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CNN Larry King Live
D.L. Hughley Discusses His New Show on CNN; Joy Behar, "The View" co-host, Supports Obama
Aired October 25, 2008 - 21:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LARRY KING, HOST: Tonight, "D.L. HUGHLEY BREAKS THE NEWS."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
D.L. HUGHLEY, COMEDIAN: Wait a minute.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: Politics is a funny business. No joke.
Dancing, dressing.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You are way hot in person.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: Plumbers. Joy Behar here with her own point of view.
Plus, Penn Jillette, Carlos Mencia and more.
Now, that's a winning ticket. The campaign for political comedy begins next on LARRY KING LIVE.
Good evening, and welcome to a special Saturday night edition of LARRY KING LIVE. It's a prelude to a new program that will begin one hour from now on CNN. It's our new show called "D.L. Hughley Breaks the News," featuring the very, very topical comic. He will be with us in a little while.
But we begin with a comedy show that features Joy Behar. She is the co-host of "The View," supporting the Obama-Biden ticket. We'll do a lot of politics tonight.
The 2000 election -- 2008 election has been a very hot topic on "The View." And this week, Barbara Walters sparked some fireworks when she asked you if there had ever been a time when you liked John McCain.
Let's take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOY BEHAR, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": When he comes on the show, when he is backstage with us, he's a lot of fun. The John McCain that I'm seeing now is not the same guy that I see backstage.
(CROSSTALK)
BEHAR: He's not!
(CROSSTALK)
ELISABETH HASSELBECK, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": He's a dignified figure in the Senate! Barack Obama is so far left.
(CROSSTALK)
(APPLAUSE)
BARBARA WALTERS, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": Elisabeth, do you ever, ever doubt anything about the Republicans? Do you ever doubt what you're saying -- what?
HASSELBECK: Sure. I've sat here and talked about Rush Limbaugh. I actually -- when Barack Obama gave his speech, and I've said this...
(CROSSTALK)
BEHAR: He's not a Republican.
(LAUGHTER)
(CROSSTALK)
BEHAR: He's a terrorist. Rush Limbaugh is a terrorist! You heard it here, ladies and gentlemen!
(APPLAUSE)
(CROSSTALK)
HASSELBECK: Barack Obama actually potentially could have had my vote after his speech at the DNC...
BEHAR: Oh, come on.
HASSELBECK: You don't believe me?
BEHAR: No, I don't.
HASSELBECK: Call me a liar then, Joy.
BEHAR: I don't think you're lying, I think you're delusional...
(CROSSTALK)
HASSELBECK: ... the first person to say -- I was not delusional!
(LAUGHTER)
(END VIDEO CLIP) (LAUGHTER)
BEHAR: What would we do without Elisabeth?
KING: Joy, when did "The View" become this? When did it go off- track?
BEHAR: Well, if you recall, when Rosie O'Donnell was on, we had a pretty interesting show going on. and then we just continued it from there, I guess. You know, we became very political a couple of years ago. And it has just been going stronger and stronger and stronger. And...
KING: It's a turn that has helped, though, hasn't it helped the show?
BEHAR: Oh yes. I'd like to thank Sarah Palin for helping my career. And I'd like to thank Elisabeth Hasselbeck and all the Republicans that I can rub up against, you know. It helps a lot to have all of that fun and friction.
KING: Has it taken, Joy, a personal toll on you and your relationships?
BEHAR: With Elisabeth?
KING: Yes.
BEHAR: Oh no. You know, I'm so tired of saying that we're really friends off the air, but it really is true. And it's so boring to people. They would love to hear me say that we're tearing each other's hair out, but we're not.
You know, it's like sex, Larry. When it's over, it's over.
(LAUGHTER)
BEHAR: When the show is done, then we're all done. That's it. We're not going to drag it on and smoke a cigarette together.
KING: But isn't it hard to be friendly with someone when you have a strong disagreement, especially in an election year?
BEHAR: No. I don't think it is. I think that it's hard to be married to someone who disagrees with you. As I said one time, I would never be able to be married to a man who does to me what George Bush did to the country for eight years.
(LAUGHTER)
BEHAR: But a friend -- a girlfriend, yes. I think it's very possible to be friends with them. And we are. She is not the only one. I have other friends who e-mail me all of these right-wing propaganda -- all this right-wing propaganda. You know, and I'm friends with them. It's fine. KING: What do you make of the whole Sarah Palin thing? Why does she invoke such strong feelings?
BEHAR: Well, you know, I think that personally I don't have any truck with her. I would go moose-hunting with her, you know, whatever she wants. But her politics are very, very divisive.
She is against abortion, even in the cases of rape and incest. I mean, it's outrageous that if someone in your family rapes the kid, that kid has to go to term with that baby? It's outrageous that she would say such a thing.
She wants to have constitutional amendments against gay marriage? Who does she think bought all of those clothes for her last week and went shopping?
(LAUGHTER)
BEHAR: She has, you know, so many things that are so against our -- women's interests that she makes you want to -- you know, want to not vote for her. And I think...
