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D.L. Hughley Breaks The News
A Humorous Look at the News
Aired November 16, 2008 - 22:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, everyone. I'm Don Lemon here at the CNN World Headquarters. It is the top of the hour. D.L. HUGHLEY BREAKS THE NEWS coming up in just seconds.
But first, some headlines for you. Firefighters in California have their hands full with several big blazes around Los Angeles. A fire in Sylmar has burned more than 6,000 acres. The Tea Fire has destroyed more than 100 homes northwest of Los Angeles. And more than two dozen homes have gone up in flames in and around Yorba Linda. That is a home to the Nixon Library.
World leaders have wrapped up their two-day meeting in Washington. Their agenda? To discuss the growing financial crisis. President Bush says the leaders from the group of 20 nations agreed to promote pro-growth policies and to review new ideas for market oversight.
Complete coverage of all those stories at 11 p.m. Eastern. That's at the top of the next hour of the next hour. I'm Don Lemon. Now let's get to D.L. HUGHLEY BREAKS THE NEWS. It starts right now.
ANNOUNCER: Tonight's regularly scheduled program "Northern Overexposure," will not be seen so that we may bring you this special presentation.
From CNN studios in New York, D.L. HUGHLEY BREAKS THE NEWS.
D.L. HUGHLEY, CNN HOST: Hey now, I am D.L. Hughley. And welcome to D.L. HUGHLEY BREAKS THE NEWS. I am just excited to be here. You know, we do the show in New York. And like I make mention all the time, I'm originally from Los Angeles. So that means I had to move here and get an apartment. And, you know, I've been married since I was like 21. And my wife has done, like everything. And what I realize living on my own for these last few weeks is beds don't make themselves. You understand that?
I would come home and stuff would be done and I'd go, wow, this must be nice. And I was talking to a young man in the audience who was close to getting married, and there are things that every man should understand, every man that is about to be married should understand that there are things they should give up. Married men should give up hope. You know what I mean? Hope will only get in your way, you understand?
Like you'll say something like, I hope she cooked. She didn't. Later on when you're married, ooh, I hope she ain't home. She will be. So congratulations, man. I have to say that we are living in some amazing times. I'm sure we're all still a little shocked at the events that transpired over the weekend. A white boxer beat Roy Jones Jr. and I never thought I would live to see the day. Now, I'm sure you probably heard about Lindsay Lohan. She called Barack Obama "our first colored president." We haven't been colored since the eight-track tape. I didn't know she was so up on politics. Later on, Lindsay called Obama's new chief of staff Rahm Emanuel one of the most qualified heebs in the cabinet.
Meanwhile, the Obamas, they toured the White House with the president and first lady. George and Barack sat in the Oval Office so they could talk in private. They did it there in the Oval Office because that's the only room in the nation that's not bugged. And they talked a little bit, including the possibility of bailing out Chrysler. I want to know, who the hell still drives a Chrysler? If you put gas in a Chrysler, that makes the price go up.
The Obamas are also shopping for a new puppy. The president- elect promised his daughters a new puppy. Maybe Obama should get like a Collie, like Lassie. Remember her? What's that? Rush Limbaugh is at the front gate? Quick, call the police.
And of course, you remember this. Obama's mother-in-law is moving into the White House with them. Look, women are classy, but men understand. How are you going to christen your new house with your mother-in-law around? Come on, baby, come to the Lincoln bedroom with me. All of a sudden you hear, where's my bunion cream? Where the hell do you keep the hot sauce around here?
Barack and Michelle were able to go on their first date since the election. I've got to say, they must really be in love because when I take my wife out to dinner, it isn't a date, it's an apology. Baby, I'm sorry I forgot your birthday. You want some scampi? President Bush, he admitted that when he reflects on his leadership, there were moments of pride and regret. The moments of regret add up to about eight years for all of us. And when he was asked what he regrets the most, Bush said that it was speaking in front of the "Mission Accomplished" banner because it gave Americans the wrong idea. He's right, the banner should have said, "I suck as president."
