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D.L. Hughley Breaks The News
Obama Transition Team Still Celebratory, But Sober About Work Ahead; Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. Will Gladly Serve In Obama's Senate Seat, If Asked
Aired November 09, 2008 - 22:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANNOUNCER: Tonight's regularly scheduled program, "The Election's Over, We've Got Nothing," will not be seen, so that we may bring you this special presentation.
ANNOUNCER: From the CNN studios in New York, D.L. HUGHLEY BREAKS THE NEWS.
D.L. HUGHELY, CNN HOST, D.L. HUGHLEY BREAKS THE NEWS: Good evening. How you doing? I am D.L. Hughley.
And it is official, after 232 years, America has elected its first black president.
(APPLAUSE)
This is just an amazing time. An African-American is moving into a house that was built by slaves. Of course, he had to beat a man that was old enough to have owned one, but he did it.
Now, on election night, Barack Obama gave this amazing acceptance speech. The (UNINTELLIGIBLE) was behind bulletproof glass, and I'm like, wow, you're behind the president of the United States, and you're standing in a check cashing place. I will restore this nation to greatness, and let me get two Lotto tickets and a pack of Newports.
The state of Colorado voted for Barack, but against affirmative action. For Barack, against affirmative action. I guess when they said he's the one, they mean it, the one.
Now, voter turnout broke records this year. I had to wait in line for five hours just to vote? Hell, I don't wait in line that long when it's ladies' night. Obama said his first order of business was to get a puppy for his two daughters. Now, you know when Michael Vick heard that, he was like, damn, there goes my party.
I have to say that John McCain gave just a classy speech congratulating Obama on Tuesday. Which is funny, because on Monday he said he was a communist, a terrorist, and stole his mama's purse.
On election night, the Palin family, they gathered around their home in Alaska to rest up and recover. All except for Levi, the pregnant daughter's boyfriend. He went out for cigarettes and never came back. He said, I am so out of here. Fortunately, in this year's election, there were no problems with chads. Except for two guys named Chad who wanted to get married in California . That's right. California just passed Proposition 8, a gay marriage ban, ending the marriages of 18,000 gay couples. Ending their marriages. You lucky bastards.
Well, it was obviously an historic week in politics and world culture. Joining me now is a man at the very center of it all, live, via satellite from Chicago, please welcome Obama transition team leader, Frank Cooper.
Well, I want to say congratulations, Mr. Cooper.
FRANK COOPER, OBAMA TRANSITION TEAM LEADER: Thank you. A lot of hard work still ahead of us.
HUGHLEY: Of course. I'm surprised you're not a little more excited.
COOPER: No time for that. There's so much to do.
HUGHLEY: OK, I understand that. Picking the Cabinet; meeting with the outgoing administration?
COOPER: No, no, D.L., I'm talking about the recount.
HUGHLEY: Recount? Are you kidding?
COOPER: I wish I was.
HUGHLEY: But Obama won in a land slide.
COOPER: You're damn right he did. And I want to hear it all over again! I demand a recount! Let's go! We made it rain like T Payne (ph) with four from Maine. Four from New Hampshire. What, what. Three from Vermont. Can you say cheese, please. Twelve from Boston, shout out to the Red Sox! Not! From Rhode Island, we had five. Shout out to my brothers Brown Hugh! Brooklyn is in the house for 31, son! Shout out to the Tri-State area, when the East is in the house, oh, my god, danger!
Call from North Carolina, better late than never, Suckers! Because we're going to Miami. For 21. Thank you, white people in the middle. West side! California ! And don't forget Hawaii, one of Barack's 11 home states, with four. A grand total of, what more can I say, 364! Yes!
HUGHLEY: That was fun. But seriously, you guys should be doing more than recounting votes right now, right?
COOPER: Oh, come on, D.L., I'm just having a little fun. In all seriousness, we are preparing to take office January 20th and get back to the business of the American people. Right after we ha 25 inauguration balls and celebrate in Jamaica! (UNINTELLIGIBLE)
HUGHLEY: Thank you, Frank. It looks like Obama won big, but there were still 55 million McCain voters. To help heal the divide we brought in a pro. Joining me now is the host of "Celebrity Rehab" and "Sex With Mom & Dad", Dr. Drew Pinsky.
How are you doing, Doc?
DR. DREW PINSKY, HOST, "CELEBRITY REHAB WITH DR. DREW": I'm good. Thank you so much.
HUGHLEY: You know that the McCain voters, they are mad as hell that they lost. How do we work'em? How do we make them feel better?