KING: What do you make of...
BEHAR: I think she is ruining McCain's campaign.
KING: What do you make of Elisabeth Hasselbeck being on the campaign trail with her even as we speak?
BEHAR: Good for her. She -- that's her calling in life. That's her message. And you know, this is a free country. I'm a First Amendment person. And more power to her.
Mazel tov, Elisabeth.
KING: What did you make of that $150,000 style-up?
BEHAR: By the way, I would go on the stump for Obama and I don't even need to have $150,000 wardrobe. I'd go to outlets. It's not necessary to spend that kind of money, especially if you're a Wal-mart mom, you know, and all of a sudden you have to have Valentino's and Dolce & Gabbana's?
I think that that's the reason that she is catching flack for it, not because, you know, it's -- everybody wants her to look good, and God knows she does. She is a gorgeous woman. But it's not necessary. You can go to Loehmann's. You'll get the same outfits. You've got to go in the back room.
KING: How do you think the Tina Fey thing has worked for her? Helped or hurt?
BEHAR: Well, I think it -- this is what I think about it, you know, the media gets criticized a lot about did they handle the situation correctly and were they too much on this side and not that side? I think that the media -- the traditional media goes after you when you are the popular front-runner, you know, you get more attention.
But the comedians will go after you if you're a joke. And she has become a joke. let's tell the truth here, Larry. The woman is a joke. Look at Tina There. you can see how hilarious she is. And all you have to do is quote the woman and reproduce what she says, and you've got a comedy bit.
So if they start to spotlight you and make fun of you, the comedians, that means that your campaign is a joke. That's why they can't do it to Obama so easily, because he's really not that funny. He's not a joke. There is nothing to make fun of with the guy. It's very hard.
KING: What do you make of what this whole election has become?
BEHAR: You mean the nastiness of it?
KING: Yes, my gosh.
BEHAR: We had a guy on "The View" today who was talking about some of the most acrimonious campaigns in the history of the country. I mean, John Adams and Jefferson, and Andrew Jackson and John Quincy Adams. This goes back. And they were calling each other's mothers names, and your mother is a harlot and a tramp. I mean, stuff like that.
And, of course, we remember "Tricky Dick" Nixon, and we remember that "Daisy" explosion from Lyndon Johnson. And it has always been very nasty. So I don't know that this is any nastier than that.
But John McCain...
KING: That's a good point.
BEHAR: ... getting desperate, I think.
KING: Good point.
Joy Behar is our guest. We'll be right back. We want to know what you're thinking. And you might even want to know what I'm thinking. So go to our blog site, cnn.com/larryking, and weigh in about this show or any show.
More with Joy after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KING: You don't like pundits. You don't like...
LEWIS BLACK, COMEDIAN: I'm sick of them. It's -- by the time you -- all they do is interpret what it is that somebody said. They said something. You don't need to interpret it, it's like English. You're not the -- you know, this isn't the haphtarah. You're not a rabbi interpreting Obama and McCain. It irks me to no end. And I don't want debates either. I want them in a room taking a math test.
(LAUGHTER)
LEWIS: I want them to do multiplication tables in front of me. I want to see their eyes move like there's thought behind there.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: Lewis Black -- and I noticed when I did that I was wearing this same shirt.
(LAUGHTER)
BEHAR: You love comedians, Larry.
KING: We're all nuts.
By the way, what do you make, Joy, of "Joe the Plumber"?
BEHAR: Aren't you sick of "Joe the Plumber"? He's not a plumber. He's not a licensed plumber. His name is not Joe. He's going to do very well under Obama's tax plan. It's like, shut up already with the plumber, tired of it.
By the way, I want to congratulate D.L. Hughley, because that's a great thing he's going to do. It will be a lot of fun for CNN. They need a little of that.
KING: Yes, he's on next. By the way, you had Bill O'Reilly on "The View" this week. Lots of buzz about your interaction with him. Let's take a look.
BEHAR: OK.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BEHAR: I want to read this quote: "Barack..."
BILL O'REILLY, HOST, "THE O'REILLY FACTOR": (INAUDIBLE), by the way.
BEHAR: Oh, well...
(LAUGHTER)
(CROSSTALK)
WALTERS: The kiss of death.
(CROSSTALK)
BEHAR: ... on your side, Bill.
O'REILLY: I don't have a side.
BEHAR: Yes, you do.
O'REILLY: What's wrong with you?
BEHAR: You're on FOX TV, you have a side.
O'REILLY: Oh, I'm on FOX!
(LAUGHTER)
BEHAR: Let me ask you something, do you ever watch the Keith Olbermann show? Keith Olbermann hates you.
O'REILLY: Yes, well, everybody hates me.
BEHAR: Why does he hate you?
O'REILLY: You do. He does.
BEHAR: I don't hate you. I dislike you. I don't hate you.
(LAUGHTER)
(CROSSTALK)
O'REILLY: You're all jealous. You're all jealous.
BEHAR: Jealous?
O'REILLY: You're all jealous.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BEHAR: They used to say that when I was...
KING: Joy...
