Al Sharpton Dances, Promises Not To Be 'Robot' On First Official MSNBC Show (VIDEO)

Al Sharpton used his first night as a permanent host on MSNBC to squarely tell his viewers what his anchor style would be--and to warn them not to touch the dial.

After he hosted the unbranded "MSNBC Live" 6 PM hour for over a month, Sharpton's "PoliticsNation" officially debuted on Monday night, complete with bombastic, somewhat retro-ish opening music and graphics. In the middle of a segment about Michele Bachmann, Sharpton spoke directly to the audience about the new show.

"I'm not going to be a robotic host reading the teleprompter like a robot," he said. "Nor am I going to come in here and do the James Brown and do the electric slide to prove to you that I'm not stiff." This was a reference to some recent, less-than-friendly reviews Sharpton has received about his style--and to his instantly viral teleprompter gaffe from earlier in August.

To underscore his point, he did a spot of dancing in his chair that Lawrence O'Donnell surely could not have accomplished. "I'm going to say what I mean and mean what I say," he added. Finally, he said he would take his cue from a favorite DJ of his youth.

"Watch the show, because you will soon learn at this hour, if PoliticsNation is not on your television, your television really isn't on," he said. Them's fighting words! Surely Wolf Blitzer and Bret Baier might have something to say about it.

Watch the opening:

Watch Sharpton dance:

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Comments

[Kevin Himmel]

01:21 AM on 09/02/2011

What a refreshment to my spirit to see Al Sharpton have his own MSNBC television news show. I guess you could say it is a refreshment to see diversity in the news arena - it just seems so NOT about diversity...know what I mean? Good programming.

[bsc]

09:54 PM on 09/01/2011

Cenk was a million times better.

[4Abby]

01:59 PM on 09/04/2011

I agree, was quite sorry to see him go. Al Sharpton is a problem for me after what happened with the verbal attacks against the Police for a rape that did not happen. He knew better!

[bobnabq]

07:51 PM on 09/01/2011

Rev Al is my new addiction. Happy he's on five nights a week.

[jokerdanny]

02:13 PM on 09/01/2011

actually i'd be more likely to tune in if he did open his show with a james brown slide; i'd prefer that to matthew's "phone-in-a-pun let's play hardball" opening that i'm sure someone spends 3 seconds drafting each evening

[p-junkie]

11:56 AM on 09/01/2011

Alrighty then!!! I like your style...Think I'll give you another shot, Al....

[Help USA Taxpayer]

05:34 AM on 09/01/2011

Maybe by the time Rev Al turns 60 he will learn how to read out loud without pausing between each word

[Each1Teach1]

02:49 AM on 09/01/2011

Good luck Al!

[srooge]

02:33 AM on 09/01/2011

JUSTTHEFACTSPLEASE

[aFtersootdamP]

01:25 AM on 09/01/2011

msnbc denigrates itself by featuring a rancid race hustler.

[Morena]

02:54 PM on 09/04/2011

Please while you stare at Fix 24/7 and tune your AM dial.

[midianx]

12:53 AM on 09/01/2011

No thanks. I'll stick to watching something else that hour.

[Genob]

10:23 PM on 08/31/2011

Thank, Rev. Al, for the implied shout-out to The Chief Rocker, Frankie Crocker!

[StupidityIsGrace]

09:43 PM on 08/31/2011

Seriously...enough with these AMAZING headlines. If your headlines get any cheesier my head'll explode.

[DeloresT]

07:04 PM on 08/31/2011

I don't care what anyone thinks. No matter what I am doing at 6:00 P.M., I stop to watch Rev. Al. I did not always watch MSNBC at this hour. Sometimes I did and often I didn't. Now I try not to miss it.

[FDRinhell]

01:36 AM on 09/01/2011

Small minds think alike.

[Morena]

02:58 PM on 09/04/2011

As reflectd by your many posts here.

[Kelly Cloud]

06:40 PM on 08/31/2011

I totally love Al Sharpton!

[JustJoy7]

06:33 PM on 08/31/2011

Oops!!! Al just made a SLIP that is BOUND to his the media s**t fan. Just hold your horses and wait...it's coming. :)