Jokes Amber Can Tell (on CNN)

As a fellow Nebraskan, I can’t help but feel a strong sense of pride when I see Tim Walz, our home-grown politician, making waves on the national stage. Growing up in the Cornhusker State, we learn early that our neighbors come first and that’s exactly what I see in Tim. From helping his elderly neighbor with their mail to crafting laws that truly benefit the people, he embodies the Nebraska spirit.

Back in the days, just a couple of years prior to James Earl Jones becoming the voice of CNN around 1990, they had quite the ego, boasting themselves as “the world’s most significant network.” But times have changed, and these days, even on weekends, CNN seems to be loosening up a bit. They started re-running HBO’s Friday comedy series, “Real Time with Bill Maher,” in March. And now, they’re really going for the laughs by introducing an American version of the classic BBC news satire show, titled “Have I Got News for You.” As a movie buff who appreciates a good joke, I can’t wait to see how this pans out!

Hosted by comedian Roy Wood Jr., who is known for his work on “The Daily Show,” HIGNFY (which has been airing in the U.K. since 1990) combines elements of comedy, game shows, and news reviews. The version airing on CNN this Saturday at 9 p.m., immediately following Bill Maher’s show, will star Amber Ruffin and Michael Ian Black as team captains. They will be joined by other comedians and celebrities to mock the events of the past week. (The first pairing: Robin Thede and libertarian commentator Matt Welch.) Although HIGNFY is primarily designed for cable news viewers, it’s likely that Warner Bros. Discovery also hopes it will appeal to younger audiences who now predominantly consume news through streaming services, such as CNN Max.

For a month now, the digital news hub, CNN Max, has been available to Max subscribers. It offers access to many of CNN’s primary daily shows, like Anderson Cooper 360, and live breaking news from CNN International. Although the show Have I Got News for You won’t be broadcast live on CNN Max as other CNN programs are, episodes will become available on the platform shortly after their initial airing. This means that HIGNFY now has two main distribution channels. Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) has already observed the benefits of multiple broadcast windows with Bill Maher’s show: Apart from the over 600,000 viewers who watch episodes on HBO each Friday night, and millions more who stream on-demand via Max, Real Time is now also attracting an additional 732,000 weekly viewers through its rebroadcast on CNN. It’s clear that adding these extra viewing options has only broadened the show’s audience reach, as Maher’s talker was already popular before streaming and the CNN encore became available.

It’s worth noting that CNN has not emphasized or given much attention to the Max window for the show HIGNFY in their promotional materials. During her announcement of the series, Amy Entelis, the head of CNN Originals, only spoke about its purpose for CNN linear audiences. She said, “We believe audiences will appreciate the chance to laugh and find humor amidst this challenging news cycle.” However, since CNN Max exists, a move like this, which is slightly outside CNN’s typical comfort zone, becomes less risky compared to when there was no significant streaming option for CNN shows. While ratings on the linear CNN channel will undoubtedly be crucial in deciding whether the show continues beyond its initial run of ten episodes (which CNN refers to as a “limited series”), strong performance on Max could make it easier for the decision-makers at CNN to extend the show’s run or commission more seasons.

A significant factor contributing to the potential success of HIGNFY is its talented cast, notably Wood and Ruffin. Both have gained immense popularity in the satirical news industry, which flourished during Jon Stewart’s tenure on The Daily Show for Comedy Central (Wood as a writer-performer) and Late Night With Seth Meyers (Ruffin, known for her segment “Amber Says What”).

I wasn’t involved in bringing the show “Have I Got News for You” to the U.S., and prior to that, I hadn’t watched it regularly. However, while living in Amsterdam, I occasionally saw it, but the topics were often specific to British news, which I was unfamiliar with as I didn’t recognize many of the people or events they were discussing. [Laughs.]

How did you manage to secure the position as one of the team captains? That role was filled after a series of tests, and it felt like a delightful gathering. It was a group of us who share similar interests, essentially everyone in this field. We were all night owls, comedians from news podcasts, and former hosts of late-night shows.

In your show, our role is to maintain a balance between winning and humor. We’re here to ensure that viewers are always up-to-date with the latest news stories. By using different perspectives, such as Roy’s, Michael’s, and mine, we aim to highlight the absurdity and chaos happening around us. It’s like a whirlwind of madness! Our goal is to share our genuine reactions to these events, making the audience laugh along with us at all the silly things that are unfolding.

It’s likely that many individuals from the test will return, forming pairs with others in the comedy world each week. However, there may also be participants who work more in the news sector. In some instances, we might even have prominent figures like news-makers or politicians join us. The exact composition will depend on what we can manage effectively.

It’d be awesome if Pete Buttigieg made an appearance on this show, don’t you think? That would be fantastic!

Aren’t you considering reaching out to your contacts from the news-adjacent comedy sphere to join your team?

Is that when shows are going to tape? Yeah, it’s going to tape Friday and air Saturday.

In essence, the U.S. version of our show will deviate from its U.K. counterpart by adopting a more game show format with rapid-fire, often humorous responses. Unlike traditional British panel shows that can become lengthy discussions, this one is packed with witty comments and quick answers, many of which are spontaneous and unscripted. This creates an atmosphere similar to an improvised late-night show. Additionally, the U.S. version will have tighter segments and a higher density of humor compared to typical British panel shows.

A little more meandering.
Meandering. That’s the word.

I must admit, I was taken aback when I learned that this format would be introduced on CNN. After all, they’re both media entities, so there’s a connection. But given my expectations, an entertainment network or streaming service seemed more likely to adopt such a move. Did you find it surprising as well when you discovered it was for CNN?

“Is there a winner in the game show, or does Roy decide? Essentially, can one influence Roy to win?

