As Barack Obama closes in on his bid to become the first African-American US president, racial politics have burst into mainstream media with the release this month of two "news" shows anchored by black comedians. But while some applaud the emergence of minority viewpoints in prime time, others worry that even in jest, the negative stereotypes show just how little ...

Tonight, Comedy Central will premiere its latest fake news show, a faux black news magazine series, called Chocolate News, starring David Alan Grier. "This is the perfect chance," Mr. Grier told The New York Times' Felicia R. Lee today. "I wanted something where I could have the clearest and most unfiltered artistic and creative voice. I had done the sitcom ...