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News, Reviews & Commentary on Lesbian and Bisexual women in Entertainment and the Media

Wanda Sykes gets her own "Late Night"

FOX has announced that fabulous funny lesbian Wanda Sykes will get her own Saturday night talk show starting next fall. (Update: The premiere date has been set for Saturday, Nov. 7).

From the official press release today:

“Wanda is a great alternative voice to the current late-night landscape,” said Kevin Reilly, President, Entertainment, Fox Broadcasting Company. “She has the perfect personality for FOX, and we look forward to reinvigorating Saturday night TV with her.”

“I’m married, so this was a great excuse to get out of the house on a Saturday night,” said Sykes. When asked about returning to FOX, she added, “Yes, my relationship with FOX hasn’t been the best, but if Rihanna can go back to Chris Brown, I can go back to FOX. Oprah tried to talk me out of it, but I think FOX has changed.”

The hour-long show likely will air in the 11 p.m. slot, replacing MadTV, and will have a format more like HBO’s Real Time with Bill Maher than a typical talk show, featuring "biting commentary on topical issues and heated panel discussions with recurring personalities. The series’ unique format will highlight Sykes’ outspoken comedic perspective on current events and will also allow her to leave the studio to shoot segments in the field."

Sykes will be the first black late-night host since Whoopi Goldberg’s short-lived show and the first lesbian late-night host since, well, ever.

I, for one, think the idea of seeing Wanda Saturday night at bedtime will guarantee sweet dreams — or at least funny ones.

 

 

Will you watch Wanda putting on the talk?

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  • Nomad's picture

    Finally, something to replace MadTV!

    Finally something good to replace MadTV (they were funny about 6yrs ago, but lately it just sucked!). 

    I love Wanda's humor and always look forward to her interviews on Leno or Ellen. I recommend her stand up "Sick and Tired" to anyone, it's hilarious!! 

    "What have we learned from our space travels? I mean, really, what has NASA given us other than a f****** mattress you can jump up and down on and not spill your wine?" -Wanda Sykes

    Tess's picture

    Woohoo!

    My first reaction to the headline was to throw my hands up in the air and yell awesome.  Which is still how I feel about a minute later.  Wanda is hilarious and witty, and her show will have a permanent spot on my DVR recording list. 

    Between her and Ellen lesbians will have day and night with funny ladies.  Can't  wait!

    Jodielee3's picture

    That is

    awesome!

    I wish we could get her show over here in the UK... I would most definitely watch it!! I love her?!

    Hanna Iris's picture

    Looking forward to this one.

    Looking forward to this one. Hopefully peeps will cap this to the torrentz world.
    The1Smiling's picture

    LOVE IT!

    I am so excited to be able to see her on a more regular basis!! i love Wanda...she cracks me up!!
    yael's picture

    i thought

    this was an April fools joke when i first read it!
    that's fantastic news! 

    ~~~~

    "laugh, laugh on at all the dreams that i the dreamer dare to weave,
    laugh on, that i still belive in the people, for I still belive in life"

    Ashley's picture

    Ditto

    I can't be more excited! I've always been a fan of Sykes. So, I'm betting that her show will be witty, innovative and just phenomenal.

    clairey's picture

    About time

    It was about time!!! I mean all those guys in late night just bore me out so much, at a point I was just watching re-runs of Rachel Maddow, both of them. The only one fresh is Craig Ferguson, but I mean Jimmy Fallon, come on! Wanda is going to kick ass! By the way do you imagine those white arrogant douchebag executive asses in Fox, when they had to hire a black gay woman for late night, cuz they knew she is gonna strike some serious ratings. Awesome!
    Clara's picture

    oh i love craig ferguson,

    oh i love craig ferguson, was just watching his Emily Deschanel interviews the otherday

    its great about Wanda also, not that either of those are on in the UK..