As I mentioned earlier, Michelle and Barack made their first official visit to the White House and everybody was all smiles. But don't you wish you could hear what they were really thinking? Thanks to the magic of CNN, we can.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The time has come for change starting with that paint job. My wife is way hotter than yours, big guy.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hello. I'm still the first lady. And, you know, it is true, black don't crack. Oh, wait. I wonder what a black person's elbow feels like.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, my god. Be cool. Be cool. Be cool. Man, is he tall. I sure hope he doesn't eat me. Hey, we're both wearing blue ties. We are tie brothers. Hey, everybody. Look at me and my tie brother.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What a jackass. Easy, easy. You know, if he wasn't such a jackass, I might not be here. Thanks, jackass.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK, I've got to ask you. Just take a deep breath and say, Barack, can you take office today, like now. Pretty please. Oh, god. Come on, man. I just want to go to the ranch and watch baseball, eat a big t-bone steak.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HUGHLEY: Now that I'm living in New York for the first time, there are so many things that I've never done before. So I grabbed a camera crew and hit the streets.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HUGHLEY: I grew up in Los Angeles, and my impression of the New York subway system was formed by the movies, like "The Warriors." I vowed never to ride that train, until now. They cut off my budget for transportation, so now I'll have to catch the train. So I'm going to have to learn how to do it. So come with me and see what we get. And we'll see how this works out. Let's go downtown. I want to go downtown.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All right, so why don't you go down here and take the "A" train.
HUGHLEY: Now, I've never taken a train before. I said, I've never taken the train before. I want to go to Chinatown.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (INAUDIBLE)
HUGHLEY: Downtown A, one or C. That sounds like Algebra to me. I'm scared. I got my metro card and I was ready to roll. Here I am, going on my first train. Let's see if I can get -- ah! What the -- I'm going to have a train with no kid. What the hell? All right. I'm in now. I want to go downtown to Chinatown. Which way should I go?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That way.
HUGHLEY: Just go that way right here? OK, I'm going this way. I don't know where I'm at. I'm going to get lost, aren't I?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think you are.
HUGHLEY: Where are you going? How are you?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No English.
HUGHLEY: No English.
HUGHLEY: She has a bike and she's going on the train. That's kind of redundant, isn't it? Before I got on the train, I wanted to get some advice from the locals. What are the dos and don'ts on riding a train?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Don't make direct eye contact with any scary looking people.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mind your own business.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mind your own business.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Don't look people in the eye.
HUGHLEY: Why does everybody say that?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Because you have to mind your business.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The biggest thing to know is there isn't a bathroom.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You might think there's a bathroom because you might smell pee or smell poop, but there isn't.
HUGHLEY: The train arrived. Is that the "A" train? OK. Do I have to get on the "A" train? OK, I'm getting on the train. And my journey downtown began. I don't like being underground. I don't like it. I don't even like my wife on top. I hate it. I started to relax with some help from my new friend.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (SINGING)
HUGHLEY: What is that, you running away from home?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's a hockey stick.
HUGHLEY: It's a hockey stick. Wouldn't recognize one of those.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (SINGING)
HUGHLEY: That's beautiful. But I was having so much fun, I missed my stop. Should I have got off a long time ago? I'm trying to go to Chinatown.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, you should have gotten off a couple of stops ago.
HUGHLEY: You all just let me stay on the train?
Finally, we stopped. And I found myself in a strange land called Brooklyn. So I'm in Brooklyn now. It's spooky. It's going to be awhile before the next train comes. I think of that a lot. I'm not going to panic. I'm way too cool to panic. If I we were going to panic, this would be the time to do it. We're not under water right now, are we? I was nervous something would terrible would happen. But how bad it could get? What's the scariest thing you ever seen happen on a train?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Scariest thing, it was actually a homeless guy he was smelling really bad, I think he took a dump in his pants. HUGHLEY: That was scary?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It stinks.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This homeless man asked me to sit on his lap.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A guy getting hit in the face with a bottle.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There was a guy in a trench coat that was just walking around showing his penis to everybody.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I once saw a guy without his thing.