BEHAR: When I was a kid, they used to say that in my neighborhood, you know, if somebody was mean, they'd say, they're jealous of you. You know, that's like an excuse to let them off the hook.
I think O'Reilly is -- you know what, Larry? I think he's sexually attracted to me. That's all I have to say.
KING: That could be it.
(LAUGHTER)
KING: Of course, they -- I notice he sat next to you.
BEHAR: Well, he had no choice. That's my seat and then they put the celebrity in the middle. I have to say that. But did he touch me? He might have touched me. Oh, yes. Oh, yes.
KING: That was hardly an intellectual moment.
(LAUGHTER)
BEHAR: Which one? There were so many. I mean, I have this -- he has been sharing this on his show, I understand, because he can't get enough of me, this guy. He is just madly in love with me, you know?
KING: He repeats it?
BEHAR: That's what I heard. I don't really watch FOX. I watch CNN.
KING: A-ha! Now by the way, in all honesty, has McCain gotten a fair shake from the mass media?
BEHAR: You know, I have to say something about this, seriously. Now I liked McCain. I always liked him. But before he was in the position of running, before he became the desperado that he is, he was a much more amiable guy. And you've got a glimpse of it on those Alfred Smith -- that Alfred Smith night. I thought he was very amiable that night and not so wacky, as he has been acting lately.
But has anybody asked -- now I'm a big girl -- a big therapy freak, OK? I believe in psychotherapy, the talking cure. This guy was in a -- in the Hanoi Hilton for five years. They broke his arms. They burnt him. They hurt him. Then he was in four or five plane crashes, I heard, too, right? Am I right about that?
KING: I think so, yes.
BEHAR: OK. He is -- he could be suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, that he is now...
KING: All this time later?
BEHAR: What? Yes. Because it could be triggered. If it hasn't been treated in the initial incident, it could be triggered. And the election is making it -- I think it's triggering it off, especially when you're so behind in the polls.
The guy is getting upset. He keeps saying the same things, "my friends," "my friends," "my friends," "my friends." What is wrong with him? Why does he keep saying that? And who are these friends anyway?
(LAUGHTER)
BEHAR: "Joe the Plumber," "my friends," "I'm a maverick," I mean, all of these like buzzwords. He just keeps, you know, saying the same thing over and over again. That could be PTSD.
KING: Who is going to win the election, Dr. Behar?
(LAUGHTER) BEHAR: Well, I think that Obama will win. I'm hoping that he will win. I think that we need it very much. And I will do what I can to help him, as you may have noticed.
I don't usually do this. I don't usually come out strongly for a candidate. But this time I just feel strongly about it. I was strong about Hillary, too. But then when she didn't make it, then I threw my weight behind him. And I think it would be great for the country.
KING: Joy, it's always great seeing you, Joy. Thanks for being with us.
BEHAR: You too, Larry.
KING: That's Joy Behar. Back in 60 seconds with D.L. Hughley. He has got a new show right here on CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KING: Let's say hello to D.L. Hughley, the comic who hosts his new CNN show, which starts in about 45 minutes, the "D.L. Hughley Breaks the News." It will be on every Saturday night at 10:00 Eastern, 7:00 Pacific. The show premieres right after, as we said, this program.
Here's a sneak peak.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
D.L. HUGHLEY, HOST, "D.L. HUGHLEY BREAKS THE NEWS": Obama says that there will be a special place for Colin Powell in his administration. And that is going to be amazing, because there haven't been two black people at the White House at the same time since Thomas Jefferson had a three-way, so...
(LAUGHTER)
HUGHLEY: Obama is only going to raise taxes on people who make over only $250,000 a year. And I think that's fair. But -- wait a second, I make over $250,000 a year. You're talking about you commie bastard. What's wrong with him?
(LAUGHTER)
HUGHLEY: One hundred six-year-old nun who appeared on TV, and she endorsed Barack Obama. Now McCain, he took this news exceptionally hard when he realized they used to go together in high school.
(LAUGHTER)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: The very funny D.L. Hughley.
Does the show open with a monologue every week?
HUGHLEY: Yes, it does. It's more along the lines of a typical -- you know, traditional late-night show, Johnny Carson, Letterman, Leno. Come out, do a monologue, talk to some people, do some sketches. It's -- I had a great time.
KING: Why did you decide to do it?
HUGHLEY: Well, I had always wanted to do late night. We were actually in the process of talking to other networks at the time when we got -- when CNN made us the offer. But I had always wanted to do late night.
And I think that the reason this makes so much sense is that CNN, there is a wealth of -- you know, a veritable wealth of information. And that's what a comic needs to kind of do his job.
KING: Do you like interviewing people too?
HUGHLEY: I do. I like talking to people, so to me it's more of a conversation. I'm obviously not that great an interviewer, but I am interesting in people. And I certainly like to hear what they have to say.
And I'm never certainly about anything. Like, I don't -- I try not to have my mind made up before I actually sit down and talk to somebody.
KING: That's a good way to interview.
D.L. remains with us. We'll be back with some friends as well right after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KING: Give you me your assessment of Barack Obama, where he has come from, what he has done, what he has accomplished.
