Update: Chelsea Handler Signs Deal w/ Netflix

[JamesG]

E! To End Chelsea Handler Late-Night Show in August
by NELLIE ANDREEVA
May 28, 2014


It is officially the end for Chelsea Handler’s late-night run on E!. The network, which had kept quiet amidst the frenzy of speculation that Handler would be leaving, fueled by the host’s own comments, announced today that Handler’s "Chelsea Lately" will air its a live hourlong series finale on August 26.

Handler’s last show will be preceded by a month-long farewell highlighting the show’s seven-year run. The end of "Chelsea Lately" will come a few months before Handler’s contract expires at the end of the year.



“We are very proud of Chelsea Lately’s long-running success and the unique space that the series carved out in late night television,” said E! president Suzanne Kolb.

“Chelsea brought a distinct voice to late night with her acerbic wit and fearless commentary and we look forward to providing fans with a memorable send-off that lives up to that tradition.”



“I myself am more surprised than anyone that I was able to hold down a job for seven years, and it was a fantastic seven years,” said Handler.

“I will always look back at my time on E! as most people look back at their time in college. I’m glad I went.​”









"Chelsea Lately" was developed and launched by the previous E! regime led by Ted Harbert when the network was still part of Comcast. Chelsea Lately‘s ratings have slid lately.

Between 2010, the year before her last renegotiation with E!, and 2013, the show’s viewership has dropped 32% to 572,000, with the declines extending into 2014.



Still, "Chelsea Lately" has been part of E!’s legacy, the only late-night show hosted by a woman and the first successful traditional late-night talker to launch outside of the broadcast networks.

(Comedy Central’s "The Daily Show" had been framed more like a fake news telecast, gradually expanding its talk show quotient.)



Unlike "The Tonight Show", "Late Night" or "The Daily Show", which are established franchises that have gone through multiple hosts, "Chelsea Lately" and TBS’ "Conan" are built around the hosts, carry their names and are produced by them, making it impossible for the shows to continue if the hosts leave, as would be the case with Handler.









Getting a new gig won’t be without challenges for Handler. While most late-night talk show hosts have built likeable personas, Handler is outspoken, brash and racy, just like her edgy comedy brand.

Her combativeness was on display during a very contentious interview with Piers Morgan earlier this year. That makes Handler better suited for a cable network or digital platform that broadcast syndication.

In an interview, she had suggested Netflix as a potential new home should she leave E!, and there had been speculation about a potential deal there.





FX/FXX has been without a late-night franchise after the cancellation of "Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell" and too met with the comedienne. There was a vacancy at Comedy Central with the pending departure of Stephen Colbert, which was quickly filled by Larry Wilmore.

CBS, which has an opening at 12:30 AM, went out to say publicly that it is not considering Handler. Handler’s very high price point would likely make her show prohibitive for smaller cable networks such as comedy-centered IFC.

http://www.deadline.com/2014/05/e-to...how-in-august/

[mets82]

Too bad. I like Chelsea, hopefully she'll land on her feet. Maybe with IFC which I'm not sure but you can swear and they wont bleep it out?

[Chocolate Moose]

I'm sure she'll get another network and the show will be even more exciting!

[JamesG]

Chelsea Handler Inks Talk Show Deal with Netflix
Jun 19, 2014
by Liz Raftery


Netflix is throwing its hat into the talk show arena.

Comedian Chelsea Handler has signed a multi-tiered deal with the online platform, part of which includes a new on-demand talk show.

Set to debut in 2016, Handler's new show will be similar in format to her current E! show, "Chelsea Lately", incorporating celebrity interviews as well as her commentary on entertainment and pop culture. Episodes will debut simultaneously in all Netflix territories and viewers can watch them on demand.





Handler will also debut a one-hour stand-up special on Netflix on October 10 as part of the deal. Taped at the Harris Theater in Chicago on June 20, it will feature material from her "Uganda Be Kidding Me" tour.

Next year, Netflix will also premiere four docu-comedy specials starring and produced by Handler. The specials will chronicle Handler's attempts to get a better understanding on subjects including politics, NASCAR and the NBA draft.





Handler has been fairly open about her attempts to move on from E!, and last month it was announced that "Chelsea Lately" will end its seven-year run on August 26.

Earlier this year, a photo on Handler's Twitter feed sparked speculation that she might be in talks with CBS to have her own show. However, shortly thereafter, Handler told Ellen Degeneres she would "never be on a regular network."



"If I was going to continue working in this industry, I knew I had to do something outside the box to keep myself interested," Handler said in a statement Thursday.

"I wanted to sit with the cool kids at lunch, so I approached Netflix to make sure they were as cool as I thought they were, and when I confirmed my suspicions, like with any other future lover, I made my move. I'm more excited than I've been in awhile, and the team at Netflix is the most forward-thinking, alert group I've sat down with in ages. No offense to the Shahs Of Sunset."

http://www.tvguide.com/News/Chelsea-...w-1083183.aspx

[TMC]

http://www.thedailybeast.com/article...alk-shows.html

"The late-night programming that we’re watching these days is actually programming that you can watch any time,” says Kevin Fallon "In other words, we’re kind of already watching late-night on-demand. We’re not watching Jimmy Fallon’s silly skits at 11:35 p.m. each night. We’re watching them whenever our old college roommate posts them on Facebook. Netflix isn’t revolutionizing that viewing habit, it’s taking advantage of it.” PLUS: Handler’s talk show only needs to be worth it for Netflix, this may be Netflix’s 1st misstep, and why Handler’s deal is doomed to failure.

[TMC]

http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-...-women-2014307

As she prepares to go to Netflix, the “Chelsea Lately” star has become best buds with A-listers Sandra Bullock, Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon.
Read more at http://www.hitfix.com/tv-tattle#1VgyoCDyE4OFP0WD.99

[TMC]

http://www.deadline.com/2014/08/yout...lk-show-pilot/

The cable network has ordered a talk show pilot starring Grace Helbig, who has more than 1.8 million subscribers to her it’sGrace YouTube channel.
Read more at http://www.hitfix.com/tv-tattle/2#SHXCROtBZW3h0h2z.99

[TMC]

http://www.sacbee.com/2014/08/26/665...-unlikely.html

Chelsea Handler officially signs off tonight with a live one-hour E! broadcast.
Read more at http://www.hitfix.com/tv-tattle#QUM2XeF9fTb4JgCh.99

[JamesG]

Chelsea Handler on Netflix Series: "Enough With the Celebrities"
by Stephan Lee
Sep 11, 2014


The final episode of "Chelsea Lately" was a star-studded extravaganza, featuring appearances by Ellen Degeneres, Sandra Bullock, 50 Cent, and Jennifer Aniston — as well as a retrospective dedicated to Chuy, the show’s trusty sidekick.

But Chelsea Handler is so ready to quit sharing a network with the Kardashians.



She’s kicking off a multi-tier partnership with Netflix with her first-ever standup special, Uganda Be Kidding Me, on Oct. 10. The deal also includes four new docu-specials in 2015 and a new series to premiere in 2016.

While everyone —including Netflix —has been referring to that future series as a “talk show,” Handler seems to be leaning toward a format that’ll be totally different from her gossipy E! show.



How so? Let Chelsea explain:

Full Interview Here: http://insidetv.ew.com/2014/09/11/ch...lix-interview/