UNIDNETIFIED FEMALE: A homeless guy staring at me and (BLEEP) off.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A guy (BLEEP) off.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That was on the "G" line. Get off the "G" line.
HUGHLEY: What's the scariest thing you've ever seen happen on a train?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The price go up.
HUGHLEY: Finally I got back to Manhattan and emerged unharmed. I have no idea where the hell I am. But it's an experience I'll never forget or do again.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HUGHLEY: We've got plenty more coming up. Stick around.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HUGHLEY: Sometimes I run across stuff that's just incredible to me. On the week of the election, after the election, there were two newspapers, there was one in Terrell, Texas, and one in Sapulpa, Oklahoma, that would not report Obama's victory on the front page. Here's what they ran in the paper the day after the election. OK. And we invited them on to explain. But of course, they declined. So I decided what I would do is take out an ad in each one of the papers to let the subscribers know what they were missing.
So the first ad I bought was -- you know. I have to keep the people, you know, apprised of things that are going on. I also figured out that there must have been some other huge historic events. So I took out other ads. So here's another one that I took out. Got to keep the people current.
And still other things they may have missed in Oklahoma and Terrell, Texas, so I took out this ad. And one more, just to make sure they were good and up to date. I took out this ad here. On November 4th, the same day Barack Obama was elected president, voters in California approved the measure that makes same-sex marriage illegal in the state of California. Seventy percent of blacks and 53 percent of Latinos voted to ban gay marriage. So is the gay community holding minorities responsible for this? Here with me now is syndicated sex columnist, Dan Savage. How are you doing, Dan?
DAN SAVAGE, COLUMNIST: Good. I want to jump right in there, because minority communities and the gay community aren't two separate things. There are gay and lesbian African-Americans and gay and lesbian Latinos, who have really done the most disservice by those folks in the communities of color.
HUGHLEY: Now how do you feel? Election night, you campaigned hard for Obama, you worked hard for him. How did you feel after the election?
SAVAGE: We were elated. I was ecstatic. The decision on Prop 8, which not only made it illegal for same-sex couples to marry in California, but it rescinded that right.
This is the first time an anti-marriage amendment was passed in a state where gay marriage was legal. So 18,000 marriages of same-sex couples, white and black and Latino are now open to question.
But Barack Obama won. I sobbed like a little (EXPLETIVE DELETED), because I'm a little (EXPLETIVE DELETED). And then the next day we had to sit down and open the papers, and read about the approval of this measure. It was very, very bittersweet. And, you know, my boyfriend and I, when George Bush won, we had a long conversation the day after. We talked very seriously about moving to Canada because we're just done with being attacked that way we're attacked in this country for our sexual orientation.
And then we found ourselves having that exact same conversation the day after Barack Obama won the election because of what happened in California.
HUGHLEY: Why do you think that so many -- the large percentage of African-Americans voted for Proposition 8 and Latinos?
SAVAGE: Well, there is a lot of outreach that has to be done, that falls to the gay community, to do outreach, to voters of color. But voters of color also have to step up and take some responsibility. It's the responsibility of white people not to be racist. It's the responsibility of men not to be sexist. And it is a responsibility of all of us not to be homophobic.
HUGHLEY: I have to say, honestly, I don't -- I'm not particularly homophobic. But when I read the bill the way it was written, it was a little confusing. When I read it, it asked me to make a decision that didn't -- that I couldn't quantify on the ballot. I can't, for whatever reason, is it my religious upbringing, I don't condone a gay lifestyle, but I also don't condone the government being involved in two people's affairs. So there was no place for me to vote. And I think a lot of black people I talked to found themselves in the same quandary. Had I been more religious, maybe I would have voted yes to ban.
SAVAGE: It needs to be articulated around religion and homosexuality is that you can have your theology and also sign off on gay and lesbian civil rights and full enfranchisement, including marriage. You know, a lot of Christians think Jews are going to hell. Right? And yet Jews can get married in our culture. No one's attempting to strip Jews of their civil rights in our dominant Christian culture of their civil rights. Because you know what? If you're going to hell for being gay, ain't that enough? Ain't you going to suffer enough when it's all over? Do you really need to be persecuted here on Earth too?