STEPHEN COLBERT, HOST, "THE COLBERT REPORT": He is an inspiring candidate. And he has got the young people out there just eating out of the palm of his hand. He is passing his "hope bong" around the drum circle of young America.
KING: His "hope bong"?
COLBERT: He is inviting people to take deep tokes off of his bong packed with hope.
KING: I've got you. OK. All right. We will...
COLBERT: Change! Change!
((BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)) KING: Comedy is the forte, and the D.L. Hughley show premieres right after this one. He is the host of his new program. He remains with us.
And joining us to complete the panel, Penn Jillette, half of the eccentric magic duo Penn & Jillette (sic). He has got his own daily blog, "Penn Says." It's on crackle.com. And he is, by the way, a Libertarian.
Did I say Penn and Teller? I said Penn and Jillette. That's because they wrote "Penn and Jillette" here.
PENN JILLETTE, MAGICIAN: Did they really?
KING: They wrote Penn and Jillette.
JILLETTE: They really did.
KING: Yes, they wrote Penn and Jillette.
JILLETTE: Not Larry's mistake.
KING: Not my mistake, the writer of this card.
JILLETTE: Just in case anyone is thinking Larry is saying anything out of his head, he is not. It is all written down.
KING: It's all written down.
JILLETTE: Every mistake he makes is right here.
KING: The next thing I read is in Chicago, it better be Chicago, is Carlos Mencia, the star and executive producer of "Mind of Mencia" seen Wednesday nights on Comedy Central. He is currently on his "At Close Range" standup tour.
And D.L., do you plan to have either of these on your show?
HUGHLEY: I would love to have either one of those gentlemen on my show. Well, I don't want to call Carlos a gentleman. I don't want to insult him. But...
(LAUGHTER)
JILLETTE: Well, we only work together. You don't get Carlos without me. We only work together from now on.
(CROSSTALK)
HUGHLEY: We've got it all covered.
KING: Wait a minute. We have a start up announcement.
JILLETTE: Right, right. From now on it is Penn and Jillette, starring Carlos. HUGHLEY: That's it.
KING: All right. Let's get around.
Penn, why is comedy so much a factor this time around?
JILLETTE: Well, is it?
KING: Sure. "Saturday Night Live."
JILLETTE: Well, "Saturday Night Live," you have to do some of the mathematics. "Saturday Night Live" has what, 14 million people? Of those 14 million, how many can vote? Nine million? I'm just taking guesses here. Of Those nine million, how many are undecided?
I mean, it was really -- was Sarah Palin playing to more than 100,000 people? Is that going to make any difference? I think it's a complete wash.
KING: We're over blowing it.
JILLETTE: To supporters I think that it's kind of cool that she can take a joke. In American culture, that's supposed to be a great thing. But I don't think it actually changes the campaign very much.
But did Joy Behar really act like being a prisoner of war for the United States was a bad thing? Did she really say that?
KING: She said it led to, she believes, post traumatic stress.
JILLETTE: It was a pretty shocking thing to hear.
KING: Carlos, why is -- is comedy more prevalent this time around?
CARLOS MENCIA, COMEDIAN: Yes. I think so. But it's because it's so politically incorrect to make fun -- the only person you can make fun of in this race is Joseph Biden without fear of anybody sending you any e-mails or getting mad, because if you make fun of Obama, you're a racist. If you make fun of Palin you're a sexist. And if you make fun of McCain you're against the troops or un- American.
So we, as comedians, especially at comedy clubs, at the comedy club level, these guys are saying things that nobody else can say. I mean they're talking about her kid with special disabilities.
KING: Really?
MENCIA: I mean, these are the kinds of jokes that get talked about. Yes, at comedy clubs that nobody else can say, and yes you can change voters' minds by talking about stuff like that, by talking about plane crashes and PTSD and talking about Obama not being black enough. I mean, that's something that won't be said on CNN, that Obama doesn't act black enough for a lot of people in this country. And those are the kind of jokes that get told all the time.
KING: D.L., do you think comedy will affect the vote?
HUGHLEY: No. I think that's a little arrogant to believe comedy will affect the vote. but I do think what has happened with comedy is that the darker times have gotten the more people -- I mean, literally, it's so bad sometimes you have to laugh to keep from crying. And I think that...
(LAUGHTER)
HUGHLEY: And I think that literally, when you look at it, when I look at what's gone on, I just don't understand the anger. Like, I went to a Palin rally. We were doing a piece, and I went to a Palin rally and there was such anger at Obama. And I never understood that because even if he wins, there have been 43 presidents, all of whom have been white. So if he wins it'll be 43-1. That's like somebody getting mad - the Globetrotters getting mad because the Washington Generals won one.
(LAUGHTER)
HUGHLEY: I don't understand. Meadowlark - you've seen - I don't understand it.
KING: McCain and Obama played the comedy card at the recent Alfred E. Smith Dinner in New York. Was the joke on them? Let's take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: It began so long ago, the heralded arrival of the man known to Oprah Winfrey as "The One." Being a friend and colleague of Barack, I just called him "That One."
