Watching Studio60

D.L. Hughley’s role as a sketch comic on Studio 60 didn’t get very far; will he have more luck impersonating a newsman on CNN? The news network will be getting into the comedy-news game with a weekly show headlining Hughley (S60’s Simon), to debut at 10 p.m. on Saturday, October 25. Some snippets from a Variety article about the show:

“‘D.L. is a very thoughtful, well-informed guy with unpredictable views, and I’ve always admired his comedy,’ said CNN/U.S. prexy Jon Klein. ‘The basic premise of the show is, what if a guy like him was let loose in the CNN building for a weekend after the lights went off?’”

Klein outlines how Hughley’s show will be different from The Daily Show and The Colbert Report: “Daily and Colbert are ‘fake newscasts, whereas this is really D.L.’s observations and comments on the week’s events and his riffs on the news,’ Klein said. “I’m a big fan of both of those shows,” Hughley said, “but I’ve got a different skill set. I’m not going to parody a news show or a news anchor. My show will reflect my views on things just as their shows reflect their views.” For instance, as Hughley continued, “There have been six movies with a black man as the president, and in all those movies, the world was coming to an end. If this election isn’t art imitating life, I don’t know what is.”

“The general idea is to have fun with the news, either in commenting on it or, more often, by talking to people who are making it. To that end, CNN’s global newsgathering operations will be key. ‘He’s got access to the full treasure trove of resources,’ Klein said. ‘We expect he’ll run amok a little.’”

“‘It’s like getting to drive my father’s Mercedes to school. I’d like to know what Jesse Jackson is going to do for a living if Obama is elected,’ Hughley said, adding that he would invite Jackson to appear. ‘I’d like to know what Sarah Palin is going to do if she doesn’t get elected. Ever notice that she does all the things a good waitress does when she wants better tips? You know, wink and smile.’ Politics will not be the only fodder for the show, Hughley emphasized. ‘In three weeks, 50% of the country is going to be angry. So we’ll be looking at a lot of other things, too,’ he said.”

Maybe Sorkin’s next project should be a TV show skewering comedy news shows. It’s like Sports Night, West Wing, and Studio 60 all rolled into one!