HUGHLEY: Here's what I think. I've seen a lot of people, gay activists, make the comparison of basically equating their struggle with the struggle of black people throughout the civil rights era. And that hits me even me kind of wrong.
SAVAGE: And me too.
HUGHLEY: Because historically, millions of people died and they were disenfranchised. Some of them couldn't have a name. This is about one segment, like to be married. And I think that that is none of my business. But I also think that what you asked -- I've never met a black atheist. I never have, because we are so rooted in theology, we are so rooted in all these things, that even me, who -- I'm not a regular churchgoer -- had a hard time going, this is -- this goes against what I was taught.
SAVAGE: Which is why it's up to the gay community to explain why we're not trying to challenge you on your theology. I think African- Americans will always have claim to the civil rights movement, capital "T," capital "C", capital "R," capital "M." Ours is not the civil rights movement. But ours is a civil rights movement, lower case C-R- M.
It is a struggle. You get fired because you're gay, you get fired because you're black, you're still out of a job. If your house gets burned down because you're gay, burned down because you're black, you're still out of a house and maybe dead. Hate is hate. I'm not equating the experience with the history at all. But we are making a civil rights demand.
HUGHLEY: But I think what happens is that marriage, regardless of the legal aspects of it, are seen mostly religious. You stand before God and you vow to love and to cherish this woman or this man. And so I think people have a -- I know particularly people that I talked to had a hard time unhooking the religious component from the civil --
SAVAGE: But we've long unhooked the religious component from the civil component because you can go to city hall and get married and God will not be invoked. Those are the marriage licenses that we want. We don't want to storm into anybody's church and force anybody's preacher or any religious person to observe our wedding.
HUGHLEY: So you want to be married. But what about the compromise which people put forth which is civil unions?
SAVAGE: Right, which no one was offering us until we pressed for marriage. So you asked for the moon and maybe you get the stars.
HUGHLEY: Was that the point? You wanted something --
SAVAGE: No, I think we want full civil equality, we want full civil marriage rights. But in the meantime, maybe we would take half the load.
HUGHLEY: Well I'll tell you what, being black, I can tell you, you got to march a little while longer and then it might happen. I promise. Look how long it took us to get a president. I hope it works out for you. One thing I don't understand is the government involvement in our bedroom. They can't even deliver my mail. Dan Savage, everybody.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HUGHLEY: The Obama camp announced that once in office, Obama will immediately overturn several of President Bush's executive orders. Like the ban on stem cell funding or the Alaskan wildlife petroleum project. But there are other executive orders you may not have heard of. For example, once Obama takes the oath, it will no longer be legal to drill for oil in polar bears. Once Barack is president, he will make sure that the FCC forces Janet Jackson to show her other boob. Another of President Bush's executive orders to be put to rest, saving energy by electrocuting two death row inmates at once. And wiretapping of phones will now require a court order, and for the suspect to be home between the hours of 8:00 and 12:00 so the phone guy can install a wiretap.
Of course, the Republican Party has to be up in arms about some of the changes that President Obama is about to make. Here from Washington, D.C., is Republican strategist Bay Buchanan. How are you doing, Bay?
BAY BUCHANAN, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: Hi D.L., how are you?
HUGHLEY: Good to see you.
BUCHANAN: Good to be with you.
HUGHLEY: Now I have been watching you on CNN and you've constantly made the assertion that America is a center right country. Do you still feel that way?
BUCHANAN: There's no question about it. All the evidence shows it. If you look at the way Obama changed his strategy in the general election from the primary, he ran to the right. He changed his position on the war, rather than coming out immediately. Now he's talking about doing it with some reasonable timetable there.
He ran for tax cuts. That was the key foundation of his general election campaign, tax cuts for the middle class. That's very much a conservative message right there. All the evidence is clearly, we are a center right country. And that's why it's going to be very difficult for Barack Obama. We'll have to see how he governs.