SEN. BARACK OBAMA, (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Many of you know that I got my name, Barack, from my father. But what you may not know is Barack is actually Swahili for "That One."
(LAUGHTER)
OBAMA: And I got my middle name from somebody who obviously didn't think I'd run for president.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: Penn, why don't they do that more on the campaign...
JILLETTE: I think they're doing it plenty. I think ...
KING: You think comedy...
JILLETTE: I think once on comedy is fine. I don't think it's called for in everything. And also, they aren't really doing comedy. They're just reading like they do everything else. Neither of them made up any of those jokes. It's not improvisation.
KING: But if you use that material at a rally.
JILLETTE: I don't think you're supposed to. Maybe this is naive of me but I don't think we should vote for the person we like the most, I think we should vote for the person who is going to run the country in the way we agree with. I don't even think we should vote for someone who is the nicest or the most competent or the smartest. I think you should go for issues that you agree with. and it's very, very simple to do it that way.
I don't think either of them are lying. I think all four people in the race are good people who love their country and are doing their best. and we should look at what they stand for and decide if we agree with them, not if they're good people. That is taken as a given.
KING: We'll be right back with the panel right after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
DON LEMON, CNN NEWS ANCHOR: Hello, everyone, Don Lemon live here at CNN world headquarters. We'll get back to "Larry King Live" in just a moment, but we want to tell you what's happening right now, and it is a tragic development tonight, to a story we have bee following all week. An Arkansas TV anchorwoman has died after being found beaten in her home on Monday. 26-year-old Anne Pressly worked for our affiliate, KA-TV. Police have not identified a suspect. We'll update that for you at 11:00.
Incredible anguish for actress Jennifer Hudson. Her mother and brother found shot to death in the family's Chicago home yesterday. The 7-yeawr-old nephew is still missing. Chicago media reports the police have questioned Hudson's brother-in-law, William Balfour. Police say they are speaking with many more people in that case. We'll update that one as well.
Frustrations boiling over inside the McCain campaign -- several advisors to John McCain have suggested to CNN that they are increasingly frustrated with Sarah Palin "going rogue" on the trail and openly disagreeing with campaign advisors.
One source even complained that Palin is looking out for herself more than the campaign. A Palin spokeswoman disagrees. She says there is only one agenda, and that is to win on Election Day.
Well, it looks like Barack Obama and Bill Clinton are putting aside any disagreements left over from the primaries. Obama and the former president will campaign together for the first time next Wednesday in Florida.
Bill Clinton has campaigned for Obama before, but the two men have not appeared together at a campaign event.
Also tonight, live during our hours, 11 p.m. Eastern here on CNN, Barack Obama speaks from Albuquerque, New Mexico. We will have live coverage for you on that and see if any news comes from that.
Meantime, I'm Don Lemon. Those are your headlines. We'll see you at 11 p.m. Eastern here. Now back to LARRY KING LIVE.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHRIS ROCK, COMEDIAN: She's done three interviews, and she's running for vice president of the United States? Jason Lee has done more interviews promoting "My Name is Earl," and every time they let her talk for more than four minutes, you actually start feeling sorry for her. It's kind of like Kim Kardashian on "Dancing with the Stars" -- like, all that ass and can't shake it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: We're back with Penn Jillette and D.L. Hughley and Carlos Mencia. "Saturday Night Live" has created a lot of campaign comedy buzz, especially for dead-on impersonations. Check this out.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WILL FERRELL, COMEDIAN (PORTRAYING PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH IN A "SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE" SKETCH): I come to you tonight in the midst of a very important election between two very qualified candidates -- the hot lady and the Tiger Woods guy.
I, George W. Bush, endorse John McCain and Sarah Palin with all my heart.
John was there for me 90 percent of the time for the last eight years. When you think of me -- when you think of John McCain, think of me, George W. Bush. Think of this face. When you're in the voting booth, before you vote, think of this face.
I want to be there for you, John, for the next eight years.
TINA FEY, COMEDIAN (PORTRAYING REPUBLICAN VICE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE SARAH PALIN): The next 16 years!
FERRELL: Let's get a safety. I think I blinked on that last shot. Thumbs up, everybody.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: Carlos, funny stuff.
MENCIA: Great stuff. I think this is great for the country, for people to talk about this stuff -- though for us it's funny, for a lot of people out there, it's serious.
For me, it doesn't matter who wins. I'm a comedian. I'm going to find something funny about whoever ends up in office.
I just hope that for the country it ends up being somebody that does a half decent job and is not somebody that we just make fun of because these last eight years have been great for comedy, but look at where our economic state is -- all the other parts of America aren't doing well -- but as a comedian, he was great to make fun of.
Bush was amazing for us for a long time. Here is a guy who spoke English so badly that my father actually once, while watching TV, literally said, "Oh, wow, dat's not how joo say dat." (ph)
(LAUGHTER)
KING: All right, D.L. Hughley, from a comedic standpoint, who do you want as president?
