Watching the late rebroadcast of Friday’s (January  30) “Anderson Cooper 360º” on the Certainly Not News network, I was shocked to watch valuable Fourth Estate airwaves time dedicated to the showcasing of three burly male crew members parodying Beyoncé’s “Single Ladies” video.  Is Walter Cronkite watching this?

I posted a comment to the 360º  blog stating that I prefer my satire from The Onion, Stewart and Colbert, and “SNL,” the latter having just parodied this video.  I also suggested that the show use this time, instead, to read tomorrow’s newspaper headlines, as time slot predecessor Aaron Brown used to do.  In these upside-down times where I find informed analysis on Comedy Central fake news shows and tone-deaf satire attempts on real “news” programs, CNN’s misguided effort to move from the bull’s-eye role to the comedic dart is perplexing.  Leave this work to the late-night humorists and get back to, I don’t know, reporting on the Wall Streeters who’ve financed bonuses with the taxpayer-funded bailout money.  

My post was “held for moderation” and did not make the blog.  Here is a sampling of the comments that rated 360º -worthy.  In lieu of the bracketed “sic,” please note that the misspelled and fake words, lack of subject-verb agreement, and excessive use of exclamation points and omission of punctuation marks below are verbatim:

“That was absolutely hilarious!!!!”

“Have a great weekend, Stay Safe and keep dancin ”

(My note:  Stay safe?  Is this a public service announcement?)

“OMG...this as too, too funny!  I love the AC360 Crew.  You guys put all others to shame!”

“That was the most awesome video i ever so it was funny we need to laugh a little I love your show keep it the good work Mr Anderson.”

“The floor Crew Friday are the funnest thing on CNN. LOL”


I take it the 360º  blog does not play the same role as a newspaper’s letters-to-the-editor section where readers can respectfully comment on and criticize their news source’s use of print space.  The adoring tone is closer to a Miley Cyrus fan site than a news organization’s venue for audience feedback.

It was a sign of our Sugar-Snaps-soundbite, eye-no-brain-candy times when CNN fired Aaron Brown from “NewsNight” in 2005 and renamed the show for the telegenic Mr. Cooper – or Mr Anderson I should say, following the form of the 360º  bloggers and making me question if Hattie McDaniel is posting from the grave.  At least removing the word “news” from the show’s title is honest branding, where photo-caption contests and Beyoncé parodies are concerned.

Aaron Brown is now training the next generation of journalists at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University.  Will these graduates be able to reclaim some dignity and cut dancing crew members from their on-air line-ups?  Will we let them? OMG!!!! So not LOLing, Mr. Anderson.  Just keeping you honest.