If the "opening statements" don't have you on the floor calling for a back brace--because you've thrown your spine out from laughing--then you are either in a coma or watching a different channel.

Depending on the subjects mocked and viewers' personal sacred cows, Root of All Evil won't appeal to everyone on a weekly basis (future episodes include Donald Trump vs. Viagra, Paris Hilton vs. Dick Cheney and Las Vegas vs. the human body), but it is a successful attempt to re-package stand-up comedy for prime time.

Black, a thinking-man's blowhard, carries the concept off with shameless aplomb, while his debating helpers are equal parts witty and wise.

Comedy Central's programming usually falls squarely into the sublime or the ridiculous, so consider Root of All Evil a rare tweener in terms of quality--one that proves a whole lot of Black is preferable, albeit marginally, to a black hole.

The debaters make the most of this arbittary contretemps, but Black is a weak link. [14 Mar 2008, p.71]

The material isn't nearly strong enough to support a full half-hour of TV.