Chelsea Handler has always been famous for her outrageous mouth. She’s been the degenerate millennial queen we didn’t know we needed since her days at E! on the dearly missed late night talk show, Chelsea Lately. But like most Hollywood personalities, Chelsea’s political engagement sky-rocketed during the 2017 election season. And frankly, she’s the only one calling out Trump’s fatass and educating her audience about U.S. politics.
Chelsea, Handler’s weekly Netflix talk show has featured many high-profile guests ranging from megastars like Christ Pratt and Elisabeth Moss, to others like prominent politicians and activists – there’s no in between. And in truth, one of the top reasons to watch the show in the first place is the voluptuously famous guests; CNN’s Van Jones, Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren, Neil DeGrasse Tyson, U.S. Senator Al Franken (just to name a few) have held longwinded yet informative discussions about the political climate.
Chelsea’s insider status is also what makes this show so accessible. “I’m in this Hollywood bubble,” she often exclaims while trying to make sense of party rules. Handler talked to Hawaii State Representative Beth Fukumoto and South Bend Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg about the strict guidelines of the Democratic and Republican parties. This ten-minute conversation covers the rules and regulations of democracy that has left Fukumoto in “political purgatory” as she ventures out of the GOP and into the Democratic party. This is a phenomenon the average Chelsea viewer most likely isn’t aware of, which is why Handler pushes her audience to know who their senators and representatives are – including individual state level politicians and bills they’ve recently voted on.
Because our millennial generation relies so heavily on entertainers to gather and synthesize our news (The Daily Show, SNL, Last Week Tonight With John Oliver), Chelsea stands out without even trying. The focus on education along with hilarious news segments gives voices to those who are usually overpowered by those threatened by enrage news.
Handler has her faults, of course; she’ll make unintentionally misogynistic quip while other times making her guests (and audience) cringe with an unsolicited crass remark. Her no-shame attitude swiftly makes up for this, along with her meaningful conversations with guests like Jerrod Carmichael of The Carmichael Show or Hasan Minhaj of The Daily Show.
In a memorable interview with Carmichael, he discusses the sensitivities of gun violence in a manner that is not only approachable but allows for a significant dialogue. “People will say it’s ‘too soon’. But when is it not ‘too soon’?” What struck me about this interview was how genuine Handler was; Carmichael spoke for seven uninterrupted minutes whileshe listened intently, giving him total control of the floor. The interrupting talk show house is an unfortunate but true stereotype, which is why Handler is a proven ally – giving voices to those usually silenced by the media.
Chelsea’s new hour-long format has done wonders for the show and her perceived personality. Sure, we all miss Chuy, and Handler’s new bear-like dog Tammy can’t make up for his signature spice. But Handler’s intense focus on the many fibers of the political system is doing what other late night hosts are not – educating audiences so they can make their own decisions, and not forcing opinions onto people who don’t know the first thing about politics.
