| Chelsea Lately | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre | Talk show Comedy |
| Directed by | Jim Yukich |
| Starring | Chelsea Handler |
| Narrated by | Mike Rock |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 7 |
| No. of episodes | 1,048 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
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| Producers |
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| Camera setup | Multi-camera |
| Running time | 22 to 24 minutes |
| Production company | Borderline Amazing Productions |
| Original release | |
| Network | E! |
| Release | July 16, 2007 (2007-07-16) – August 26, 2014 (2014-08-26) |
| Related | |
Chelsea Lately is an Americanlate-nightcomedytalk show created byBrody Stevens and hosted by comedianChelsea Handler. The show was produced by Handler's production company (Borderline Amazing Productions), and taped its later years atUniversal Studios Stage 1, inUniversal City, California.[1] It was broadcast onE!, with the first episode aired on July 16, 2007, and the 1048th, and last, on August 26, 2014.[2] In American markets, the show aired at 11:00 p.m. Eastern and 8:00 p.m. Pacific time[3] having been recorded at 3:30 p.m.PT, usually the same day.
On November 15, 2011, it was announced that the show's run had been extended through 2014.[4][5] Handler's manager,Irving Azoff, stated that Handler would leave E! when her contract expired that year, thus endingChelsea Lately.[6]
Handler previously starred onThe Chelsea Handler Show, a sketch comedy show, that aired onE! in 2006. In 2007, she was approached to host her own late night talk show while she was dating the head ofComcast (E!'s parent company),[7] but stated she was skeptical of the idea of her own show.[8]Chelsea Lately premiered on July 17, 2007, at 11:30 p.m.
On October 15, 2012,Chelsea Lately relocated from the Westside Media Center Studios inWest Los Angeles, a facility formerly used by E! sister networkG4 to recordAttack of the Show. That set was adapted toChelsea Lately with only background changes and the addition of audience seating. The show's new set was at Stage 1 atUniversal Studios Hollywood, which had been used byThe Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien during its short seven-month run.[9] When the series moved to a new studio, the opening theme was changed to a new version composed byPharrell Williams.
The series had one spin-off,After Lately, a behind-the-scenesmockumentary, which premiered on March 6, 2011.
Chelsea Lately was presented in a half-hour format, and was broadcast Monday through Friday at 11:00 p.m ET/PT, although the Friday show was frequently a re-run.Chelsea Latelyopens cold and Handler performed a shortstand-upmonologue. The routine was usually focused on a topic frompop culture or current events, and sometimes included a video clip or other visual aid. Over theopening credits, announcer Mike Rock presented the topics of discussion and the show's guests, then made a comment about something totally irrelevant.
After theopen, Handler introduced the round table panel of three guests consisting of some combination of comedians, actors, or staff members. She lastly introduces the show regular, her assistantChuy Bravo (born Jesus Melgoza)[10] who sat in his own chair near the edge of the studio's stage. Handler then discussed the goings on inpop culture with the round table members, occasionally including Chuy whose comments are alwaysone-liner jokes. After the round table ends, if there is a sketch in the episode, it was shown next. Then, after returning from a commercial break, Handler interviewed a celebrity guest (or guests) for about six minutes each show. The show then closed with either another very short monologue (essentially Handler delivering a one-liner) or with a small segment like "Fat Baby" with pictures shown for comedic value. Handler and Chuy then usually interacted with the audience as the closing credits and music plays.
As of 2011[update],Chelsea Lately averaged 960,000 viewers per episode.[11] Between 2010 and 2013, her audience declined 32 percent, to an average 572,000 viewers.[12]
As of October 2011[update], the highest-rated episode ofChelsea Lately garnered 1.8 million viewers: this was the October 10, 2011, episode hosted byRoss Mathews featuringKendra Wilkinson andHank Baskett, following the Kardashian wedding special.[13]
Lindsay Lohan's guest host appearance onChelsea Lately became the most watched episode since October 2012 by acquiring 890,000 total viewers.[14]
For January–October 2013,Chelsea Lately attracted $30.3 million in advertising for an audience whose median age was 42.8.[15]
From 2012 to 2013, viewership decreased from 613,000 to 571,000.[15]
The live hour-long series finale aired August 26, 2014, and was viewed by 1.003 million viewers for a 0.4 share in the 18-49 demographic.[16]
Due to sickness, injury or holidays, Handler was unable to host some episodes, calling forguest hosts to stand in. In the past, frequent "round table" panelistsRoss Mathews,Josh Wolf and Fortune Feimster have guest-hosted, with Mathews receiving very positive reviews.[17]
After July 2012, there were several celebrity guest hosts during various episodes:
After Lately was a semi-scripted parody of a reality show, in the vein of shows such asThe Larry Sanders Show andCurb Your Enthusiasm, in which the various cast members, guests, writers, crew, and even 'hangers-on' ofChelsea Lately are shown bickering and arguing over mostly trivial and petty matters, and competing for show air time and personal approval from Chelsea. Handler herself usually appears in very few scenes of the program and is always portrayed as having open and utter disdain for everyone beneath her. The series premiered on March 6, 2011, and consisted of eight episodes.[22]After Lately was renewed for a second season on May 5, 2011,[23] and for a third season on April 27, 2012.[24]
A special titledComedians of Chelsea Lately premiered on August 14, 2009 and lasted four weeks. The special consisted of Chelsea Lately round-table regulars such asLoni Love,Jo Koy, and others performing their comedy standup routines. The standup routines lasted for about 6-to-9 minutes in length. The first airing of the special had round-table regularsGuy Branum,Sarah Colonna, andChris Franjola performing.
AChelsea Lately special entitledChelsea Lately Bloopers aired on December 22, 2009. It featured new bloopers, deleted scenes, and outtakes from the round table and guest interviews.
During the June 20, 2011 episode, while discussingAmy Winehouse's poorly received performance at a concert inBelgrade, Handler read a statement bySerbian Defense MinisterDragan Šutanovac calling Winehouse's performance a "shame and a disappointment". Handler then stated, "Well, so is your country".[25] The comment drew criticism, with requests for Handler to apologize for the comment. AFacebook page andchange.org petition were also created calling for a boycott of Handler and E! until a public apology was made.[25]
On June 25, 2011, Serbian Ambassador to the United StatesVladimir Petrović sent a letter toBonnie Hammer, president ofNBCUniversal Cable (which oversees the E! network), describing Handler's act as "inappropriate, distasteful, and just plain bad humor".[26]
Handler did not officially comment on the matter, but has on a number of occasions acknowledged on the show that she is no longer well received in Serbia.[25]
According to anE! rep, a false request was reported in January 2013 claimingComcast (which ownsNBC and E!) warned Handler and the show's staff not to make any more jokes about theToday hosts.[27]
Six months after the show concluded, Handler made negative remarks about her time at E! during an interview about her new project withNetflix. "It's such a different relationship than with E!; it's nice to be involved in a show where I do respect their opinions. It's like going out with a guy that you're proud to be seen with," she said in February 2015. Handler also said that, by the second season ofChelsea Lately, she had already grown tired of discussing tabloid fodder, in particular her E! network costars fromKeeping Up with the Kardashians. "I just don't want to ever have to see that again. I don't care. I don't care about that."[28]
| Year | Result | Award | Category |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Winner | Teen Choice Award | Choice Late-Night Talk Show |
| 2010 | Nominated | People's Choice Awards | Television Talk Show |