PINSKY: You know what? I was very disturbed with how cantankerous and rancorous the election was. I'm a very moderate --
HUGHLEY: Dr. Drew, I got a GED. So cantankerous and rancorous?
PINSKY: How hostile and angry -- >
HUGHLEY: There you go hostile and angry I got, baby, I got that one.
PINKSKY: And I really -- I'm a moderate guy myself. So I was sort of sitting on the sidelines saying, oh, man, the day after is going to be really bad, no matter who wins. And you know what, my experience has been it's not as bad as what I expected. That a lot of the McCain folks kind of sat down and went, all right. I got it. He's a good guy. Let's get on with it. With the people I've been dealing with, they've been very sincere in their desire to sort of be bipartisan and get behind this guy and help him out.
HUGHLEY: Tuesday something changed. And now I felt like a sense of sadness. Because the way that I saw this country is dead now. It's a distinctly different place. I feel like a little off.
PINSKY: It's interesting. I feel sadness that you had felt that way. And maybe for those of us who didn't have that same life experience, it comes into sharper focus for us, when you tell us things like that. It's like, you really felt like that? And that's sad for me.
And the fact that we are in a different world now, something we should feel grateful about. It's funny isn't it, how humans are? That even when you lose something bad, that you didn't like, if you still feel kind of a sense of grief, even though you're onto something better.
HUGHLEY: Right, I was like, damn!
PINSKY: It is something better we're going on to. I think I'm one of the people that, I speak for many when I say it's very exciting. And even people who lost and are angry still feel that sense of excitement, it seems to me.
HUGHLEY: I think that, you know, people place their expectations -- really high for him. I wonder is that going to be tough for him to do? PINSKY: Listen, you're going to have me back here in three months, or six months, when we're dealing with the frustrations of the levers of government and how problematic they are to wield. And yeah, that's going to be a real letdown.
But I predict. I'll make a prediction. Because I remember some other shifts in this country, where there's a lot of enthusiasm. The enthusiasm tends to last about one to two years before we bog down in the reality of how our government functions. But that enthusiasm does carry a great deal of importance. It is the case that it is - really, it is us psychologically, as a group, and our motivations, that cause things to move forward. Even though it's a frustrating system, it will lead forward a little bit. We will become frustrated with the reality of it. But I'm sorry to say, that's the beauty of our system. It's a system of checks and balances and it doesn't go all one way or another. It pulls back and goes forward in fits and starts.
HUGHLEY: I'm going to feel good while I'm feeling good, baby.
PINKSY: I'm glad you're feeling better. I really felt kind of sad when you were talking about the world you thought this country was. I'm so glad it isn't that country anymore.
HUGHLEY: Well, you know what, I'm glad it isn't, too. Give it up to Dr. Drew Pinsky. Thank you, man. Thank you, guy.
(APPLAUSE)
PINSKY: You're welcome.
HUGHLEY: Of course, the election is over. But think of all the people that we met along the way. And don't forget, their lives went on after the race was called. Check this out.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VIDEO MONTAGE OF CANDIDATES, CELEBRITIES DURING THE CAMPAIGN
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HUGHLEY: Well, of course, this Tuesday was an amazing night. And I went out to the streets of New York to talk to folks. Here's what happened.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HUGHLEY (voice over): Election night, Times Square, New York City.
(On camera): I wonder who this guy's for? Obama's leading the nation in votes and bootleg T-shirts.
(Voice over): These people knew that history could be made as they were going to celebrate with dignity.
(On camera): How will you celebrate? UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Probably get drunk.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Probably a lot of alcohol consumption.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm going to go with him and get drunk.
HUGHLEY: Where do you hide your weed?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Where do I hide my weed?
(LAUGHTER)
I don't smoke.
HUGHLEY (voice over): Now, even though it was early, Obama and McCain supporters alike were ready for the festivities to begin.
(On camera): How excited would you be if your candidate won?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Be very excited.
HUGHLEY: Show me.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hallelujah. Praise the Lord!
HUGHLEY: If your candidate wins, show me how you'll smile?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh!
HUGHLEY: Turn the cameras off. I have something else to do.
(LAUGHTER)
HUGHLEY (voice over): McCain was in the lead. So we wanted to see how the Republicans would party.
(On camera): We've been to the rally at Times Square and now we're here with the Young Republicans. I'm surprised they're letting me in. This is the Young Republicans convention, right?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right.
HUGHLEY: And you're a Young Republican?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, not anymore. I'm past that stage.
