Major changes are happening in the talk show landscape this fall. In addition to Kelly Clarkson launching her daytime talk show, Lilly Singh is also taking Carson Daly’s late night TV spot, which gives us two new shows to watch. It’s exciting to see these women take on these prominent new roles, but the announcements also got us thinking about who else could join the lineup in the future. There are so many outspoken celebs we love who definitely deserve their own talk shows for their hilarious commentary, whip-smart questions and interesting insights into current events.
While daytime TV is largely dominated by women for hosts, including the Emmy-winning The Ellen DeGeneres Show and the Emmy-nominated Wendy Williams Show, late-night TV is largely a boy’s club. Bringing more women into the field certainly wouldn’t be a bad thing. So, we’ve rounded up a list of 12 ideal, outspoken candidates we judged on their interview prowess and on-screen charm, as well as the topics they tend to tackle in their work and on social media. With so many TV platforms available, from streaming services to traditional cable networks, there’s definitely room for all of these personalities on screen.
Click through to see all the women who could light up daytime and late-night TV.
Chrissy Teigen
Chrissy Teigen is super-busy, so we understand why she doesn’t have a talk show… yet. Between her telltale humor and outspoken opinions on issues like politics, parenting and more, she would make the perfect daytime TV host in the same vein as Ellen DeGeneres or Busy Philipps. Daily dance parties with Teigen? Yes, please. Ideally, there would also be a cooking segment where she could take her guests into the kitchen and teach them a thing or two; alternately, they could teach her family recipes. It would be downright amazing.
Mindy Kaling
Mindy Kaling’s new movie with Emma Thompson, Late Night, is all about a women in late night TV and the female writer who revitalizes the comedy of her show. Kaling would be an ideal late night talk show host; she’s proven her writing and comedy chops on series like The Office and The Mindy Project, as well as in her two best-selling books. We’d love to hear her opinions on parenting, pop culture and more as she interviews celebrity guests.
Gabrielle Union
Gabrielle Union may be judging America’s Got Talent this season, but if anything, that makes us want her to host a talk show even more. Union has long been outspoken about issues facing marginalized communities in Hollywood and her struggles with infertility, as well as her thoughts on giving birth via surrogate. We imagine her show might take on more serious topics than humorous ones, but we’re so ready to pour a glass of wine and listen to her talk to her guests.
Mandy Moore
Mandy Moore has done so much in her career as a singer-songwriter and actor, including movies, animated TV series and more. She would make an excellent talk show host because of her vast array of interests, her overall demeanor and her ability to speak candidly about issues that matter, even when it’s hard to do so. Moore would make an enthusiastic and warm morning or daytime talk show host whose guileless way of speaking to and about her fellow celebrities would make us tune in every day.
Tina Fey
Here are three things we know about Tina Fey: she’s a talented comedy writer who is hilarious on-screen and she’s also an accomplished TV host. We could easily see her making the switch from hosting awards shows to hosting a talk show. Fey is always upfront about her opinions and we think she would provide some seriously entertaining commentary and guest questions. Her years on Saturday Night Live tell us everything we need to know about how perfectly she’d fit in on a late-night show, in particular.
Amy Poehler
Much like her BFF Tina Fey, Amy Poehler is funny both on-screen and off and she has plenty of hosting credits under her belt already. She’s also done a ton of work for young creatives through the Smart Girls organization, which she co-founded with Meredith Walker. We would love to see her take on a talk show, whether it was late night or early morning.
Maya Rudolph
She sings. She dances. She’s also hilariously on-point with all of her commentary, which is why Maya Rudolph would make an amazing host for a daytime talk and variety show. We thoroughly enjoyed her bits in NBC’s 2018 #Friendsgiving special and her SNL skits are always incredible.
Kristen Bell
Every time we watch a Kristen Bell interview, we come away wanting more. If she ever hosts her own talk show, we’ll get our wish. In addition to being an accomplished actor and singer, Bell is also a philanthropist and super-mom who recently launched her own baby brand with her husband, Dax Shepard. Perhaps he can be her first guest!
Olivia Munn
We have always loved Olivia Munn, but seeing how she handled getting a sex offender cut from the most recent Predator film and persevering with her truth even when she had to go it (mostly) alone made us love her even more. She’s also an animal rights advocate with the sweetest dogs. It would be a gift to see her host her own show, where she and her guests could dig into important issues and create dialogue.
Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lopez is a true triple threat who does an incredible job as a judge on World of Dance, but wouldn’t it be great to see her host a talk show of her own? Lopez is always charismatic, funny and kind in her interviews and she has a passion for performing that we love. She also gives great advice. Plus, she’s proven that she can hold her own with all kinds of people, from fellow performers to baseball players, which is obviously ideal for a talk show host.
Rihanna
Rihanna is a woman who does it all, from running multiple businesses to performing as a singer-songwriter and actor. She’s also a philanthropist and a literal ambassador for Barbados and she loves her fans so much. If Rihanna hosted a talk show, we imagine topics would range from politics to fashion to the sex antics of her guests and we’d be so into every last episode.
Jennifer Aniston
There are so many reasons to love Jennifer Aniston and a talk show would be one more to add to the list. Aniston could bring her uniquely dry brand of humor to the table, as well as her opinions on important topics like women’s autonomy. She could also interview celebrities she’s known throughout her career, or ones she doesn’t know at all. Either way, it would be great to see what kind of energy and experience she would bring to the table.
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