In an effort to bring CNN back from the brink of failing ratings, the cable network has announced the debut of several new shows, including one hosted by religious writer Reza Aslan and another by comedian W. Kamau Bell.
Reza Aslan is to host a show with the working title “Believer.” In a press release, CNN states that “Aslan will immerse himself into one of the world’s most fascinating faith-based groups to experience life as a true believer.”
Aslan will explore worship, rituals, and “unusual rites of passage” of various religions.
W. Kamau Bell, CNN says, will host “United Shades of America” where he will “explore the far corners of our country and its various groups and subcultures.”
Both hosts are highly controversial and combative.
Aslan, for one, has a long history of attacking Christians and Christianity. Late last year, for instance, he claimed that the Bible was full of “historical errors,” despite that he is not a historian or a biblical scholar.
But even as he has made a career of attacking Christians, Aslan does have support for one religion. As comedian Bill Maher has increased his verbal assault on radical Islam, Aslan has come to Islam’s support and said that Maher is engaging in “frank bigotry.”
In another case, Aslan claimed that Sam Harris’ criticism of Islam was paranoid, “uninformed,” and “unsophisticated.”
For his part, W. Kamu Bell has also engaged in controversial comments, though his focus has been his quest to decide who is and who is not a racist. Naturally, conservative whites are usually his target.
In fact, Bell has insisted that no white person is allowed to say what is racist and what isn’t, because only whites can be racist.
On his former, canceled cable show, “Totally Biased,” Bell even claimed that all Tea Partiers are racists.
Bell is also well known as being wholly and admittedly in the bag for Barack Obama.
Follow Warner Todd Huston on Twitter @warnerthuston or email the author at igcolonel@hotmail.com
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