(LAUGHTER)
HUGHLEY (voice over): Let me tell you, these party animals are rocking it.
(On camera): You're excited tonight?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm very excited. Very much. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Cautiously optimistic, I guess.
HUGHLEY: Now, you guys are married?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No.
HUGHLEY: Just fooling around?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Of course.
HUGHLEY: Every Republican rally I've ever been to there was a dude in a bow-tie.
McCain won West Virginia!
HUGHLEY (voice over): We (UNINTELLIGIBLE) because times are tough.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I make less than $250,000, not by much.
(On camera): If McCain wins, these people are finally going to let loose.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'll, you know, high five my kids.
(Voice over): The night was wearing on. I knew where I had to go.
(On camera): We're here in Harlem. We've just left the Young Republican convention. It was a little slower there. We're going to go in to see if perhaps an Obama rally here is a little different.
(Voice over): Right away, black celebrities were showing up.
(On camera): I'm here with Colin Powell.
Come here, Colin Powell! Don't be like that!
I'm here with Sam Jackson.
Colin Powell, I love you, man.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) show returns?
(LAUGHTER)
HUGHLEY (voice over): Even the spirit of Rosa Parks dropped by.
(On camera): You've got to be very excited.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, I am.
HUGHLEY: Wait a minute.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: CNN now projects the state of Ohio for Obama. HUGHLEY: Obama won Ohio.
(CROWD CHEERS)
HUGHLEY: One thing everybody hoped for is that the night wouldn't turn ugly.
(On camera): If McCain loses, do you think old people are going to riot?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's a possibility. There are a lot of them that do like him.
HUGHLEY: Brothers will believe anything!
(LAUGHTER)
HUGHLEY: How they going to riot, they can't even walk? Are you crazy?
(voice over): Harlem is the center of African-American culture in America. And as Obama's chances drew, I could feel the pride and emotion in the air.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It means history, for me.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: To have a black president? That's something that we never thought could happen.
HUGHLEY (On camera): I never thought it could happen.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I never thought that I would have the opportunity to see something as magnificent as this. This is the greatest night of my life.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We have infinite possibilities, infinite power.
HUGHLEY: Are you excited tonight?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Overwhelmed.
HUGHLEY: Did you ever think you would see anything like this?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I never thought I would get a chance to see a thing like this.
HUGHLEY: How does it make you feel?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It makes me feel wonderful.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It means so much to me and to my grandchildren to be able to really realize the dreams.
HUGHLEY (voice over): 10:45 at a rally at the state house in Harlem, things were reaching a fever pitch. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hey, Obama!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Barack Obama!
HUGHLEY: It was a special night. A night of firsts.
(On camera): This is the first time you ever voted?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
HUGHLEY: Ever in your life?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, for Obama.
HUGHLEY: Wow! So you never voted before in any other election?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, this is worth it. I was saving my one and only.
(LAUGHTER)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You gotta be strong.
HUGHLEY: You could have voted for Lincoln, but you saved it for Obama, huh?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's right!
REP. CHUCK RANGEL, (D) NEW YORK: As a black man, I feel a sense of pride. As the chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, I think I can get something done. You know?
(LAUGHTER)
HUGHLEY (voice over): Apparently they even the Dutch wanted Obama to be president.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think the image of America only improves a lot by it.
HUGHLEY: What was it before?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: At home? Pretty bad, pretty bad.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Pretty bad, pretty bad, pretty bad.
HUGHLEY: You didn't have to say it that many times.
(Voice over): The organizers even asked yours truly to say a few words.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: D.L. Hughley!
HUGHLEY (at podium): I'm not going to take up too much of your time, but I want to say that we should be proud of ourselves, and we should be proud of this country for doing something we never thought it would do, ladies and gentlemen.
Anybody out here, the young children out here, you don't got to be a comedian or rapper or basketball player or baseball player, you can educate yourselves to be the most powerful man in the world.
(Voice over): At 11:00 p.m., on the dot, the word finally came down.
(On camera): We are here in Harlem. They just called the election for Barack Obama. He is now officially the 44th president of the United States of America.
And California carried him over.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes!
(CROWD CHEERING, SCREAMING WITH JOY, SHOUTING)
HUGHLEY (voice over): Now, all that's left for Obama is to make good on his campaign promises.
(On camera): You say Barack is going to fix your teeth?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yeah!
HUGHLEY (voice over): Look, I know I'm working at CNN, and objectivity is a big thing here.
(On camera): But we've got a black president, and I'm celebrating tonight!
