New Jersey native Chelsea Handler had one goal when she moved to LA: to be on television. By her own account, she’s always spoken her mind without a filter, coming off as judgemental despite her best intentions. Yet, her humor and quick wit make for good television. Under her 20-year career in Hollywood, she has a myriad of titles. From executive producer to writer for several TV projects, including her own, her versatility as a creative is extraordinary. She is able to make people laugh with her brute honesty. Additionally, Handler gives her talk show guests the space they need in an extraordinary way, while showing her vulnerability in the process.
Handler became a household name with her late night show on E! Channel called Chelsea Lately. She continued her talk show success on Netflix with her weekly talk show called Chelsea. There was a great difference between the two shows, specifically in Handler’s consistent desire to grow and learn. Not only did she accomplish this through her talk show, she also took a film crew across the country to delve into various topics in the Netflix documentariesChelsea Does and Hello Privilege. It’s me, Chelsea, plus an HBO documentary/stand up special called Chelsea Handler: Evolution. Throughout her time in television, Handler went from celebrity commentator to evolved human being. Here are her talk shows, specials, and documentaries, ranked.
5 Chelsea Lately (2007-2014)
E! Channel
For eight seasons, Handler graced the late-night talk show scene five nights a week on the E! Channel with Chelsea Lately. On the show, she interviewed pop culture icons, broke down current pop events, and did comedy skits with her co-host Chuy Bravo. Her abrasive and sometimes vulgar humor captivated audiences throughout her tenure. The show featured a roundtable of comedians like Kevin Hart, Jen Kirkman, and Ali Wong, only adding to some crass humor audiences loved. According to Entertainment Weekly, Chelsea Lately was averaging just under one million viewers per episode, beating Conan O’Brien’s viewership by practically 200,000 views per evening, though that wasn’t enough for Handler. She had an incredible platform, and she could definitely do more than talk about celebrities and reality stars.
4 Chelsea Does (2016)
Netflix
After spending seven years with E!, Channel Handler moved to Netflix with a few ideas: a stand-up special, a weekly talk show, and a documentary. The idea was simplein that Handler would explore four topics in hopes of learning while also becoming a better person and making some jokes along the way. Each episode of the docuseries Chelsea Does featured Handler’s friends and family having deep conversations about marriage, drugs, Silicon Valley, and racism. In the trailer for the Chelsea Does… Marriage episode, Handler tries on a wedding dress, interviews children, and attends a wedding, all the while making quips and admitting she doesn’t mean to be judgemental. While Handler was executive producer and writer of Chelsea Lately, the docuseries revealed a side of Handler that audiences hadn’t seen. The docuseries was intimate. Handler torched the curtain that most talk show hosts and comedians merely let audiences peak behind. Handler’s journey of introspection and personal growth began with Chelsea Does.
3 Chelsea (2016-2017)
To continue her journey of personal growth, Handler’s talk show on Netflix Chelsea aired once a week, featuring dinners, skits, and interviews with friends and celebrities. One episode in particular was a dinner with the cast of Marvel Studios Captain America: Civil War where Handler asked Captain America himself, actor Chris Evans, if he took acting seriously since superheroes are a fictionalized concept. As the talk show continued and November 2016 drew closer, however, the tone became more political, a massive shift away from celebrity gossip. In the aftermath of the 2016 election decision, Handler had a prolific political figure, former Senator Barbara Boxer, on for an interview, during which Boxer is given space to give a message of hope for those who might be disenfranchised by politics. According to Huffington Post, politics were the reason Handler left the show, vowing to spend more time using her platform to advocate for others and continue her journey of introspection.
2 Hello Privilege. It’s Me, Chelsea. (2019)
One of Handler’s best documentaries is Hello Privilege. It’s Me, Chelsea, released on Netflix in 2019. It’s also the most difficult to watch as the topic of privilege has become a more prominent discussion across the board. While Handler has been the center of controversy during her time in Hollywood, she uses her platform and this documentary to learn about unpacking her privilege. In the trailer, Handler is seen speaking to university students, acclaimed writers, and people who admit to not seeing any problems. Regardless of whomever she interviewed, Handler gave everyone equal space, even if it meant challenging herself to see where she has been part of the problem.
1 Chelsea Handler: Evolution (2020)
HBO Max
As it turns out, Handler’s best show is her triumphant return to stand-up. In the HBO Max trailer for the special, Handler returns to her home state, New Jersey to discuss her journey in therapy. Out of all her specials, talk shows, and documentaries, Chelsea Handler: Evolution ranks the highest because it’s the culmination of everything she set out to do when she left E! Channel. In an interview with Business Insider, Handler says she wanted to try new things that she couldn’t do at E! This initial step began an incredible journey for Handler professionally and personally, which is how Handler became a beacon of hope, growth, and humor. Her special on HBO Max details her time in therapy, something a lot of people don’t discuss as freely. But the most intimate part of the special, making it her best appearance, is when she cries over a personal matter at the end of the special. This kind of vulnerability, especially from a comic who could go head-to-head with the late Joan Rivers, exemplifies how Handler is walking her talk of learning and being a better human being.