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    sin's picture

    It's about time is putting

    It's about time is putting it mildly.late nite sux.I am absolutely thrilled that Wanda has the spot !!! Can't wait.
    ice cream's picture

    Awesome news.

    Wanda is perfect for something like this.
    Nona J.'s picture

    I'm Looking Forward To

    I'm definately looking forward to seeing Wanda's show. I have always thought she was hilarious.

    I think we have enough Late Night Men already!

    Emily's picture

    At first I thought it might

    At first I thought it might be an April Fool's thing.  Now, I'm glad it's not.  Late Night is not famous for its inclusion of women hosts. Go Wanda!
    A Muse's picture

    oh wow. I thought this was

    oh wow. I thought this was an april fool's joke until I confirmed it at several other news outlets.

    way to go wanda. I love this lady <3

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    carmbridge's picture

    11 i past my bed time

    But i'll def try to watch at least sometimes
    Gina's picture

    YESSSS! Will she still

    YESSSS!

    Will she still be on The New Adventures of Old Christine?

    Lunakiss's picture

    Wanda Sykes Breaking New Ground On Late Night Television

    www.myspace.com/lunakiss7.com

    Being Black is back in style. Being Lesbian is  back back in style.  LOL comedy is back in style. And Wanda is wearing them all. She's gonna have her own show! Go Wanda!

      Go in peace and surrender chaos for it has no place at the seat of your soul.

    Hth's picture

    our natural habitat?

    What is it with lesbians and talk shows?  Do we *all* get one, eventually?

    I kid.  Wanda's great, and I look forward to this.

    cowgal's picture

    I'm SUPER excited!

     I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE wanda!

    ... lol...

    ...the network wars continue...

    Warner Bros have a famous, chic, funny lesbian and ratings go through the roof...

    NBC gets a adorkable, smart, funny, Butch lesbian and ratings go through the roof...

    now FOX gets an awesome, hilarious, renowned comedian lesbian...

    every station deserves a daily dose of dyke!

    Jay's picture

    YAY!

    YAY! YAY! YAY! YAY! Wonderful idea! Looking forward to seeing this very very very much zomg quick someone interview her.
    Michie87's picture

    Woot, 11 pm is too late

    Woot, 11 pm is too late though, so AE better have recaps on it and junk xD. Good thing to see MADTV gone, lately it had just been stupid.

    ----------------------------

     

    Let it Rock,Let it roll

    Erika's picture

    I'm Pumped

    I didn't even know Whoopi had a late night TV show!  I'll definitely watch Ms. Wanda get her funny on

    OhioLezGirlinNYC

    http://oh-iolez-girlinnyc.blogspot.com/

    jennifer from pittsburgh's picture

    Wanda can deliver the funny,

    Wanda can deliver the funny, no doubt about it. She's incisive while retaining hilarity. She never goes for the cheap, or easy joke. She always delves a bit further into why the easy joke is: a) easy, b) a joke. You'd think that would be obvious to most comics, but then we got the crap hole that is Dane Cook, so, it's all fundamentals, people, no matter what you do. Stick to the fundamentals. Except with religion.
    Tiffany's picture

    This better not be another

    This better not be another April Fool or I will kill you! lol I LOVE Wanda! She is hilarious! I hope it airs in Australia!!
    JayDee's picture

    Fox?

    Can someone enlighten me? I am not from US and the little I know of US TV environment is that Fox channel is very conservative and homophobic (or at least Fox News are?). So this seems to be rather significant that they would choose an out lesbian to have her own late-night show.

    Ta.

    Jessi's picture

    I love this

    She is my favorite comedian and will love to watch this show when it starts.
    outby12's picture

    It's About Time

    Finally something good to watch on Saturday Nite.  Speaking of Saturday Nite, she is appearing on Miami Beach June 6, getting my tickets tomorrow.
    Lovin' it.

    B'klyn in Miami
     

    All's picture

    Hooray for Wanda!

    I will definitely watch her!