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HUGHLEY: We've got a whole lot more coming up. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HUGHLEY: Well, if you were watching CNN election night coverage, then you may have seen Wil I. Am being interviewed by Anderson Cooper via hologram. Well, tonight, using this amazing new technology, joining us live via hologram is our nation's very first president, George Washington.
Good evening, Mr. President. I've got to tell you, it's an honor to meet you.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Crispus Attucks, wonderful to meet you.
HUGHLEY: No, I'm D.L. Hughley from CNN.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: CNN? I'm not familiar with that plantation.
HUGHLEY: Well, you know, things have changed. Even though it's been 300 years, you're still a very big deal around here. Your face is on our money. In fact, Washington happens to be the last name of my favorite cousin.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Whoa, whoa, whoa, there's a negro named Washington? Please, that's like saying there's black people named Jefferson.
HUGHLEY: Which brings me to my point. We just had an historic election. Barack Obama is our first black president.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A negro president? That's a good one. You're very funny. You were bred very well.
HUGHLEY: Mr. President, I'm completely serious.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're telling me, George Washington, that a negro's been elected president?
HUGHLEY: We haven't been called negro in 50 years, but yes, we have a black president.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Of America?
HUGHLEY: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, I cannot tell a lie, that is absolutely fantastic.
HUGHLEY: Really?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No. No, it is not fantastic. Honestly, I'm trying to wrap my head around this. I mean, there are equal rights -- you've got to admit, it's weird, a black -- just weird. I don't know what to say.
HUGHLEY: Isn't that what you fought the American revolution was for? You risked your life for the idea that every American, regardless of race, creed, or color has an inherent right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, yes. So, you know what, maybe this Obama fellow symbolizes the principles our nation was founded upon. I mean, who knows, perhaps one day America will be a land where two men who love each other may form a legal union.
HUGHLEY: Not in California .
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: California, who is he?
HUGHLEY: Good-bye, President Washington. Thank you.
(APPLAUSE)
Well, Barack Obama's father was Kenyan, so the people of Kenya were celebrating our election big-time on Tuesday. I wanted to talk to some of them from that country, and thanks to the magic of CNN, I can.
So, with me today, for real, this is not a bit, are a trio of Kenyan comedians called Redykyulass. Welcome Walter Mangari (ph), John Kiarie, or K.J., and Tony Jakuna (ph).
How are you guys doing, man?
So, in Kenya, you guys were excited as we were. What was that like watching our elections from there?
JOHN KIARIE, REDYKYULASS: We were more excited than you guys were. You guys did not take a holiday after the election. We took a whole day to be a public holiday, Obama Day, the day after the U.S. elections. We were more excited than America was.
HUGHLEY: No, wait a minute. We're going to get a holiday in 30 years or so. It will be fine. We'll catch up to you.
Now, is it true that--
KIARIE: You now have to play catch-up.
HUGHLEY: We will. Is it true that your country named a beer after Obama, called it Senator Beer?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There was a beer called Senator, and immediately after the elections, and after he won, the new name of the beer is -- the President.
HUGHLEY: All right. He got his own beer.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It is out of stock now.
HUGHLEY: All right. OK. Now, I read a poll that said that 80 percent of Kenyans believe that their lives would improve with the election of Obama. Is that something you guys really feel?
KIARIE: Yes. Truly, 90 percent of Kenyans believe that their lives will change with the election of Obama. Actually, we do believe that now Kenya is now the 55th state of the United States.
(LAUGHTER)
HUGHLEY: Boy, are you guys going to be disappointed.
So you guys really feel a kinship to Barack? You guys really feel as if he is -- you guys really feel like you're 55th state?
KIARIE: Let me tell you what, Hughley. You're probably 70th generation American. Barack Obama is first generation American. He's actually a Kenyan immigrant to the United States. That is some talent that we are exporting. We are exporting presidents all over the world.
HUGHLEY: Well, let me tell you, thank you. But we already have one from Texas, and you all can have him back. No, I'm just kidding. I'm just serious.
Now, you guys actually do a lot of satire involving your political apparatus there. I understand that that can get you in a little bit of trouble. How are you able to get away with that? KIARIE: First of all, we are just rude (ph) like that. And secondly, probably the administration is too corrupt to even realize this is happening on TV.
HUGHLEY: So you have a corrupt government, too? You could be the 55th state. No, I'm just -- so you guys had a comedy show that you ran for a long time, a political comedy show. Have you got any words of advice for me?