HUGHLEY: Bay, do you think all the evidence -- even the election, that's the biggest evidence we would have, that it's kind of shifted slightly, don't you think?
BUCHANAN: Well, you know, you have to -- you know, while Obama won it fair and square, and I give him credit for a great campaign, at the same time the American people completely rejected Republicans. They rejected the Bush policies and the direction the country was going in.
Conservatives rejected it. Liberals rejected it, Independents. All of us rejected it, in the sense that we were extremely unhappy. Now, some of us decided that McCain would be better than Obama, but we were not happy with where we are today. So this is a -- this was a rejection of Bush. It was not a rejection of that which is conservative. George Bush did not govern as a conservative.
HUGHLEY: You know what's funny, I hear football teams go, they didn't beat us, we lost. You know? And it kind of sounds like that. Clearly Obama won in places no one ever thought he could. And I think in large part because he connected America with an idea that things would be different.
And I think what was interesting to me at the end is that the same talking points the Republicans have used for years didn't seem to be working. Like even -- like even with the introduction of Palin. And I went to a bunch of her rallies. I just didn't get how she thought that that kind of -- that tone would catch on. I don't understand how she thought that.
BUCHANAN: You know, D.L., first of all, it was what, six weeks before the election, and we were in an atmosphere where you have an unpopular president, unpopular war. The environment was very much against Republicans.
Yet six weeks before, John McCain and Sarah Palin were winning. We were up three or four points. And the momentum was with us. The crowds were huge now, coming to the Sarah Palin/McCain rallies. And what happened? Lehman dropped. Lehman went out. The crises occurred. We lost 10 points. It's the economy that has delivered this to Obama.
HUGHLEY: You're right.
BUCHANAN: Not because he was some national liberal champion and running as one.
HUGHLEY: Well, Bay, let's be fair. The economy did drop out. And everything was great and they were ahead until the economy dropped down, until Sarah Palin started talking, literally.
BUCHANAN: No, no, no, she was talking.
HUGHLEY: Once she started talking, literally, once she started talking, the country had a problem with her. BUCHANAN: D.L., you don't have your facts correct. We were down eight points going into the Republican Convention. Down eight. And Sarah Palin was chosen, the excitement, enthusiasm, all the momentum was with us.
The Democrats were terrified. Their agents and the media started attacking her. She performed brilliantly at the convention. And for two weeks after that, we were still climbing right up to the collapse of the economy. Sarah Palin did not cause this defeat. It was the economy.
HUGHLEY: According to the exit polls, six in 10 Americans going to the polls believe that she wasn't qualified to be president and felt uncomfortable with her being president. So obviously they had a problem with Palin.
BUCHANAN: But no. But that wasn't -- you know, being a mathematician, D.L., I can tell you, you can make these things read any which way you like. The question was, did you like Sarah Palin? If you want to know whether they voted because of Sarah Palin, that's a whole different question. The key here is all the momentum went to Obama because the people in this country had had it with Republicans.
HUGHLEY: I'm not a mathematician, but I can say W., and he -- W., for he won. And I don't why, and I think that we can pick all the reasons why, but I actually do think that the Republicans, looking at the world the way they do, and not being willing to change, is going to keep them in the position where they're explaining how they lost. I mean, that really is how I see it.
BUCHANAN: You know, the key, though -- the key to defeat, the first thing, whether it is sports or politics or anything else, is to analyze the defeat and understand what happened so that you can then revisit your own strategy and determine maybe there should be some changes.
HUGHLEY: OK.
BUCHANAN: I agree with that. And then we have to have the loyal opposition ready to take charge, so when Barack Obama does come up with a policy with which we agree, we embrace it. Cut taxes, we're there. But if he says, raise taxes, loyal opposition ready to send the message to the American people, we oppose this.
And that redefines the Republican Party. And that's the beginning of us moving forward again.
HUGHLEY: Well, I hope it takes eight years to figure it out (INAUDIBLE).
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
BUCHANAN: I think it only takes two, D.L. Just two.
HUGHLEY: Thank you, Bay. See you later, ma'am.
BUCHANAN: Good to see you.
