Mo’Nique’s career is on a roll. Not only is she coming off a Sundance win for her role in the upcoming film Precious, and being buzzed about as a serious Oscar contender, but the BET Network is giving the leading lady her own late night talk show this fall.
The Mo’Nique Show and its host could practically be the face of the network, which is committed to “making her the biggest star in the world” through various projects.
And it’s a good thing, since the 25-year-industry-vet won’t let a little old 150-episode talk show order get in her way of pursuing other projects, including movies and touring.
“I’m so happy with sitting where I am right now,” she says. “What’s going to happen in five, 10 years? I don’t know. This is the focus, this talk show, [but] we only tape three days a week.”
Those three days film in Atlanta so that the host can be in a community not yet saturated with myriad late-night shows. Recruiting stars to the off-the-grid area won’t necessarily be a problem, since the series will also feature real people, citizens, politicians, pundits and small-town heroes as well as the occasional star.
“Do you like having a good time?” she asks the crowd. “Do you like having a good time before you go to sleep? When you watch TV don’t you want to see somebody that looks like you and you can feel good about yourself?”
Heck yes, we do.
The Mo’Nique Show begins this fall, 11 p.m. ET, BET Network.
Amber is currently reporting live from the TV Critics Press Tour in L.A. Check out complete coverage here. amber@tvguide.ca
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