KIARIE: First of all, you need to visit the mother land. You need to make a stop over in Kenya. And we're going to give you a few tips on three things. No. 1, how to run. And that's how Barack Obama won this election. You never get into a race with any Kenyan. And if you get into a race with any Kenyan, you don't expect to win the race.
HUGHLEY: All right. Thank you so much for talking to me.
We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(NEWSBREAK)
HUGHLEY: On Thursday, Barack Obama received his first top-secret briefing from the director of National Intelligence; things that only a president can know. We actually got a hold of some of these files, and they are pretty scary. Check them out.
Now, first of all, Obama learned that Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke gets night terrors and insists on sleeping between the president and the first lady.
In addition, as soon as the president-elect is determined, he's immediately given an ATM card to the U.S. Treasury with a daily limit of $1 trillion.
Also, anyone who stares directly at Nancy Pelosi turns into stone.
On November 4th, this country made history by electing the first black president. There were a lot of people who worked very hard to get Senator Obama elected. Joining me now from Chicago is one of those key folks. Representative Jesse Jackson, Jr.
How are you doing?
REP. JESSE JACKSON, JR., (D) ILLINOIS: Thank you, D.L. Congratulations on your new show.
HUGHLEY: And congratulations to you, man. A job well done.
JACKSON: Thank you.
HUGHLEY: You know, I was watching the coverage, I was actually in Harlem. And they flashed this picture of your father, Jesse Jackson, Sr., and he was crying. And it occurred to me, I remember seeing my father cry twice, and they were both traumatic to me. What was that like for you to watch?
JACKSON: Well, kind of painful. But I sat back and watched across the span of his life and thought about John Lewis walking across Edmond Pettus Bridge and Viola Liuzzo, a white Italian housewife getting killed trying to help Americans register to vote for the first time. The deaths of Schwerner, Goodman and Chaney, two Jews and a black, in Alabama and Mississippi during that period. And 45 years later, to watch Barack Obama accept the responsibility, the obligation of being the president of the United States had to be extraordinarily tough for a generation of Americans who watched people really lose their lives to make that moment possible.
HUGHLEY: That is an amazing thing. Are you, and your father, times are tough, and sometimes you can go through things, but things like that, you just -- don't you kind of wish you were sharing it together at that very moment?
JACKSON: Well, I was there. I wasn't sitting necessarily as close to him as I would have liked to have been, but, you know, as a national co-chair of Barack's campaign, this was an extraordinary moment for all Americans. People who paid the price across our country to make that moment possible; an extraordinarily emotional moment for millions of Americans. And the next day moving beyond the emotion it's about running the government, it's about giving the American people the kind of government that they deserve.
And so, you know, we're still ecstatic about it, but now the work begins. The economic numbers that we got this week are terrible. Barack has a lot of work to do. We should all be prayerful for him during this period.
HUGHLEY: Absolutely. There's news of you that you might potentially be filling Barack's spot. It's got to be a good time for a 40-year-old black dude from Chicago right now. You guys are doing well. I should move. What about that?
JACKSON: Come on home, man.
HUGHLEY: What do you think?
JACKSON: It would be my honor. D.L., it would be my honor to succeed Barack in the United States Senate. I've served in the Congress of the United States for 13 years. I've only missed two votes. I was there at the foundation of Barack Obama's campaign for the United States Senate. I've served diligently and very hard for the course of his campaign to be president of the United States. And we need representation in the United States Senate. In fact, I'm willing to bet, I'm one of the few United States senators, if appointed, to ever be willing to even do your show.
HUGHLEY: Absolutely!
JACKSON: So I'm your only access to keeping it real on the floor of the United States Senate.
HUGHLEY: Absolutely. JACKSON: You need me, D.L., and I need you, man.
HUGHLEY: You know what's hilarious, he was all button up, but did you see how he did that little lean-in?
JACKSON: Come on, now.
HUGHLEY: You couldn't forget.
JACKSON: I'm trying to keep it real for you.
(LAUGHTER, APPLAUSE)
HUGHLEY: At the same time I was elated. And, you know, I was excited. I still see some things that need our attention. Like in California, there was a bill to protect animals that we're going to consume. They had to be housed humanely and treated more humanely before we consumed them. It occurred to me that if young black men were animal of some type, they would be endangered species and would be protected more so than they are now.
Last year in Philadelphia, 345 black men murdered. Newark, 101, in Chicago, 418. Why do we seem to care more about animals than we do human beings? I've never understood that.