HUGHLEY: We've got a whole lot more coming up. Thank you, Bay, bye-bye.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HUGHLEY: My next guest is a guy who takes risks every day, because he lives and works in a war zone, CNN's Baghdad correspondent, here to talk to me, taking out some time from dodging bullets, welcome Michael Ware.
How are you doing, Michael?
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
MICHAEL WARE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good, how are you?
HUGHLEY: How you doing? Is Baghdad very scary?
WARE: Yes.
HUGHLEY: That's a good answer right there.
WARE: I mean, things are changing all the time. It's getting slightly better. But by and large, it used to be on the case that if you were on the streets for more than 10, 15 mists, you were gone. I got grabbed once. They put the gun to your head, pull the pin on the grenade. You know, it's worse than catching the subway.
(LAUGHTER)
HUGHLEY: Why is it that I hear so much talk about Pakistan? And how afraid of Pakistan should we in America be?
WARE: Oh, Pakistan is a complicated place. You know, American intelligence says that's where al Qaeda senior leadership is. They say that, you know, they've got sanctuary in the mountainous northwest frontier province. And then that place, I've been there, it's vicious. It swallows infantry divisions whole.
But, you know, they also say that al Qaeda has reconstituted its ability to attack the U.S. homeland. So basically al Qaeda and the Taliban have a safe haven. Meanwhile, you've got a weak, you know, central government in Pakistan. You've got a strong intelligence agency in Pakistan that's working with the Taliban and al Qaeda, certainly elements of it.
But even if you add all of that up, I'm more worried about Iran than I would be Pakistan.
HUGHLEY: You just scared the hell out of me. Now we're going to Iran?
WARE: Yes, man! Well, I sure as hell hope not because I'll be going with them!
HUGHLEY: Why Iran more so than Pakistan?
WARE: Well, Iran has got a lot more muscle to flex within the region. OK, Pakistan has got what they call the "Muslim bomb." They are a nuclear power. Iran wants to be a nuclear power. And Iran is writing all the checks on Lebanese Hezbollah. And they kicked the butt out of the Israelis a couple of years ago, and I was there to see that.
They're killing U.S. troops right now. Pakistan ain't doing that. Now, they're doing that in Iraq, using Iraqis, arming, funding and training. And they're bleeding literally U.S. soldiers to gain leverage so they can get nuclear power, and many think nuclear bombs. So you've got to watch out for those dudes, mate.
HUGHLEY: So President-elect Obama, he is going to have an obviously difficult task.
WARE: Oh, man.
HUGHLEY: So which, out of all those, we have Iran, we have Iraq, we have Pakistan, we even have Afghanistan, which is the most urgent matter he should deal with? What should he do first?
WARE: Your government took you to war to find al Qaeda. And a regime that wasn't threatening you, led by Saddam Hussein.
HUGHLEY: Right.
WARE: Because you did that, you've made Iran...
(CROSSTALK)
HUGHLEY: You keep saying "you" like -- wait a minute, I...
WARE: Yes, it's your fault!
HUGHLEY: I don't even...
WARE: Sometimes I feel like it's my fault.
(LAUGHTER)
HUGHLEY: Right, right. I'm like, always blame the white guy, I'm telling you. I was like, wait a minute.
(LAUGHTER)
WARE: No, I mean, Iran. Iran poses much more of a threat, I would argue, than al Qaeda. Al Qaeda is always going to be out there, I'm sorry. You're just not going to get rid of al Qaeda.
(CROSSTALK)
HUGHLEY: ... resources are diminished, you know, we're in two wars, we're in a bit of an economic turmoil, so what can we do like here? What is the first thing he can do? WARE: Well, this time you need a plan.
HUGHLEY: Oh, come on. What do we need a plan for, what, are you crazy?
(LAUGHTER)
WARE: Yes, I know. It's so crazy it might work!
HUGHLEY: You know what's so funny, and this is -- I was just talking to the writers here, every time I see Obama, he's reading a newspaper, a book, or a magazine. And it occurred to me, I haven't seen a president reading in eight years. So it's better already, ain't it? Maybe if you read, you can have a plan.