HUGHLEY: From any standpoint, from a human being, from a comedian, I think Barack Obama -- first, I don't think anybody is immune to comedy. I think that he has done some things that are just as funny as what everybody else does.
I think that people tend to -- he's a more likable guy. But from a human standpoint, from a comedian standpoint, I clearly want Barack Obama to win. I can't see -- I don't want to laugh myself to death anymore. That's enough. I've laughed all I need to.
KING: Penn, does it matter to you? From a comedic standpoint?
JILLETTE: From a comedic standpoint it doesn't. We don't do very much political stuff in our show. I think that it'll be good to see the country -- Obama is most likely going to win -- it'll be good to see the country change how it does racial jokes, and that's what we're going through right now is nobody is really comfortable with it. It'll be cool to see that happen -- like with Kennedy with the Irish jokes. The Irish jokes changed.
KING: Do you think when he's president they will do racial jokes?
JILLETTE: They have to find a way, and I think that'll be a cool thing to see.
HUGHLEY: I actually don't think -- I think if it comes from your -- like, I was reading yesterday that Barack Obama, he turned in his medical report and his cholesterol level was 173. I don't know a black person whose level is under 300.
Like, if I could walk around with a wing and macaroni and cheese in a blender, that would be my smoothie. That must - 173 must come from his white half alone. I think that there are things that these people - that they do, they are human beings, and I think that anything and anybody is funny. I don't think that -- if you can tell jokes with God and Jesus, you can talk about these politicians.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAVID LETTERMAN, TALK SHOW HOST: ... we've just been told - here, take a look. Do we have it on the thing?
This is going live. There he is right there. Let's just see what he has to say here. This will be interesting. I wonder if he'll mention me. Hey, John, I've got a question -- do you need a ride to the airport?
Please welcome your senator from the great state of Arizona, John McCain. Senator?
Can you stay?
(LAUGHTER)
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R-ARIZONA), 2008 REPUBLICATION PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: Depends on how bad it gets.
(LAUGHTER)
LETTERMAN: Now what exactly happened?
MCCAIN: I screwed up.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: What did you make of all of that, Penn?
JILLETTE: I don't think that how people do on a late night show makes very much difference. Dave is the best at that there's ever been and he's going to be tremendously funny, and I think McCain came off OK, but I don't think it makes any difference in the election.
KING: Didn't make one vote less or more?
JILLETTE: I don't think so. I don't think it could.
KING: Carlos, what do you think?
MENCIA: I don't think that his appearance on "Late Night" is good or bad or influential, but just me personally, the fact that he said he was leaving and he didn't and he lied says a little bit about the guy's character.
I would believe that there are other people in America that would think that. I don't know that they put that into account, but it does say something about the guy's character that he said he was going on a plane...
JILLETTE: Not going on "Letterman" is your character?
MENCIA: No, no, no, that he was...
KING: No, lying.
MENCIA: ... that he said, "I'm leaving on a plane, but he was upstairs doing an interview. Yes, that's kind of like, well, you didn't have to say that.
KING: D.L., what do you think? HUGHLEY: I think that it -- politicians lie. That's -- I mean, honestly, like, no politician tells the truth. If they actually gave a speech, it would sound like this. "We're screwed. I approved this message."
But the bottom line is, I think that he looked human, and I think that David Letterman looked human, and I think it's always nice to see people having real interactions. Like, he was -- Letterman was clearly angry. McCain was clearly humbled, and it was...
JILLETTE: Uncomfortable.
HUGHLEY: It was uncomfortable and funny, and I think that it doesn't mean anything other than they're human to me.
KING: Never the "Bulworth" movie, where the candidate never lies.
Quickly, Carlos, are you ready for a Latino president?
MENCIA: You know what? I hope Obama wins from that respect because it just makes it easier for other minorities. I think that if Obama wins, Asian Americans, Latino Americans, all ethnic minorities in this country are going to feel like, wow, we've got a chance now.
KING: You bet.
Thank you all very much.
D.L. will remain. His program is coming up soon. Penn, thank you so much. Carlos, thanks for kicking it off.
HUGHLEY: Hey, Carlos, Penn, I'll see you guys.
MENCIA: Congratulations.
KING: And we'll be back in 60 seconds.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KING: We are going to spend another couple of minutes with D.L., and then he will be with us with another panel in our remaining moments leading up to his show.
His new shoe premieres on CNN right after this edition of LARRY KING LIVE, and this is not just a studio show. D.L. will go out into the field. Check this out.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HUGHLEY: As I approached the venue, I could see the crowd was very diverse -- white people, white people with mustaches, and white women with visors. I learned that Palin supporters, although not the best spellers...
Where's the "A" at?
... they are doggone committed to their candidate.
How do you think Sarah Palin sees America?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think she sees America as Alaska.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She's a hunter.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She's a fantastic supporter of clean coal.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And she's really connected with the base well.
HUGHLEY: What is the base? How would you describe the base?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The base would be...
HUGHLEY: I'd be the base?
What do you think of me for vice president with Sarah Palin, 2012?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't know who you are.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't know who he really is.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't know you.
