What I’ve learned about Wanda Sykes’ new talk show on FOX, based on her promotional tour

In the past week, Wanda Sykes has appeared on Oprah, The View, Today and The Daily Show as part of her promotional push for her weekly late-night talk show, which debuts a week from Saturday on Nov. 7. A lot of the interviews ask Sykes about her recent HBO special, I'ma Be Me, or about her personal life. But we have learned a few things about The Wanda Sykes Show.

Such as?

  1. Though John Ridley is the head writer (and Greg Fitzsimmons also is writing for Sykes), Sykes said her writing staff includes "three, four, maybe five" women.
  2. "We're not going to reinvent the late-night wheel," Sykes said. Although…
  3. There will be a bar with alcohol on the set. "This is my second job. You're damned right I'm going to have a drink!"
  4. Stand-up comedian Keith Robinson, who often works in NYC at the Comedy Cellar and opens for Sykes on the road, "will be like my sidekick."
  5. And the show will keep Sykes close to her family and away from the road. As she joked to Jon Stewart, himself a TV host, "It's where we all go to die."

Why don't we watch some highlights?

And here she was on The Daily Show:

Sykes continues her promotional push tonight on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. She has taped a couple of test shows; things kick off for real on Friday, Nov. 6 with Mary Lynn Rajskub among the known guests. Check here for tickets to upcoming tapings.

Sean L. McCarthy

Editor and publisher since 2007, when he was named New York's Funniest Reporter. Former newspaper reporter at the New York Daily News, Boston Herald and smaller dailies and community papers across America. Loves comedy so much he founded this site.

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