Oscar, Emmy, Tony and Grammy winner (yes, she’s an EGOT) Jennifer Hudson is turning to daytime television with the launch of “The Jennifer Hudson” show on Monday. And according to Andy Lesnar, one of the show’s executive producers, the “American Idol” alum has a universal relativity to her take on talk TV.
“I think what’s important with her is that she appeals to everyone, because she has a story of perseverance,” said Lesnar, who spoke to TheWrap on behalf of the EP team, including during our Fall TV preview. Marie Connelly and Corey Palette, said. “There’s something about her that no matter how you know her, you root for her. … Jennifer Hudson is what the public root for. They want to see her succeed.”
And they’ll keep doing so when Hudson’s show launches this coming Monday with a reunion for the singer/actress/host who sits down to interview her first guest — original “American Idol” judge Simon Cowell. This is the first time the pair have sat down together for conversation since their seventh-place exit from “Idol” during Season 3 in 2007.
“I think it was a very full circle moment for him, because, I think in a lot of ways, a lot of people looked at it like ‘Mean Simon,’ and I think you’d be surprised to know — Too far without giving – there’s a lot of gratitude,” Lesnar, a former EP for “Ellen”, shared. “He is the first person he interacted with in a very public way; It gave him real direction, which in some ways was good direction and in other ways, maybe not. But whatever it is, it inspired her and it helped her.”
Launching on Fox television stations, including Hearst Television, Sinclair Broadcast Group, TEGNA, Nexstar Media Group, Scripps Media and Gray Media Group, among others, the “Jennifer Hudson” show will feature celebrity interviews, topical stories and community heroes (“She It’s “interested in other people,” says Lesnar) and exhibits viral sensibilities. It’s intended to spark uplifting conversation, and yes, it will include — because it’s J-hood — music.
Lesnar added, “It is very important to them that we use this show as a platform to introduce you to new talent, encourage and help existing talent in every way possible and make music a part of their lives. Is.” “The question is, ‘Will she sing?’ And… it’s in everything she does — music. It won’t necessarily be in the traditional way where it’s like, ‘Now I’m going to do it with ‘Les Miserables.’ It’s a woman who talks. Sings in the middle. And, it’s just who she is, in my opinion, the effortless singing she sings is like nothing I’ve ever seen.”
The “Jennifer Hudson” show will also air digitally, with producers looking to develop aspects of the show aimed at younger audiences that linear television is not as popular.
“We are going to have a digital presence. And one of the things is that for your show to be successful today, you want to create viral moments,” said Lesnar, noting the plan to feed “all the different outlets.”
“We want to go to the people, we want to be where they are looking,” he said.
Hudson enters a daytime single-host TV talk space that already includes Tamron Hall, Drew Barrymore, and another “Idol” alum — Kelly Clarkson (with two new shows launching soon — a “queer eye” ” from Caramo Brown, and another from the former “View” (host Sherry Shepherd).
Lesnar said of “Idol” Phase 1 alum Hudson and Clarkson, “I think it’s cute that comparisons are made just because I know they’re friends.” “People go, ‘Is this going to be competitive?’ And it’s like, if we’re just talking from a business standpoint, the competition these days is everybody. I’m competing against the internet; I’m competing against late nights; I’m competing against video games. It’s not the same as it used to be with linear television. We’re competing with everyone to get their attention. So it’s bigger than just day time. But I am of daytime television. I am also a 35-year-old veteran. So I root for all of them.”
“The Jennifer Hudson Show” is produced by Unscripted Television in Los Angeles by Warner Bros. in association with Telepictures and distributed in national syndication by Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution. Executive producers are Connelly, Lesnar, Palante, Hudson, Lisa Kastler Calio, Graeme Morphy and Walter Williams III, with Shani Black as co-executive producer.