HUGHLEY: Now that people knew me, they were getting psyched about our chances in 2012.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think you guys would rock.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'll back you.
HUGHLEY: You're my brother.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You've got it.
HUGHLEY: Will you wear my button -- Palin-Hughley 2012. Palin- Hughley 2012 -- act like you mean it!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Palin-Hughley 2012!
HUGHLEY: Yes!
CROWD: USA! USA! USA! USA!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: This will be a different show. "D.L. Hughley Breaks the News" -- it's on at the top of the hour. By the way, D.L., comedian, commentator, friend Al Franken is running for the Senate in Minnesota. Indeed he is ahead in the polls.
HUGHLEY: Yes, I saw that.
KING: Do you seriously - could you seriously see yourself as a candidate for office?
HUGHLEY: No, no, no -- because I sin, and I like to do it. No, no.
Politics are interesting to me only in the irony associated with them. But I've got to say that I am -- I have never seen so many ironic things happen in the course of an election in my lifetime.
KING: You titled your show "D.L. HUGHLEY BREAKS THE NEWS." Are you going to break news?
HUGHLEY: It kind of -- we hope it's possible, but I don't think we're planning for that, but if it happens we'd like to see it.
KING: I can't wait to see it.
D.L. Hughley at the top of the hour. We've got two segments left with two other panelists along with D.L., all on this edition of LARRY KING LIVE, all next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KING: Do you think celebrities when they endorse candidates help them?
KATHY GRIFFIN, COMEDIAN: Well, I think we've learned that Oprah is going to elect our next president. Why? Because she can.
KING: What do you think Oprah meant in the victorious candidacy of Obama?
GRIFFIN: Well, I think that we are under her thumb, and we'd better do what she says or else.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: OK. D.L. Hughley remains with us. His show is coming up soon.
Joining us now here in Los Angeles, David Zucker, the director and screenwriter -- had a lot of successful movies. His latest is "An American Carol." It is a spoof of Michael Moore and liberal politics. And in New York is Paul F. Tompkins, host of VH1's "Best Week Ever."
David, what do you think is the effect of humor on politics?
DAVID ZUCKER, DIRECTOR: Well, I think if it's successful it does more for the TV show like "Saturday Night Live" or Letterman or Leno or whoever is doing it.
KING: You think it elects... ZUCKER: I don't think it has that much of an effect. I think people have pretty much decided, and it does make a difference of how much they'll laugh. I mean, conservatives will really laugh at stuff that's directed against liberals and vice versa.
KING: But they won't vote for them because of it.
ZUCKER: But they won't vote for them because of it. I doubt if - I mean, there are undecided people, but unless some great truth is revealed by the comedy, I don't think people are going to really care.
KING: Paul Tompkins, what do you think?
PAUL TOMPKINS, VH1 HOST: I think it almost serves to make people more angry because when you see a sketch where someone is playing a politician, and it's sort of fun and you get to enjoy it and, like, oh, those are those characteristics, then the next time you see that person actually in real life you're furious because you realize they have the power to ruin your life.
KING: Do you think, D.L., it affects one vote? Do you think somebody would watch a skit and say, "I'm going to vote for him"?
HUGHLEY: Absolutely, there is going to be that guy. Listen, somebody could -- any one of us could walk out here right now and say we're Jesus, and somebody would believe us. So yes, it probably will affect one vote, yes, I'm sure. There's one guy who... KING: The Internet has been a major outlet for political humor this year. Here is a part of a video from director Ron Howard, who supports Obama. It's posted on the "Funny or Die" Web site. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RON HOWARD, DIRECTOR: But I know a lot of you are thinking that I'm just following some liberal Hollywood trend. That's not me. And besides, if I was anything less than sincere, would I do this?
Ah, gee, Fonz, I sure hope our country gets itself back on track.
HENRY WINKLER, ACTOR: You know, I'll tell you something. Eight years ago I thought to myself, OK, we've got these presidents, the United States, Cheney, Bush, let's give them a shot. Was I wr - I was so wrrrr ...
HOWARD: You were wrong, Fonz?
WINKLER: OK, that's the word, but see, now we can make it right, right?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: Do you think, David, there's more anti-conservative humor than anti-liberal humor on the media? ZUCKER: Yes. I think there's plenty of it. I mean, "Saturday Night Live" is mainly anti-conservative, and so is Letterman and Leno basically, and Jon Stewart, but that's because...
KING: Does that bother you as a conservative?
ZUCKER: No. No it doesn't. In fact, I mean, I think it's funny. I mean, you just showed that "Saturday Night Live" sketch, and it's really funny because I can imagine, yes, McCain is trying to pull away from Bush. So it's funny.
KING: You think it's funny even though you're voting for McCain.
ZUCKER: Yes, it doesn't really matter, and the stuff that Jon Stewart does when he shows - well, he does both because he shows the press fawning over Obama, and that's funny, too.
KING: Paul, do you get a kick out of it when your side is lambasted?
