Raise your hands if you’re a nightly talk show watcher! I am – if it isn’t The Daily Show and The Colbert Report, then it’s Conan or Letterman (and I’ve tried my sincere best with Jimmy Fallon, but… I just can’t. Even though I’m a big fan of The Roots).
But in terms of having my late night comedy jones sated by a person of color, I might have to look back as far as Arsenio to recall a show I actually watched and enjoyed. (Where’s Arsenio at, anyways?) Now my DVR’s about to be busy at night, thanks to Mo’Nique. The ever outspoken Queen of Comedy is stepping up to the late night plate with a fresh new talk show on BET.
Yeah, I’m a little skeptical. But here’s why I’m gonna give Mo’Nique a shot — I’ve witnessed her power in person.
At the F.A.T Chance auditions in Miami in 2006, I met her myself. Mo’Nique has a riveting presence, a compelling aura, and the power to inspire. For real. She made that room resonate, and touched the hearts of the women waiting to compete on her reality show. It was like nothing I’ve ever seen before, or since. And since then I’ve been watching her star steadily rise.
Mo’Nique has become so much more than a raunchy comedienne. She’s proving her dramatic skills in her film roles (I heard Oscar talk about her role in Precious!) and establishing herself as a media personality with a message beyond whatever their latest project is about.
So I’m gonna watch, and I’m even a little excited about it. Although we have yet to see a consistently successful woman host a late night show, and it’s been decades since Arsenio…my hopes are a little high for this one. Mo’Nique is a go getter. Either way, this is going to be interesting.
Mo’Nique debuts Monday October 5 at 11 p.m.. Will you watch? What are your thoughts, bellas?
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