JACKSON: You know, D.L., I don't have the answer to that. But let me tell you what I do believe in an Obama presidency. I believe many of our young men, because we have a symbol in the White House of dignity and honor, are going to be challenged psychologically in some profound ways. I think we're now going to enter a period, I hope, of respect, where we talk to each other, where we try to work out our problems; where some of our young men can pull up their pants and assume greater responsibility for the babies that they make.
When we have a beautiful symbol like Michelle Obama in the White House, I hope that young women in our community will look up to Michelle Obama and say, wow, here's a family that treated each other with respect, that are treating the American people with respect. I think we're entering into a new era of caring. And I think Barack Obama and Michelle Obama are going to bring about that kind of civility and that kind of relationship in our community, because every time we step out of our homes now, we represent the president of the United States of America. You are an ambassador for this nation.
HUGHLEY: You are absolutely right. You're absolutely right. So what do you think the future of civil rights is in this country?
JACKSON: Well, there is a transition in our community from the profound and prophetic leadership of the church to the elected and accountable. Barack Obama has engaged the American people in a way that forces the American people now to pay attention to every word that is uttered out of the mouth of every politician. We are engaged now. And it will be President Obama's responsibility and obligation in order to move his agenda through the Congress for all Americans to keep voters engaged. That's really what this process has now become.
HUGHLEY: Man, you are an amazing young cat, man. Give it up to Jesse Jackson, Jr. Thanks, man.
JACKSON: Thanks, D.L.
HUGHLEY: We've got plenty more coming up. Please stick around.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HUGHLEY: In 1968, Ken Reid was a black marketing manager at DuPont. And Tom Dreesen was a white insurance salesman. They met at a Junior Chamber of Commerce gathering in Chicago. I don't know what a brother is doing at a Chamber of Commerce gathering, but, then they decided the world was ready for a black and white comedy team. Take a look at a clip of them in 1968.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TIM REID, AUTHOR, "TIM & TOM: AMERICAN COMEDY IN BLACK & WHITE": We're brothers
TOM, DREESEN, COMEDIAN: Brothers.
REID: ... in the ghetto. All right. Hey, what's happening, guy? My main man. Say, look, baby, I this is where I catch big mac, I got to ease up town and get me some new rags. You know a couple of fronts, back gators, to check them traps, do a little night crawling through the hood.
DREESEN: That is out of sight, man, I didn't know you spoke a foreign language.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HUGHLEY: You got to love those leisure suits.
REID: Oh, we were dressed to kill.
HUGHLEY: Joining me now from the first interracial comedy duo, and the author of "Tom & Tim: An American Comedy in Black & White", Tim Reid.
REID: You put the white man first?
HUGHLEY: Let me get that right.
REID: You put him first?
HUGHLEY: It's Tim and Tom.
REID: You're just so trained.
(LAUGHTER)
HUGHLEY: No, Tom's not here. What happened?
REID: His car broke down. They couldn't get him here.
HUGHLEY: Is that why you think he ain't here?
REID: I paid the driver, but other than that -
(LAUGHTER)
HUGHLEY: That must have been rough in the '60s.
REID: That was really rough. Back then comedy was a blood sport.
HUGHLEY: Absolutely.
REID: It was serious business. And there wasn't much racial humor. There were only two comics back then really doing racial humor. And Dick Gregory and Godfrey Cambridge. And then Tom and I decided to do that, you know, '68, Democratic Convention, riots in the streets, four years removed from the pass of the Civil Rights Act.
HUGHLEY: That's a great time for I'm cracking up.
REID: Oh, yeah. We went out there and, of course, we were met with a lot of skepticism, and sometimes fights, chased out of town. Fourth time on stage a guy put a cigarette out on my face. And a fight broke out. And we fought for, I don't know how long. Finally we get in the car, I'm all scarred. Tom's ribs are all bruised. I looked at him and said, welcome to showbiz. It was a difficult time.
HUGHLEY: Now, what do you think, was it hard to tell jokes like that in front of audiences?
REID: Well, you know, you had to keep it in context. We worked all white audiences, all black audiences. Back then we were calling it the chitlin' circuit. Oh, yeah, we were at the Sugar Shack in Boston, 20 Grand Club in Detroit, Club Harlem in Atlantic City, which was one of the finest clubs in all of America for black performers. And we would change our material, not so much the punch line, but in terms of the delivery and the context based on the audience. And we didn't run into that many integrated audiences back then, because, you know, blacks were just feeling comfortable to go to clubs in large numbers.