TOMPKINS: Yes, yes, I do, but I think on the whole I'm obviously more of a liberal. I think it is kind of funnier to make fun of the guy who maybe seems like Scrooge McDuck holding a couple bags of money than it is the guy that's saying, "Hey man, let's all just hug.'
KING: A new "Entertainment Weekly" poll shows that 53 percent of Americans feel that celebrity endorsements have some influence on a candidate's appeal. What does that say to you, D.L.?
HUGHLEY: I think that I'd better put more movies out because I want to rule the world. I think that people -- the thing about -- people who have an affinity for celebrities or people that they like, they tend to give them more I think weight than they probably deserve, but I think that people are influenced by people that they like, and I think if you would follow a celebrity, you would tend to like them and you would probably tend to agree with a lot of things that they say.
So I don't think that that's too much out of the norm, but I don't like the idea of somebody who tells jokes for a living or slams a basketball or runs, hits a baseball, influences -- is that influential.
I don't necessarily know that I like that.
KING: We'll take a break and come back, and then our remaining moments. And then it's time for "D.L. HUGHLEY BREAKS THE NEWS."
Will comedians are going to be sorry to see Bush go? Find out.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RICHARD BELZER, COMEDIAN: Hi. I'm Richard Belzer. Get out and vote with a capital V. Vote early and vote often. (END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: That's our "Go Vote" campaign. And by the way, David Zucker's latest movie is "An American Carol." And the next one he is going to do is a regular "G" movie, a slapstick kind of fun movie for kids.
ZUCKER: Yes. I want to get back to the Laurel and Hardy.
KING: From our blog at cnn.com -- there you see a little quickie scene from "An American Carol." From our blog site -- it's cnn.com/larryking -- Dan writes, "D.L., do you think that comedy can help heal the country after this divisive and combative election?"
HUGHLEY: Well, I don't think that it will hurt -- I think it's not going to be 100 percent of one thing. I think it is going to be 1 percent of 100 things. I think we need to start feeling better about ourselves, period, and I think comedy is an element that will be involved in that. I certainly think that we can help.
KING: Paul, do you think the comedians are going to miss Bush/Cheney?
TOMPKINS: I don't think there is ever going to be a shortage of politicians to make fun of. But Bush/Cheney, I think, really wore out their welcome. When I think of that Oliver Stone movie coming out at this point in time -- does anybody want to go back and revisit all of that stuff? Enough is enough. I think we're ready to move on to somebody else to mock.
KING: Was it tough for the conservatives, David? This administration?
ZUCKER: Not for the conservatives. They liked most of it.
KING: They liked it.
ZUCKER: Except, well, there was that unpleasantness with the economy that just happened, which is tough for us.
But otherwise...
KING: Unpleasant.
ZUCKER: Yes. We haven't had a terror attack, and, I mean, there is much to be positive about, and basically the country is very divided, and there is going to be some change it looks like, so,yes.
KING: You used D.L. in your "Scary Movie," right?
ZUCKER: Yes, I know, but now he'll be blacklisted.
KING: What was he like to work with?
ZUCKER: He -- big ego, but very talented. No, he was great. We had a lot of fun. And we were up in Vancouver, and we kept flying him back and forth, and we'd think up new ideas for re-shoots, and yes...
KING: It did very well, that movie.
ZUCKER: It did, yes. It was great.
KING: And Paul, what's your prediction now on Nov. 4?
TOMPKINS: I think it's probably going to be an Obama presidency, and I would just like to say to Mr. Zucker, my desperation to break into film knows no politics.
ZUCKER: OK. You're on.
KING: All right, D.L. Your show is going to begin in moments. I know you pre-taped it. You pre-tape it every week. But are you excited?
HUGHLEY: I am -- this is what I've always wanted to do. I've always wanted to do late night television. I'm excited that I get an opportunity to do late night television and live in New York, so it's an exciting time, and I think we put the show together that we're proud of, and we think it's funny, and people will know in a minute.
KING: David, how do you feel about him having his own show?
ZUCKER: I'm very excited, and I hope the next movie I have to promote, he'll have me on and he can have a lot of fun.
HUGHLEY: Absolutely.
KING: A good way to get on it.
And Paul, how do you feel about D.L. getting his own show?
TOMPKINS: I think it's about time, America.
KING: Yes. Somebody came to their senses and gave D.L. his own program.
HUGHLEY: Absolutely.
KING: OK. We thank you all very much. D.L. Hughley, host of CNN's new show, "D.L. HUGHLEY BREAKS THE NEWS," David Zucker, director, screenwriter -- the latest movie is "An American Carol," a spoof of Michael Moore and liberal politics-- and Paul Tompkins, Paul F. Tompkins, host of VH1's "Best Week Ever."
If you're looking for more comedy and politics, have we got a Podcast for you. It's Bill Maher, and you can download it at cnn.com.larryking. Same address takes you to our blog, quick votes and a terrific Web extra with baseball star Josh Hamilton. Look for that.
Thanks for joining us on a very special edition of LARRY KING LIVE.
And now the premier of "D.L. HUGHLEY BREAKS THE NEWS" starts right now.
