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Wanda Sykes: Grab a drink, pull up a seat
Emmy Award-winning actress, comedian and author Wanda Sykes returns to Fox to host a new late night series, "The Wanda Sykes Show," at 10 p.m. Saturday on channel 23, cable 5. ROGER ERICKSON/Fox
By RITA SHERROW World Television Editor
Published: 11/7/2009 2:24 AM
Last Modified: 11/7/2009 4:29 AM
Wanda Sykes wants you to come and hang out. And, you can.
Starting Saturday night, the stand-up comic invites viewers to late night's new "The Wanda Sykes Show." You know, have a seat, kick off your shoes, get yourself a drink. Yes, alcoholic. (She plans to start off with a little vodka and club soda so if she spills any it won't show.)
"I wanted this show just to be a good time," she said in a teleconference Thursday. "Hopefully, you all will feel like hanging out at my spot with me and my friends."
The show, debuting on Fox, will include a monologue (but "not a string of random jokes, more like a live stand-up performance"), a panel ("more like a group discussion about current topics and pop culture and whatever is bugging somebody that night"), maybe a musical act (if called for) and lots of laughs.
"We will have a panel discussion similar to Bill Maher's but not as serious," she said. "Not as confrontational. You want to feel like maybe people are on this show for a reason. Of course, they will be opinionated but it's 'Hey, we'll still have our beer summit.' We can sit down, have a drink and laugh about it."
Sykes, a multiple award winner, said she didn't grow up aspiring to break into the all-white male fraternity of late night TV hosts.
"Honestly, I can't recall that," she quipped. "I sound like Dick Cheney now, don't I? When I started doing stand-up, I had one goal and that was just to be a really funny comic who would be able to get on the road and work and make a
good living. Yes, fortunately, it's gone far beyond that but that's still really my goal — just to be a funny, hard-working comic."
In addition to being a comedy writer and author, Sykes spent five years on HBO's "The Chris Rock Show," wrote, produced and starred in "Wanda at Large" on Fox, stars on "Curb Your Enthusiasm" and "The New Adventures of Old Christine," presented her stand-up specials "Wanda Sykes: Sick & Tired" and "Wanda Sykes: I'ma Be Me" on HBO plus took home Emmys for outstanding writing for a variety, music or comedy special and for her work on "Inside the NFL." She has had roles in films including "Evan Almighty," "Nutty Professor II: The Klumps," "Down to Earth" and "Monster-in-Law."
The 49-year-old said she was pitched the late night show a year ago and she turned it down. But, when the producers came back a few months ago, she changed her mind.
"I'm a mom now so it just made sense where now I won't have to be on the road as much doing standup because that's what I love to do," said Sykes, who married her female partner, Alex, in 2008, came out as a lesbian and became a mother when her partner gave birth to twins. "I'm able to get that, whatever that need is to perform live, by doing this late night show."
Expect the guests, she said, to be people she likes and wants to get to know a little better. Like Mary Lynn Rajskub of "24," Daryl "Chill" Mitchell of "Brothers" and Phil Keoghan, host of "The Amazing Race," who are her first guests. Julia Louis-Dreyfus will make an appearance on tape. Keith Robinson will be her sidekick on the show.
Sykes said she doesn't think being a minority host is a selling point or an obstacle in attracting a broad audience. Her show, she explained, will be host-driven — just like any other late night talk show.
"Letterman is the only one who can do the Letterman show. That goes for all of us. George (Lopez, whose show launches Monday on TBS) is minority and so am I. But it's not what you're getting from a minority, it's us. George has been at this for 20-plus years and so have I. We're seasoned comedians and I think that's what we're going to bring to it
"David Letterman brings his 'I'm from Indiana' point of view and Jay brings his 'I'm Italian.' It's host-driven so it's going to be more our personality and not just 'Oh, you're finally going to get the voice of a black woman.' I mean, yes, I'm a black woman but I don't speak for all black women."
THE WANDA SYKES SHOW
When: 10 p.m. Saturday
Where: Fox, channel 23, cable 5
Rita Sherrow 581-8360
rita.sherrow@tulsaworld.com
By RITA SHERROW World Television Editor
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