HUGHLEY: It's funny, I play a lot of clubs. And a lot of clubs, there will be one or two -- like if I'm doing the sixth or seventh run, it will be one audience but they will be all black. They won't -- still a lot of places they're like, nah, I ain't -- still, to some degree --
REID: Well, see, back then, if there were like 12 blacks out of 150 in a nightclub like Mr. Kelly's in Chicago, the white people wouldn't laugh until the black people. So, we'd deliver a line, they'd go look at black people. And when they laughed, OK, that's funny. So we always had a three-second delay in our comedy.
HUGHLEY: Even on accident.
REID: Even on accident.
HUGHLEY: So, I was talking to you earlier and you said you didn't like it. You didn't like doing clubs.
REID: I didn't like clubs. You know, we did colleges. We did prisons. Back then there were no comedy clubs. There was only one in all of America, here in New York, The Improv and they didn't pay.
HUGHLEY: Right. I'll tell you a story. About eight years ago, about 10 years ago, was the first time I was ever allowed to play The Improv. Really, 10 years ago. And they go, well, no one knows you, so we'll give you a door deal. That means I get to keep 90 percent of the door. And man, I got rich. I was so happy. They're like, who are you? A dude with 90 percent of the door, that's who I am.
REID: The door, that's right.
HUGHLEY: But it had always been like that.
REID: Yeah, always. And back then, I had two kids and a wife. Tom had three kids and a wife. And we had to eat. We weren't making a lot of money. We would travel on the road, he and I, we had to stay in the same hotel room. Imagine leaving a gig somewhere in Missouri, about 3 in the morning, you check into a hotel on the road. Walk up, he and I, we look at the guy behind the counter. We'd like a room, one room. You want a queen size or king? We said, give us a room. We didn't care if they thought we were gay we just wanted them to think we were mean gays.
HUGHLEY: You eventually did that for about?
REID: We were together six years. It is the longest running black and white comedy team in the history of America. I'm amazed that since that time, no one has ever attempted to do that, even today.
HUGHLEY: Nobody wants to sleep in a room with nobody in Kansas City. Don't be amazed.
REID: No, I'm amazed that nobody's taken that shot.
HUGHLEY: Why do you think nobody's done it since then?
REID: Comedy's certainly changed. The things that we did back then, the kind of comedy back then, I don't think you could do today. Somebody would take a cell phone, take a picture, put it on YouTube and you would be out of business.
HUGHLEY: I think it is different for a couple of reasons. One of my favorite shows when I was growing up was "All in the Family". And I just thought it was funny as hell. But you couldn't do a show like that these days, because we're so politically correct.
REID: Politically correct.
HUGHLEY: That has to be more difficult. You know, now, it's so difficult, because everybody's very sensitive about it. I hope through this, you know, through Obama being elected, and us finally starting to evolve a little bit, I hope we can learn how to take a joke again. REID: The pundits declare what's funny and not funny. No longer the comics. It's got to come back to us. We have to change. There's got to be a new paradigm for comedy.
HUGHLEY: You'll never do it again? (INAUDIBLE)
REID: I don't think that it would be the same. We'd have to do it a different way. The world has to change now. We've been talking about change. Well, it's here. Comics are going to have to give up the F word, they're going to have to give up a lot of stuff. I'm sorry, it's changed.
HUGHLEY: No, now, now, not everybody.
REID: I'm sorry.
HUGHLEY: Everybody's gotta do it. We have a whole different paradigm. Brothers are going to have to pull up their pants, stop showing their nasty drawers.
HUGHLEY: Right.
REID: We've got to change. We've got to change. So, comedy has to change. I think it's time. I think we rely too much on cursing in comedy. We've got a lot more comics than we ever had and a lot less humor.
HUGHLEY: Man, that's amazing. Tim Reid, ladies and gentlemen.
(APPLAUSE)
HUGHLEY: I'm proud to (INAUDIBLE) Thank you.
We will be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HUGHLEY: On election day, the most powerful day of expression in this country, the Supreme Court heard a case that may take some of the more colorful expressions off the air. Here to explain this to me is CNN's legal analyst, Sunny Hostin.
How are you doing?
SUNNY HOSTIN, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Thank you. Thank you for having me here.
HUGHLEY: Yes. So you were a former federal prosecutor?
HOSTIN: That's right.
HUGHLEY: So, as pretty as you are, they were the last thing somebody saw before they went to jail?
HOSTIN: That's right. Thank you for saying that.
HUGHLEY: The law is cruel. So the FCC was basically -- the Supreme Court was hearing the FCC regarding the foul language?
