Don't expect Chelsea Handler to be appear on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" anytime soon. The former E! talk show host, whose new project "Chelsea" is currently in development at Netflix, had some choice words for the comedian in a recent interview with The New York Times.
Count Handler among the many who've become tired with the repetitious structure of late-night programming ("Monologue. First guest. Band. Da, da, da. I just can’t do it that way.”) and the lack of diversity among hosts. As it stands now, the field is overwhelmingly dominated by straight, white men.
“There are 10 or 11 guys doing what used to be done by two guys,”she told NY Times' Dave Itzkoff. “That’s not interesting.”
“Look what’s going on with Stephen Colbert and that show,” she added. “What is that? He’s being himself and he’s not. He didn’t go in and make a different show. He’s just following in the footsteps of someone else.”
Handler, on the other hand, vows to do things differently. When her Netflix series debuts May 11, don't anticipate the same old thing you've come to expect from the big broadcast networks.
According to executive producer Bill Wolff, the show will see "Chelsea engaged. Chelsea out in the world. Chelsea doing stuff.” The topics Handler plans to cover include ride sharing, the presidential election, a dinner party with the cast of "Captain America: Civil War" and trips to Moscow and Mexico City.
“All these shows try to start out selling something different, and ultimately all become the same, just with a different guy,” Handler said. “I have to do everything I can to prevent that from happening.”
But just because she's one of the few women in the game, that doesn't mean it's the focus of her show.
"I don’t think of myself as a woman -- I think of myself as a person,” she said. “Do you think that’s what I think about all day? No, I’m just trying to be entertaining.”
Mission accomplished, Chelsea.
Head over to the New York Times for the full interview.
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