US Sitcom Murphy Brown Reboots, with Hillary Clinton Cameo to Boot

The revival of the American sitcom Murphy Brown premiered Thursday with a surprise cameo from none other than 2016 Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. The 90s-era series -- which stars Candice Bergen as the famous investigative television journalist Murphy Brown -- is staging a comeback in the tradition of other hit shows including Will and Grace, The X-Files and Roseanne.

The latest season of the series -- which wears its pro-liberal heart on its sleeve -- is set in the aftermath of Donald Trump's election to the White House, with Brown and several colleagues returning to the air on a cable news program.

The CBS sitcom's longstanding gag about a revolving door of secretaries continues, with former secretary of state Clinton guest-starring to interview with Brown for the position.

"I want you to know I'm not afraid of hard work, I'm qualified, and I'm ready on day one," says Clinton's character "Hilary," who unlike the former White House hopeful spells her name with just one "L."

Asked if she has prior experience, the interviewee replies: "For four years I was the secretary -- I was the secretary of a very large organization."

"I do have some experience with emails," she adds.

Calling her "maybe a little over-qualified," Brown says she needs time to mull over the hire -- after which Clinton leaves her with a business card featuring the email address "Hilary at you could have had me dot com."

The first run of Murphy Brown lasted from 1988 to 1998, touching on subjects including equal pay, single motherhood, and women's health care issues.

The first ten seasons regularly saw feuds between patronizing men and exasperated women. In 1992 it became a source of political controversy when then vice president Dan Quayle lambasted the show's title character for "mocking the importance of fathers by bearing a child alone."

The reboot's premiere coincidentally fell on a politically -- and for many emotionally -- charged day that saw professor Christine Blasey Ford publicly describe in sharp detail her charges of sexual assault against Trump's Supreme Court pick Brett Kavanaugh, who forcefully denied them.