Comedian Iliza Shlesinger may be entering another male-dominated field: late-night television. Freeform is developing a late-night series with Shlesinger as host, Variety reports.
According to Variety, Shlesinger said the show will be offer a fresh take on late-night TV because “her voice has a feminine side to it, but she’s not afraid to be unabashed in her opinions.”
“It has been my goal since I was a kid,” Shlesinger said of hosting a late-night show. “I used to take a recorder around and interview my parents and do impressions of my classmates as guests on my show. I started working on this goal in Hollywood years ago. I think comedy and the perception of women in comedy has evolved to a place where this show can finally be a reality on my own terms.”
“We were looking for a voice that speaks to and for our audience, and we have found it in Iliza,” explained Karey Burke, Freeform’s executive vice president of programming and development. “We weren’t just looking to get into late-night for the sake of it — it’s Iliza’s brilliantly modern take on culture, relationships, and gender politics that made her vision for a series undeniable to us.”
Shlesinger is slated to serve as one of the series’ executive producers. Her third Netflix special, “Confirmed Kills,” went live on the streaming service last week, and “Forever 31,” her scripted web series, was recently picked up for a sophomore season on ABCd, ABC’s digital platform. The multi-talented Shlesinger will be releasing her first book, “Girl Logic,” in spring 2017.
When asked what would set her show apart from other late-night shows, Shlesinger told Variety, “Well, I’m a woman, so that automatically sets it apart from almost every other late night show [laughs].” She added, “I have the comedic chops and intelligence to raise points and discuss both sides of whatever is on our mind as a society. Basically? I’m really good at saying what other people are thinking and making it relatable. Oh, and I’ve decided to not get a spray tan. I’m pale and people need to accept that I’m almost see-through.”
Regarding the lack of female hosts on late-night TV save for Samantha Bee, Shlesinger said, “I think women start from behind on everything because, well, we weren’t allowed to participate in most things for a long time. Our options have always been limited — voting, education, jobs, stand-up — we get a chance at it after guys have already come in. So I think, just like the idea of people adjusting to women working outside the home or, God forbid, being funny, it has taken some time.” She continued, “Late-night is just one milestone for women in comedy. The next might be to stop using the phrase ‘female comedian,’ ‘women in comedy,’ and ‘all female cast.’ I’m just here to do my part. I think it’s insane that we have two men in late-night with brown hair named Jimmy, yet networks can’t see their way to having another woman on late-night. I’ve always been treated as one of the guys, for better or for worse. My late-night show will have a female element, but I’m up there to be funny for a comedian — not just for a woman.”
Shlesinger has previously spoken about why men should embrace feminism.
To hear more from Shlesinger about her comedy style and how she would cater to Freeform’s young audience — or not — head over to Variety. Check out a trailer for Netflix’s “Confirmed Kills” to watch Shlesinger in action.
