up to my neck.
YES I AM WHITE AND PROUD OF IT,YOU CAN CALL ME A RACIST, BUT BLAME IT ON THE WAY YOU HAVE ACTED,
NOT THE WHITE. YO MAN GET DAT, I DON'T CARE.YOU MADE ME THAT WAY
I HAVE A LIFE, IT IS CALLED MOSTLY WORK, TRY IT, YOU MIGHT JUST FEEL BETTER ABOUT YOUSELF.
LAST BUT NOT LEAST.....OBAMA IN NOT ANY BLACKER THAT HE IS WHITE. HE IS WHAT YOU CALL, 2 DIFFERENT BREED OF DOGS THAT HAS PUPPYS A (MUTE)
WHITE MAMMA BLACK DADDY HAS TAN PUPS.
THIS WAS ABOUT CNN, BUT EVERY SUBJECT, YOU HAVE TO THROW IN THE RACE CARD. I JUST GOT MY DECK OF RACE CARDS AND I AM GOING TO USE THEM TO THE MAX.
made in the USA at 10:08PM on Dec 1st 2008
67. Hey, Mo.
Get a haircut.
How about more SAMOANS on CNN? Huh?
Or more ROMANIANS?
African American is S-O-O-O-O-O-O passe.
Get with it.
John at 10:17PM on Dec 1st 2008
68. Why more Blacks? Has the Black population of the US
risen to 50%, 60%, 70%? or is it still around 12%.
And if it is 12% why do we need to see a majority
Blacks on TV or in the Movies or anywhere to show
diversity. Seems colleges and other organizations
want 50% of their representatives to be Black. There
are just so many Blacks in the US. You can't have everything more than 50% Black, the numbers aren't
there.
K S at 10:14PM on Dec 1st 2008
69. Diversity? At least CNN has black anchors that you can tell are black, interesting or not. What about the new black? Imagine if CNN actually had a gay anchor and he reported occasionally on gay issues effecting this country. Oh that's right, they do have a gay anchor, but do their best to keep it below the radar. Now that's pitiful.
chram at 10:18PM on Dec 1st 2008
70. White folks have had their way for more than 400 years. Why not have more of my brothers and sisters on CNN as news anchors. Damn the white folks, always wanting and having their way.
Screet Maan at 10:22PM on Dec 1st 2008
71. If we really are going to change then we need to stop talking about color. I am an American first, a woman second, THEN third, I am an American of Mexican descent. In that particular order. Besides people should be hired because of their skills and qualities and NOT for the color of their skin.
anaiviv79323 at 10:23PM on Dec 1st 2008
72. i can do that cnn job from a differentperspective out san salvador city. no bias no real bull.
jonekito at 10:28PM on Dec 1st 2008
73. Instead of highlighting diversity in skin color, how about having diversity in opinion? A diverse political opinion in CNN's newsroom would make them a much more interesting channel to watch.
TonyChgo at 10:30PM on Dec 1st 2008
74. Keep us grounded, remember O.J. Simpson. Blacks don't need to feel comfortable in the media. That's what gave O.J. his big head. Since his media death, there has not been a Black that can run through an Airport, without a Police pursuit, model gloves of any sort, or join Frank and Al in the Football interpretation arena/booth! We can't handle success, when we derive from a "lower" income bracket and work our way upward the scale!
Eddie at 10:32PM on Dec 1st 2008
75. Lynn Russell. Dick, I have to agree with you 100%. She was hot and a good newscaster on Headline News. But today we have CNN. They have yet to discover that there are two sides to every story. Until they learn that they will be rated below those magazines we get at the supermarket.
escort6768 at 10:32PM on Dec 1st 2008