Al Sharpton: MSNBC's Next Host?

Al Sharpton could be made MSNBC's next host, TVNewser reports.

Sharpton has suddenly become a frequent presence behind the anchor desk for the network. He has guest hosted "The Ed Show" multiple times and, for the past two weeks, has been filling in for Cenk Uygur at 6 PM. It is in that slot that Sharpton may emerge victorious, TVNewser writes, with Uygur being pushed aside.

If true, the reports are certain to raise eyebrows. Sharpton is, to say the least, a polarizing figure. Even so, he has not noticeably strayed from the standard MSNBC playbook during his guest-hosting stints.

MSNBC, as well as the other cable news networks, has also been drawing fire for its lack of on-air diversity. There is not a single African American prime time host on any cable news channel, something the NAACP recently blasted the networks for. However, if Uygur, who is Turkish, were displaced by Sharpton, it would still leave the network with just three hosts of color across the entire day: Sharpton, Tamron Hall and Richard Lui.

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Comments

[erica stewart]

08:43 PM on 08/10/2011

TRUTH TO THE BONE, GOD BLESS REV. AL SHAPTON.

[Rocco Rotondo]

08:32 PM on 08/02/2011

How about Martin Bashir in that slot. He is a comer!

[Rocco Rotondo]

08:29 PM on 08/02/2011

As far as I am concerned Shapton is minor league.Bring back Cenk!

[VonMarco]

04:42 PM on 08/02/2011

Al is going through a few host's growing pains and doing an excellent job! He gets to the right questions and challenge the non-response quickly. I am a fan!

[Dagrmc McEwen]

10:43 PM on 07/28/2011

Replacing Cenk with Sharpton is like replacing ice cream on cake with crap.

[erica stewart]

08:38 PM on 08/10/2011

Why do you think that?, they both speak the truth, they are just of a different race. May God bless the racist(because that's what your comments sound like). If you have a problem with people of color I give you this verse out of the bible (if you believe in JESUS).REVELATION 1 & 13 ,AND STANDING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE LAMPSTANDS WAS THE SON OF MAN. HE WAS WEARING A LONG ROBE WITH A GOLD SASH ACROSS HIS CHEST. HIS HEAD AND HIS HAIR WERE WHITE LIKE WOOL, AS WHITE AS SNOW.AND HIS EYES WERE BRIGHT LIKE FLAMES OF FIRE. HIS FEET WERE AS BRIGHT AS BRONZE REFINED IN A FURNACE, AND HIS VOICE THUNDERED LIKE MIGHTY OCEAN WAVES.
LOOK AT MY PICTURE AND THEN LOOK IN THE MIRROR. I BELIEVE THIS DESCRIBE MY RACE AND NOT YOURS. YOU WILL AND PEOPLE LIKE YOU WON'T HAVE A PROBLEM IF YOU ARE RACIST ,BECAUSE JESUS WON'T ALLOW YOU TO STAND IN FRONT OF HIM, LOVE THOU NEIGHBOR AS THOU SELF, HELL YOU WILL GO. IF YOU DON'T LOVE ME YOU CAN'T LOVE JESUS.(WHEN HIS SKIN IS AS DARK AS MINE ,INCLUDING HIS NAPPY HAIR).

[lpeggy]

02:11 AM on 07/22/2011

this is great news, Rev Al has been amazing in the last two weeks, he cuts through the washington bull, and speak truth to power! I'll be tuning into watch him for sure

[JackieDebs]

10:03 PM on 07/21/2011

haha MSNBC is such a joke, they are becoming just as bad as fox as time goes on. I can't believe so many of you watch this drivel while laughing at fox. Hypocrites

[memphisflash57]

04:28 PM on 07/21/2011

sharton insighted arson killing 7 people calling them interlopers because they were Jewish store owners in Harlem...This guy should be in Jail with a life sentence and not on Hosting MsNBC.

[boruss]

03:51 PM on 07/21/2011

The little that I have listened to the Reverend, has not instilled in me any sense of confidence in his ability to diversify his outlook on life. However I am willing to watch and listen for more than his usual "one note" approach to all of the world's ills which has consisted mainly on his life experience as a Civil Rights" advocate and not much of anything beyond that? The main thing that I liked about Mr. Uygur was his strong approach to "telling it like it is" in an unbiased and knowledgeable manner. I wish him well if he does end up on "Currrent T.V. with Keith. I also wish Mr. Sharpton the best as he struggles with his somewhat limited and narrow vision.

[Dagrmc McEwen]

11:12 PM on 07/28/2011

My exact sentiments.

[chefmike]

04:15 AM on 08/02/2011

"as he struggles with his somewhat limited and narrow vision". And his enunciation of English.

[Hrover]

03:38 PM on 07/21/2011

Good luck Al, they don't last long there

[njpetlady]

01:15 PM on 07/21/2011

On the surface, after having watched Al Sharpton both as a guest and a guest host, I wouldn't think he'd be very good as a permanent host. However, I have changed my mind. He was hilarious recently interviewing guests and did not hold back exposing their hypocracy. He seems to have become more comfortable in front of the camera and does not rely so heavily on scripted questions. However, I think MSNBC may have the same problem getting people with opposing views on the program as Unger did - but so do Rachel and Lawrence O'Donnell. The longer their shows are on the air the more difficult it seems for them to book guests with opposing views. FOX has the same problem, so what's new.

Good luck Al.

[DGvoice]

12:22 PM on 07/29/2011

I agree. Al Sharpton has come into his own. He is both respectful and pleasant while he thoroughly exposes hypocrisy and injustice in some of his guests. Selecting him as a host is a great idea.

[hearmeloudandclear]

02:32 PM on 07/29/2011

"DGvoice" --- I agree with you 100%.

[rdm443]

12:32 PM on 07/21/2011

cenk pushed out by sharpton, that must be a humbling note on his resume. lol

[rubyfowler]

12:32 PM on 07/21/2011

Shapton is a great guy and an excellent leader, but a TV host he is not. He has no stage presence and doesn't present well. I saw him do some sit-ins for others and it was challenging to watch. I actually didn't finish the programs.

[Tikiman]

11:56 AM on 07/21/2011

This is a big mistake by MSNBC. Al Sharpton looks out of place as a host. I watched him conduct an interview with someone about Lindsay Lohan. It appeared awkward for him as well as his guest. Without the teleprompter he seemed lost and didn't even seem to know who Lohan was (true be that, I don't even think MSNBC should have even done a story about her). Cenk Uygur is far more knowledgeable about world and domestic events than Sharpton will ever be.

[SOCKEYE1]

11:56 AM on 07/21/2011

I WON'T WATCH, GOODBYE MSNBC