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 6 of 14)
76.
People,
Get of Mo's ass here.
He didn't include Soledad because she is not even human....she is an Angel !
Now, when he makes his angels of CNN blog, I'm sure she will be on the list. She will be the only one, but she will be there :-)
mac at 10:33PM on Dec 1st 2008
77. Yeah, but CNN lost its credibility. I won't and don't watch them anymore. Period
plst2cu at 10:33PM on Dec 1st 2008
78. WHY DOES DEY HAS TO BE MO BLACK PEOPLES ON DEY TV??????????????????????????????????????????
IF THIS WERE REVERSED, WE WHITIES WOULD HAVE HELL TO PAY, STOP THE REVERSE CRAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
R.MCKENZIE at 10:34PM on Dec 1st 2008
79. Are we seriously talking about how many token black people CNN has? And they must be funny & colorful or else they are boring & fake. What? Pssst, politics for the most part is BORING. Why do you think 1/2 the country tunes out until the end of elections. Is affirmative action making us do a "mandatory" head count? Talent & hard work should have no color. Too much is made already of these news people. They aren't "celebrities". They need to get over themselves. We need to hold them accountable not place them on a pedestal...
FLLady at 8:38AM on Dec 2nd 2008
80. Mo...you are a complete idot. Why go for more interesting Blacks on CNN when we can just turn all of CNN over to our darker skinned brothen. In fact, since the federal government and assholes like you have decided that this nation needs to worship skin color, that is dark skin color, why not turn everything over to Blacks. It sure has worked well in Africa since we got rid of "apartied". They've become a fun, peace-loving group of nations who are just trying to "get along". Okay, so they've had a hiccup or two or two million, but whose counting. Hey, there Black and they can't do very much wrong. Thank you Mo for pointing out that CNN doesn't need more interesting people, it needs more interesting Black people. What an idiot!!
T. C Sawyer at 10:49PM on Dec 1st 2008
81. I am Jamaican/Cuban/African-American. I would be very interested in your in your article concerning "Blatinas." Otherwise, I think CNN is doing an excellent job with diversity. Other cable news shows should follow.
Linny Liddell-Martinez at 10:40PM on Dec 1st 2008
82. I find it very interesting that a "white" blogger is commenting on CNN's African American anchors. First of all, CNN should be commended for hiring so many minority talented journalists. The other news stations don't have nearly as many!
Also I like the diversity of the reporting styles and don't necessarily feel any of the people you identified need to change. African Americans are not a monolithe group and should not be viewed as such!
Lita Whitaker at 10:41PM on Dec 1st 2008
83. Why is color such a d@mn issue? If youre lame & boring, youre lame & boring regardless of color. If you are gonna call out the black people then you need to call out the white & brown & yellow.... u get the idea. Let's just get off the race issue d@mn!
Liz at 10:56PM on Dec 1st 2008
84. Your article is a dud..... I didn't find it worthy of print space, but it seems you got paid to write it regardless. How unfortunate that most of the media we view and READ is not worth our time.
cj at 11:17PM on Dec 1st 2008
85. Why not more "little people" (midgets) on the news? Why not more women who have had a mastectomy? Why not more with a double mastectomy? Why not autistic people? Why not people in wheelchairs doing the news? I don't see ANY of these types. When will people ...especially black people GET OVER THEIR OWN SKIN COLOR? Jeeeeeeeeeeez...it's really a very "tired" subject by now. A black woman is the richest woman in America and a black man is president. Why don't the "poor blacks" want to be like them? They were both "poor" once. BUT THEY DID SOMETHING ABOUT IT BESIDES COMPLAIN.
Matt Severyn at 10:43PM on Dec 1st 2008
86. Hire the best person for the job...period. Having said that, let's recruit better, more talented minorites and the problem becomes mute.
kbrenpro at 10:48PM on Dec 1st 2008
87. Send all white people back to Europe and let's bring more of my people to the USA, which we will rename New Africa
I'm sick and tired of all of these weak white people that have owned big business and owned my people as well. They have treated us worse then anyone could ever imagine. Damn them!!!
One people, one nation.
African's will rule this country.
thuds34tfs at 10:44PM on Dec 1st 2008
88. What a dumbass? He gets paid to write crap like this?
MS at 10:45PM on Dec 1st 2008
89. But if you remove the boring black people...well then we have another issue...CNN wouldn't meet their diversity quota. So, like many companies...they have to keep them, qualified or not.
I love it when people use their race to retain a job.
cj at 11:17PM on Dec 1st 2008
90. My question is why now are there more blacks being placed on CNN or anywhere else for that matter? Is this now a quota thing or just ass kissing now that there is a black president? Reverse discrimination at it's best is now the trend and will be for years to come.
KT at 10:46PM on Dec 1st 2008