Daily Show veteran, and comedian Paul Mecurio has been in Denver the last few days filming a web series called Unreliable Intelligence. In the first episode below, Mecurio explains what political spin is and in the process, annoys people. In the second episode (after the jump), Mecurio campaigns to get John Edwards elected President, instead of Obama; and in the process annoys people. Check it out.

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In an interview published today in suburban Chicago’s Beacon News, DL Hughley claims that HBO’s hugely popular stand-up series, Def Comedy Jam – which ran from 1992 – 1997 – has become a bittersweet benchmark for black comedy.

“Def Jam was the best and worst thing to ever happen to black comedy,” Hughley told the Beacon News. “It was the best because it exposed comics like Steve Harvey and Bernie Mac, and Chris Tucker and Martin (Lawrence), who hadn’t been seen on a national scale.”

But it became “a machine that needs to be fed,” he said, and many of the comics taking center stage on Def Jam weren’t ready for that spotlight. He sighed when talking about parodies of Def Comedy Jam on Saturday Night Live: “It’s just loud and screaming. It became a caricature.”

What do you think? Has Def Comedy Jam done more good or bad for black comedy? Leave your comments here.

BET’s Comic View where many black comedians have gotten there start, is getting a face lift in the fall Kevin Hart style.

The show’s new title will be Comic View: One Mic Stand and is hyped to be an even fresher, hipper, stylistic version than the original.  The new comedy showcase is going to be the first BET show shot in High Definition. The show is also bragging to have HBO worthy sets.

Comedian and actor Kevin Hart who has had countless TV and Film appearances will be hosting this newer, fresher, hipper version of Comic View.  Kevin Hart has most recently been seen in films like Extreme Movie, Meet Dave, and Fools Gold. 

Comic View One Mic Stand is set to premiere on BET Sept. 2 at 10 pm EST.  The show will air twice weekly, and it’s said that BET has bought more episodes before the first show even aired.

Comedian Tom McNaughton envisions a time where washing your hands in a public restroom won’t be considered mandatory. Your genitals, however, would be another story. Check it out.

Comedian Eugene Mirman is in Denver with all the other serious reporters covering the Democratic National Convention. It’s almost as if these conventions are just huge jokes, huh? [Grabbed from Comedy Central Insider via 23/6]

Comedian Eddie Griffin’s plan on making a triumphant return to his hometown of Kansas City was unexpectedly cancelled. The Kansas City native was scheduled to return to tape a segment for his upcoming VH1 reality show, Going for Broke. One segment called for him to settle a long-standing spat with Stanford’s Comedy Club owner Craig Glazer, then do a stand-up comedy show at the club.

 “[Griffin] was a waiter at the old Stanford’s in Westport, and we had an open mic night, and he began to perform each week,” Glazer told the Kansas City Star. “Our manager then thought it was vulgar and asked Eddie to cool it.”

Griffin was angered and left the club. He enacted his revenge years later by taping a scene for his TV series Malcolm & Eddie at a competing comedy club rather than Stanford’s. Griffin came to town a few years ago and made up with Glazer.

But after weeks of marketing Griffin’s upcoming show, he got a call from Griffin’s associate producer telling him the KC trip was off. The producer did not elaborate or confirm when and if the trip will be rescheduled. So much for the homecoming. 

“They just canceled. I actually bought ads and put tickets on sale because I wanted to make sure it sold out. It just makes me look stupid,” Glazer said. “Now I’ve got to call four radio stations, and the phones are going to ring off the hook because I wanted to make sure it was marketed right. So instead of making money, I’m going to lose money. But there’s nothing I can do about it.”

It’s not that comedian Kevin Shea isn’t happy for Michael Phelps and his eight gold medals. It’s just that he can’t relate to that lifestyle. Check it out.

Seems even the financial analyst types are trying to capitalize on the popularity of stand-up comedy these days. Ever since Jerry Seinfeld was named the 25^th most powerful celebrity on Forbes’ Celebrity 100 list and since the comedian is attached to lots of publicly traded stocks, the folks at TheStreet.com and Stockpickr have been compiling a list of stocks that the man himself should probably be interested in.

So if you haven’t been investing, why not start and let Seinfeld guide you through the thick forest of the stock market? Er something.

Comedian Tom Simmons is sick and tired of the vagina being used as a metaphor for weak-willed people. It’s time for a change! Check it out.

I’m not usually a fan of impressions. But a few weeks I saw Kyle Grooms weave some of this Obama material in a set at Gotham Comedy Club; I couldn’t help but get giggly. Check it out.