(LAUGHTER)
HUGHLEY: Thank you, Mr. Ware. Thank you very much.
WARE: Yes, thank you, mate.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
HUGHLEY: We have got plenty more coming up. Thank you, man.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HUGHLEY: Last week former Bush strategist Karl Rove said that Barack Obama should thank Bill Cosby, because "The Cosby Show" helped a whole generation of Americans get comfortable with a positive black father figure who is a stern leader and also good with budgets.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BILL COSBY, "CLIFF HUXTABLE": No 14-year-old boy should have a $95 shirt unless he is onstage with his four brothers.
(LAUGHTER)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HUGHLEY: Now, ironically, Theo returned the shirt and invested the $96 in yet another hideous sweater for his father. But I think the seeds of an Obama presidency were planted on TV even earlier. Do you think Obama was the first skinny nerd we fell in love with? Guess who came sooner.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CROWD: Surprise!
ERNEST THOMAS, "ROGER 'RAJ' THOMAS": (SCREAMS)
(LAUGHTER)
(END VIDEO CLIP) HUGHLEY: Yes, that's Raj from "What's Happening." And like Obama, Raj had some tough ladies in his family to keep him humble.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
THOMAS: Dee, mama told you to lis-ten to me.
DANIELLE SPENCER, "DEE THOMAS": I did lis-ten to you.
(LAUGHTER)
SPENCER: And you know what? You are boring.
(LAUGHTER)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HUGHLEY: Now we all need a little Dee in our lives. Now if step into the '90s, you'll see that Barack Obama is the perfect hybrid of the streetwise Fresh Prince of Bel Air, and his educated cousin, Carlton.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WILL SMITH, "WILL SMITH": Oh, really, who are your heroes?
ALFONSO RIBEIRO, "CARLTON BANKS": Well, my dad. And Bryant Gumbel, he's darn good.
(LAUGHTER)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HUGHLEY: Even Greg Gumbel is too street for Carlton. But I think the real precursor to Obama was someone with true oratory powers.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JALEEL WHITE, "STEVE URKEL": Beepidity, beepidity, beepidity...
REGINALD VELJOHNSON, "CARL WINSLOW": Steve...
WHITE: Beepidity, beepidity, beepidity...
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HUGHLEY: That's right. Urkel of "Family Matters." He can both hypnotize you with his words, and remain tough on matters of homeland security.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WHITE: You just tell me what (INAUDIBLE) did this to you, I don't care who he is or how big he is. I will reach down his throat rip out his pancreas and slap him in the face with. (LAUGHTER)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HUGHLEY: I'm scared to death of Urkel. Then in the late the '90s, another show featuring a black family came on the scene.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HUGHLEY, "DARRYL HUGHLEY: Good morrow, family, and a hey, nonny no!
JOHN HENTON, "MILSAP": Well, a ha-cha-cha right back at you, Jack senior.
HUGHLEY: I have returned from the welfare magistrate...
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HUGHLEY: That don't have anything to do with politics, I just wanted an excuse to show one of my reruns on TV.
(LAUGHTER)
HUGHLEY: Well, then Obama's family -- TV family tree ran into the trouble when VH-1 gave us this guy.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FLAVOR FLAV, RAPPER: Flavor Flav!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HUGHLEY: "The Flavor of Love" effectively undid most of the progress we made, not just by Cosby, but by shows like "24," and "ER" and even "Oprah." But that's OK, because we're going to be seeing a lot more of this guy right here.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
HUGHLEY: At least for the next four seasons. Maybe eight. We will be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HUGHLEY: You've got to love the '70s. In 1979, "Rapper's Delight" came out and quickly climbed the musical charts, making "Rapper's Delight" the very first hip-hop single ever. And with that song, the Sugarhill Gang became the first hip-hop group to have a gold and platinum single.
Ladies and Gentleman, here to perform "Rapper's Delight" is the one and only Sugarhill Gang.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
(SONG PLAYING, "RAPPER'S DELIGHT")
HUGHLEY: The Sugarhill Gang! We'll be right back after this!