Where do you get your news from these days, by the way? And how do you get it?
I get my news through the first 20 minutes of the 7 a.m. network news. So when it’s actually news and not just “Mariah Carey saw a butterfly! Isn’t that a coincidence?,” I’ll watch one channel at 7 a.m. while I’m taping another channel. I’ll watch NBC and I’ll tape ABC and then I’ll go back and I’ll watch ABC. And if I could tape CBS, I would go back and then watch that 20 minutes. And I’ve always been this way. I have a news problem. But we can get headlines now from — your little phone will tell you. My phone has the audacity to text me when news has happened, which is so bold.

By any chance, do you also tune into cable news channels? I lean more towards MSNBC, but I occasionally catch a bit of CNN too. If something significant occurs, I tend to switch to CNN. On days when I want some news, I prefer MSNBC. And in the mornings at seven, I usually watch network news.

It’s a little weird for me to be interviewing you about a CNN project since you have been so associated with NBCUniversal the past decade with Late Night and The Amber Ruffin Show and the prime-time development you’ve done for the company. Has your association with NBCU changed so that you’re now a free agent? Or did you have to get permission to work on this show?
I think when your boss is Seth Meyers, you can just do what you want. I feel like any other boss would’ve been like, “Absolutely not!” But I am doing so many projects at NBC, and this takes zero time and zero prep. I don’t have to write. And this is what is shocking: I can be on a whole television show and not have to write a word. It’s bananas. So, I mean, sure, it’s a different network, but it’s really “Do you have three hours every Friday?” And I do. So everyone’s just like, “Yeah, there’s no reason not to.”

In a past episode of “Amber Says What,” you joked about something being “unceremoniously” ended, similar to The Amber Ruffin Show, despite your announcement months ago on social media that the show had concluded. Even though it received outstanding reviews and Emmy nominations, it didn’t get a proper farewell. Now that some time has passed since your final episode, I’m curious about your reflections on this experience. To put it simply, it was a dream come true for me. It was the most enjoyable experience I could ever imagine. No matter what happens in the future, it was exactly what I aimed for. Every moment of that show was just as I had envisioned. Working with talented individuals who could reach into my mind and extract the shiniest, funniest ideas to share with America was simply incredible. To this day, the fact that I got to do that still takes my breath away. In short, it was a dream. It was an absolute dream come true.

Here’s one way of paraphrasing the text in a more natural and easy-to-read manner:

In simpler terms, your show faced numerous obstacles from the start as it debuted during a pandemic, limiting the audience and airing on a relatively small streaming platform (Peacock). Unfortunately, it’s also one of the latest talk shows to struggle in this format. I wonder if it would have had better luck being shown on traditional TV instead of late-night reruns or early morning slots. Perhaps the format of talk shows works better on regular television compared to streaming services?

Are you still using a Digital Video Recorder (DVR)? That’s surprising to hear from someone as young as your friend when she asked, “What do you mean DVR?” I felt like I was showing my age when I replied, “Oh my goodness, really? I might as well be videotaping it.

I’m not in any position to judge, because I share the same situation. If there’s an internet outage, we’re all good!

It seems that The Amber Ruffin Show has ended, but you’re still with Late Night. Are there any projects in the works for NBCUniversal beyond Seth’s show that you can share details about?

Are you thinking about making a splash in the world of theater? Could it be that you’re considering a new phase as a Broadway performer? That sure sounds exciting! It seems like Broadway is really coming into its own, and now I can pursue what feels right instead of always asking, “How can I contribute?” The idea is to follow our hearts and see where that takes us on the Broadway stage.

Initially, I never suspected you were in your forties; it wasn’t until our chat preparations that I realized this. To me, you’ve always embodied the spirit of a millennial icon, yet since you were born in 1979, some consider you part of Generation X – and yes, I’m referring to us, the Gen Xers. However, when it comes to defining myself, it’s a bit tricky. I feel like I straddle the line between Gen X and millennials; while technically I am Gen X, my socialization leans more towards being a millennial. That’s how I would describe my generation identity.

It appears that given her opponent’s circumstances, it might be inappropriate not to pose a few political questions. In your words, how would you assess the initial 50 days of the “Kamala Harris for president” campaign? To me, she faces very little pressure due to her competitor being perceived as unintelligent. I find myself wondering if she could brilliantly and humorously debunk him at every turn, wouldn’t that be entertaining? Yet, she remains composed and restrained. She occasionally pokes fun at him on social media, which is adorable. However, I believe that when the campaign results are revealed, it will become clear that her understated approach was a deliberate strategy to highlight his flaws without overexposure, keeping us amused in the process.

After the discussion, if that’s the reason for your inquiry, let me clarify. During the exchange, it appears that a murder might occur, and she will have an arsenal of brilliant remarks at her disposal, ready to unleash them like a barrage. Recall when Michelle Obama quipped, “Looks like the job he’s applying for is one of those Black jobs”? The debate will be filled with such comments, making it quite the spectacle. I’m eagerly anticipating it.

I also didn’t realize this until today, but you’re from Nebraska. So is Harris’s running mate, Tim Walz. Anything about Nebraskans you think makes him suitable for the second-highest office in the land? Or is there anything in general voters should know about Nebraska?
It’s full of beef — I can tell you that right now. As am I. We all are, and that’s what makes us so sturdy. [Laughs.] No, but I do think Nebraskans are very neighborly and concerned with “Well, your grandma lives next to me. Can she even get to the mailbox to get her mail? You know what? I don’t care. Let me just take her her mail.” That’s Nebraskans. So I do feel like he has a healthy helping of that. And then he’s just multiplied it by being a politician, where you take that way of thinking and then you put it to good use and you make laws out of it, which is what we want every politician to do.

Fact check: True.

2024-09-13 18:55

Jokes Amber Can Tell (on CNN)

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