HOSTIN: Foul language, the FCC. The FCC doesn't like the F bomb.
HUGHLEY: So, I don't have a job?
HOSTIN: You won't have a job if you drop the F bomb here a couple of times. The Supreme Court was deciding whether or not, you have a guest on the show or you say the F bomb, the C word or S word, one time, whether or not the FCC fine you $325,000.
HUGHLEY: Wow!
HOSTIN: That's $325,000, I'll say that again.
HUGHLEY: I can make that much money saying it.
HOSTIN: And that's what the debate is about. Whether or not that should be part of our television anymore, during daytime television, early evening television. Should people be allowed to express themselves in that way?
HUGHLEY: Now, I understand the argument. But what if a guest were to come on the show, and he said something out of -- off color, then the show would be fined?
HOSTIN: That's right.
HUGHLEY: Automatically?
HUGHLEY: Don Kline's (ph) not going to be happy. That's right.
HUGHLEY: Oh, my goodness.
HOSTIN: F bomb, F bomb, F bomb, $1 million.
HUGHLEY: Now, this all started from the Janet Jackson incident?
HOSTIN: It really started, I think it did. I think it started from boobgate. Most people remember that. She flashed her boob. CBS was fined $550,000 for that. It was sort of the boob heard round the world, right?
HUGHLEY: That's a hell of a lap dance right there.
HOSTIN: Exactly. And since then, you know, for the past, I would say four to five years, the FCC has said, we don't want this sort of indecency on the air. And while I think most people understand that that was the "Super Bowl", there are a lot of children watching, we don't necessarily want to see Janet Jackson's pierced boob.
HUGHLEY: You know what's funny, I remember watching the Janet Jackson thing, and I remember, everybody was like, Janet Jackson's breast came out at the "Super Bowl", and "Super Bowl" is the family hour. And right after that a commercial came on for beer and Viagra.
HOSTIN: Yes. HUGHLEY: I know when I have a beer and a Viagra, I need to see a breast.
(LAUGHTER)
HUGHLEY: That's just weird to me. But isn't -- that seems to be more a parent's responsibility than the government. They can't even deliver my mail.
HOSTIN: That is the argument. That is the argument. Where does the parent fit in? You know, Gabriel, if you're watching, it's past your bedtime, turn off the television. That's what it's really about.
HUGHLEY: But freedom of speech is coming. I fundamentally believe that's a right. I believe that no matter what -- you have the right to kind of say anything. I understand the language can't get that colorful on TV. But I do see it as a freedom of speech issue.
HOSTIN: Sure.
HUGHLEY: I don't like the idea that the government tells me what they think or what they -- you know, what is appropriate. But when does it stop? Is it just going to be on television, or radio? Is it going to be live performances? Is it going to be --
HOSTIN: Well, that's one of the questions. Right now, this is about the FCC and FOX News. And television, early-morning television, early-evening television, daytime television. But where do you really draw the line, D.L.? As you mentioned, where do you draw the line? That's what the Supreme Court is going to have to determine.
HUGHLEY: Which way do you think they're going to go?
HOSTIN: It's very hard to tell. The Chief Justice Roberts said he didn't like what Bono said and he was offended by it. Scalia was offended by it. Ginsberg is talking about free speech, Clarence Thomas didn't say anything. So who knows. Who knows where it's going to go. We don't know.
HUGHLEY: Sunny Hostin, everybody. Thank you very much.
HOSTIN: Thank you.
HUGHLEY: We're going to be right back after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HUGHLEY: Now, I never claim to be a real news reporter. But sometimes life imitates comedy. On last week's show, we did a sketch about McCain and Obama's election night parties. Now, watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Joe Biden is in the building! It's fun! What fun!
HUGHLEY: Richard Weise (ph), any final thoughts about McCain's election party?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, D.L., we'd like to invite all McCain supporters to come on down and celebrate with us. It's a cash bar.
(LAUGHTER)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HUGHLEY: And here's a clip from the actual election night parties.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(SPLIT SCREEN, OBAMA SUPPORTERS CHEERING, CELEBRATING; MCCAIN SUPPORTERS SUBDUED, DUMBSTRUCK)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HUGHLEY: Now the crazy thing is when I went to the Republicans' election party here in New York, it really was a cash bar. I swear to God. You hear that on CNN. I am the most trusted name in news.
Hey, you guys, thanks for watching. Thanks to our studio audience. Thank you guys. Good night. We're going to see you next week.
