“Praise for Keir Starmer,” exclaimed a British prisoner who was released early from jail last month. “Well, he said more than that,” joked Charlie Brooker, the guest host on that week’s episode of Have I Got News for You. “But his sentence got cut short.”
This elicited muffled laughter and groans from the audience. “Very good,” Ian Hislop, a veteran team captain on the show, insincerely remarked. When a moth was spotted flying around the studio, Paul Merton, the other captain, quipped: “I think it’s jumped out of the script.”
Have I Got News for You, now in its 68th series, is a beloved British institution. At its best, the show remains sharp and snarky. However, like all long-standing institutions, it can sometimes feel a bit stale, with sharp satire being replaced by mediocre puns and hot takes.
When Have I Got News for You finally began airing in the US in September, the producers had a golden opportunity to take risks, try something new, and differentiate themselves.
In the UK, the show airs on Friday nights on BBC One, a staple of the national broadcaster but not necessarily known for groundbreaking comedy. Its American counterpart is broadcast on Saturday nights on CNN, far from prime time.
American TV satire is ripe for innovation. The newest late-night chat show host on one of the four major networks has been in the position for nine years. Even on cable, Comedy Central took a year to choose the “new” host of The Daily Show – and they ended up selecting Jon Stewart, the previous host for 16 years until 2015. While these shows, especially The Daily Show under Stewart, are still funny, they often lack a fresh feel.
Have I Got News for You made a smart move by hiring Roy Wood Jr, a former Daily Show correspondent who headlined last year’s White House Correspondents’ dinner, as its US host, and bringing on comedians Amber Ruffin and Michael Ian Black as team captains.
The creators of the US version claim it fits perfectly with CNN, known for its constant news coverage and serious discussions. However, during the first episode, one panelist pondered whether a penguin with over 200 offspring knew Nick Cannon.
A disclaimer was added before the second episode aired: “This is CNN,” it starts. “But also kinda NOT CNN.”
Earlier this year, the network promised a “smart, silly, opinionated, and edgy take on the news of the week,” aiming to recreate a British show fueled by a decade of relentless news cycles. However, the US version seems less tied to current events. While it covers the latest in the presidential election campaign, it also includes segments on unrelated topics like Meryl Streep’s name change and Greg Gutfeld’s fondness for NWA.
During the episode where Trump cut short a campaign Q&A to dance on stage for 39 minutes, only about 15 minutes were dedicated to the campaign itself. The rest of the show covered topics like Elton John wearing a kneecap as a necklace, Pope Francis working as a bouncer, and the plot of the 2007 movie Who’s Your Caddy? starring Big Boi and Lil Wayne.
Those looking for sharp political humor may be disappointed. Instead, standout moments in this series include playful jabs at guest Adam Kinzinger and a discussion about stripper lotion.
While there are some dud jokes, such as Roy Wood Jr’s quip about Kim Kardashian receiving a ceremonial glass key for a Times Square toilet opening, they are few and far between.
Before the show premiered, Michael Ian Black expressed hope that it would evolve into a unique entity over time. Chemistry and confidence take time to develop.
While the original Have I Got News for You has stood the test of time, its American counterpart is still finding its footing. When asked about extending the show beyond its current run, a CNN spokesperson had “nothing to share.”
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