CNN Brutally Mocked on Twitter for Over the Top Debate Intro: ‘Genuinely Offensive’

CNN is hosting Tuesday’s and Wednesday night’s debates, and as the first round kicked off, viewers were greeted with a dramatic movie-trailer-style CNN intro.

And it didn’t take long for people to start mocking CNN over the pageantry:

Why is this cnn debate intro like the opening to Monday night football?

— Ryan Lawler (@ryanlawler) July 31, 2019

Did cnn hire the producers of American Ninja Warrior for this intro?

— Emma Marris (@Emma_Marris) July 31, 2019

If you want to stick your face into sharp objects, this CNN debate intro is here for you.

— Noah Shachtman (@NoahShachtman) July 31, 2019

i forgot how painful the CNN intro hype is

— Jennifer Rubin (@JRubinBlogger) July 31, 2019

This @CNN intro is a joke. Seriously, we’re rofl

— Nicole Sandler (@nicolesandler) July 31, 2019

I mean, that CNN intro was only missing this pic.twitter.com/0JqyobxbuP

— David Rutz (@DavidRutz) July 31, 2019

@cnn’s gravel voiced narrated MMA style intro to the debate is really shameful.

— John Hodgman (@hodgman) July 31, 2019

my theory is that hans zimmer got blasted and watched an aaron sorkin show and then wrote this CNN intro music

— tc (@chillmage) July 31, 2019

The dramatic CNN opening is so at odds with the low energy clips of al these nerd candidates talking.

Getting through 50% of this will be an accomplishment

— Brent Scher (@BrentScher) July 31, 2019

praying for the cnn video producer who has to make these corny cringe “Honest Trailers” intros for #demdebate

— Gene Park (@GenePark) July 31, 2019

People: We treat politics like a sporting event

CNN: Hold my drink

— Ginger Gibson (@GingerGibson) July 31, 2019

This CNN “this is sports!” opening is hell. We are in hell. #DemDebates

— Louis Peitzman (@LouisPeitzman) July 31, 2019

That montage from CNN was the single dumbest thing I have ever seen. Beto could walk onstage wearing a fursuit and start rapping and it would be less embarrassing for everyone involved.

— Matthew Walther (@matthewwalther) July 31, 2019

Man, maybe I’m just getting precious, but CNN’s use of sports-announcer-bro voiceover to intro the debate was like… genuinely offensive.

— Jody Avirgan (@jodyavirgan) July 31, 2019

CNN’s NFL-style framing of this debate makes me want to dunk my head in acid.

— CJ Ciaramella (@cjciaramella) July 31, 2019

CNN is more interested in making people think politics is sports than MLB is in making people think baseball is sports https://t.co/XZGSvuPpPj

— Tim Murphy (@timothypmurphy) July 31, 2019

Seriously, what is with the opening of the #DemocraticDebate on @CNN? It’s not the fucking Olympics. #WaitingforMichaelPhelpstowalkout

— Judy Gold ?️‍? (@JewdyGold) July 31, 2019

Cool of CNN to blend the John Facenda NFL films voice with the Don La Fontaine movie preview (“In a world…” voice.

— Jeff Greenfield (@greenfield64) July 31, 2019

This CNN intro makes me feel like the candidates are all about to compete in the Super Bowl in order to determine who will lead us into battle with an alien race and I’m pretty sure that means democracy is healthy and fine

— Emily Crockett (@emilycrockett) July 31, 2019

Is it me, or did the opening to CNN’s Democratic Presidential Debate just now look and sound like the pre-game announcements to an NFL or WWE match? #DemocraticDebate

— Eric Deggans at NPR (@Deggans) July 31, 2019

CNN’s presentation for presidential debates is basically The Voice

— ☕netw3rk (@netw3rk) July 31, 2019

And the pageantry starts. @cnn introduces candidates one-by-one. Kind of an All-Star Game/World Series/ sports feel. Different than how @NBCNews handled Miami debate when candidates just filed on stage. #DemDebate

— USA TODAY Politics (@usatodayDC) July 31, 2019

People also weren’t happy there was a commercial break before any questions were asked:

Ten minutes in, we already get a commercial break? Man, CNN must be raking in the cash tonight.

— Jim Geraghty (@jimgeraghty) July 31, 2019

CNN gets a commercial break before any candidates speak

— Shane Goldmacher (@ShaneGoldmacher) July 31, 2019

CNN really milking this for the ad $$$

— Igor Bobic (@igorbobic) July 31, 2019

It’s sooo CNN (read: Zucker) to fill the first 10 minutes of the debate with hype and pageantry, then cut to an ad break, before actually starting the #DemDebate. Once a Supersizer, always a Supersizer.

— TVMoJoe (@TVMoJoe) July 31, 2019

CNN isn’t using our time well in this Democratic debate. Eleven minutes have passed, and no candidate has said anything except, “Nice to meet you.” #DemDebate

— Nicholas Kristof (@NickKristof) July 31, 2019

You can watch above, via CNN.

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