As happy as I am that Arsenio Hall is back, I can’t say that I’m a regular watcher…only because his show goes as the guests go, and he hasn’t always had the top (or even second or third) tier of guests to choose from.

However, despite the NCAA championship game, and the double-whammy of Nas and John Oates on Fallon, Arsenio’s house was the place to be last night, and two words solidified my presence in front of the TV:

El. DeBarge.

Those of you who’ve been watching the site from Day One know I’m a huge fan of El and his family. He should’ve been way more successful than he wound up being, and even despite that, his influence is quite pervasive. There’d be no Robin Thicke without El DeBarge. Like many of us, El has been his own worst enemy over the years, specifically as it pertains to substance abuse.

It was great to see El in fine voice last night, turning out a trio of DeBarge classics in addition to “How Can You Love Me,” from his most recent album, 2010’s Second Chance. An emotional interview segment split the performances up, with El moved to tears at one point.

I hope El is clean. I know how rough the road to recovery is, and I hope he knows that he has a loyal fan base that wants to see him win. Handsome and smooth as ever, El still represents well into his fifties. I hope to hear new music from him soon.