Queen Latifah was photographed above as she ‘chucks the deuce’ make-up free outside of The Trump Hotel Soho Hotel in New York (August 25, 2013).
The Grammy Award winning, Academy Award nominee, and overall respected TV talent brand has a new talk show on the horizon and is looking to a few of her Hollywood besties, to pull in big ratings.
Word on the curb is that Will Smith is amongst the big names leading the pack her opening week (but being that he and wife Jada-Pinkett-Smith are Executive producing the show, those two as guests are a no brainer).
Other “A” listers expected to grace Latifah’s couch included John Travolta, Sharon Stone, Jake Gyllenhaal, and even pal Jamie Foxx are planned in hopes to boost ratings for the new daytime talk show, which airs September 16th.
?I cannot think of a more talented and fun group of people to share the stage with in celebration of the launch of my new show,? Latifah said.
“I am honored to have the support of so many long-time friends and colleagues as I begin this journey, and I look forward to sharing this experience with all of them and with the many new friends I will make along the way.?
But wait… Jay-Z may also be added to the list of Latifah’s talk show wish list!
Details below…
Rumor has it that Latifah reached out to her old pal Jay-Z about coming on the show, but sources close to StraightFromTheA.com say he’s yet to commit to an actual date. [Sounds like code for “lets see what your ratings look like” to me.]
Although Queen is aspiring to be her inner Rosie, with a crowded line-up of morning talk shows like Wendy Williams, The View, Live with Kelly and Micheal, and Ellen (whose shows are all geared around celebrity interviews and “hot topics”), I don’t see much space for Latifah’s ‘talk’ unless she comes with something totally different.
Add the ‘comedy’ element and it feels more like a carbon copy of an urban Rosie O’Donnell and while the community affairs piece is cute…[Sidebar: the show plans to follow Pitbull as he spearheads the opening of a charter school in his hometown of Miami], its dubious to see how that will inspire loyal viewership.
…and we haven’t even mentioned #RHONY alum Bethenny Frankel’s new talk show being added to the mix this fall.
Not only does Queen’s new show fail to offer an original concept, but from what I’ve read so far, it also seems to lack a certain authenticity.
…and we haven’t even seen any parts of the actual show.
What could possibly boost ratings is if Queen Latifah would finally admit she’s a lezzbun, but Miss. Owens has no plans to pull from her personal life.
When word broke of Cleo’s return to TV, the buzz was surrounding speculation that she was finally going to address her sexuality.
I don?t feel the need to discuss my private life on this show or any other show. There?s the part of my life that the public and I share together.
And there?s the part that?s mine to keep for myself. And that?s mine. For me.
Though the successful rapper’s ideology on keeping her personal life private is a great idea in theory, it’s not actually realistic.
Some of Queen’s fans have expressed disappointment about her decision and feel that she’s missing out on an opportunity to be a positive reinforcement to the LGBT community.
I think the larger argument can be made about transparency.
Stand in your ‘truth’ and just be who you are dammit!
The viewing audience of the modern day seems to be more inclined to support a brand as long as there’s at least some level of transparency.? Yeah sexual orientation is a private issue, but with Latifah there’s always been that ‘elephant’ in the room (no pun intended).
Promotions and marketing in Hollywood are far different then for a daily TV show and if Latifah is going to ask viewing audiences to be invited in their homes on a daily basis, maybe she should be prepared to give them everything (cue Oprah theme song).
… and yes Queen, that means finally owning up to one of the worst secrets in the? “A” (but you ain’t heard nothing from ME about it).
[FLASHBACK: Will Da Brat Finally ‘OUT’ Queen Latifah?]
Do you think Queen Latifah can have a successful show while keeping that closet door closed?