The premiere was exactly what I expected from the ads: not funny. That's a shame, because anyone who's seen Comic Relief, etc, knows that Whoopi Goldberg is simply one of the funniest, most original comics around, with beaucoup dramatic and comedic acting talent. But what passed as jokes in the premiere were nothing more than statements of various racial and ethnic stereotypes. And while I'm all for using comedy to try to get beyond them, simply describing one isn't a good joke. The white girl being the blackest person on the show seemed like it would be funny from the ads, but she ended up being just another Hollywood sendup of the flamboyantly full-of-attitude (stereotypical) black girl. Hopefully, now that the characters have been introduced and the stereotypes acknowledged, the show can get down to the characters' lives and just trying to be funny. Certainly, exaggerating stereotypes can be funny while eroding them at the same time. Just watch old "In Living Color" episodes if you doubt that. But there has to be some effort put into the jokes and writing. Whoopi Goldberg clearly has the talent and work ethic to make that happen, and the premise and characters certainly have plenty of potential. Put it to use and this show will work. A few more shows like the premiere and it'll be gone by Halloween, if not sooner. Star power alone won't keep it around. Remember "Watching Ellie"? "Whoopi" had better learn from that one. Here's hoping.