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HUGHLEY: We're back. And we're back, and as you can tell, this ain't your daddy's CNN no more. We have taken over, man.
(LAUGHTER)
HUGHLEY: People at home: What happened to Wolf Blitzer?
(LAUGHTER)
HUGHLEY: You know, you are the first musical act I ever had. And this is how deep it was for me. I grew up in Los Angeles. And I've never been to New York, never heard about it, my very first memory -- you know, conscious memory as a kid of New York as a kid is your music. And I'm telling you. And it's nice to see cats that have been around as long as you have and still can rock the house. Look at these people...
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
HUGHLEY: Now, you all, you were the very first -- you were the pioneers of hip-hop. So how do you feel about it now? How do you feel like?
MICHAEL WRIGHT, "WONDER MIKE," SUGARHILL GANG: Well, in '79, when we came out, I had heard about rap music. But there was not like a big record. And we were the first to put it together and make it worldwide. Like it was put out in September '79. By October of '79, we were opening up for Parliament/Funkadelic. And then three months later, we were over in Europe and jamming. I said, oh, man, this is going to be big.
HUGHLEY: So what did you feel like when your album first went big?
GUY O'BRIEN, "MASTER GEE": You have got to remember, I was 17. You know, I'm going back, telling my age, I know, but...
HUGHLEY: Proud to be the youngest, (INAUDIBLE). I came out in a walker. I had diapers on.
(LAUGHTER)
HUGHLEY: And you know the deejay, he has got a 45 back there scratching.
(LAUGHTER)
HUGHLEY: So you were a kid?
O'BRIEN: So for me it was pretty crazy. I thought it was going to be just like a local thing. You know, because I'm from the New York area. So I thought it was going to be New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, that kind of thing.
But once we started to go overseas, and started opening up for these acts and everything, it kind of just blew me away, you know.
HUGHLEY: What does it say about your music, that after all this time like my children know the words to this song, and you know, that has kind of stood the test of time? What does it say about a song like that?
HENRY JACKSON, "BIG BANK HANK": Well, I think that, you know, it's definitely a song that has stood the test of time. I mean, like when we go to concerts and stuff like that, you know, not only do we see, you know, people our age, but we see people bringing their children and stuff, so they can actually see how hip-hop began. You know what I'm saying? And that really, really is what keeps us young. You know what I'm saying?
(CROSSTALK)
HUGHLEY: Well, it don't keep the deejay young.
(LAUGHTER)
HUGHLEY: Now what do you think? I mean, like when he was talking about the fact that so many young diverse types of people come to see you all. Who do you guys listen to? Like who do you listen to in hip-hop now?
WRIGHT: In terms of hip-hop, I like T.I., I love Kanye because he's innovative. You will not keep Kanye in a box. He's going to do his own thing. Man, there's a lot of cats out there. But those are the main two that come to mind.
JACKSON: Common.
HUGHLEY: You like Common?
JACKSON: I like Common. I really do like Common.
HUGHLEY: So it's more about content or more about...
O'BRIEN: You know, it's a vibe. And we vibe off of everything anyway. That's how we get down.
JACKSON: That's our word.
O'BRIEN: Yes, that's a word for the day. But we vibe off the music. So if the music makes us feel good, then we feel good with the music.
HUGHLEY: Now who do you listen to that nobody knows? Like what secret music is in your CD changer that you would be ashamed for people to get in your car and hear?
(LAUGHTER)
JACKSON: Wow. That's a good one. Oh, man. I don't know, I love so many different types of music.
O'BRIEN: I listen to Sting.
HUGHLEY: Sting, that ain't bad.
(CROSSTALK)
HUGHLEY: I listen to Burt Bacharach.
(CROSSTALK)
(LAUGHTER)
O'BRIEN: Wow.
(CROSSTALK)
HUGHLEY: You all play us out of here, man. Play us on out of here. One more time, give it to the Sugarhill Gang.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
(MUSIC PLAYING, "RAPPER'S DELIGHT")
