Kathy Griffin: CBS Did Not Even Consider a Female Late Late Show Host
Last April, Craig Ferguson announced that he was stepping down as host of Late Late Show. Even though he has since been replaced by British actor/comedian James Corden, for a moment there we all wondered if we might actually get a lady late night host, and names like Chelsea Handler and Aisha Tyler popped up. Hell, Ferguson himself wanted to see a woman in his place. Well, according to Kathy Griffin, a woman host was never part of the plan. Ever.
Via AP:
The response of one executive to her query: “They’re not considering females at this time,” she recounted.
“You realize that’s illegal to say in a business meeting?” was Griffin’s comeback.
When she told by another industry exec that the absence of female hosts was “embarrassing” and that women who represent half the population should hold half of such jobs, he had a ready answer: “Well, you have ‘The Talk.'”
Oh wow. Okay. Thanks for once again reminding women that they should be grateful for something completely irrelevant to the situation at hand.
“I walk into the (meeting) room thinking, ‘I’ll give it a shot.’ I leave the room thinking, ‘I never had a chance,'” she said.
Alright, I don’t really have feelings about Kathy Griffin but this is still fucking ridiculous. What makes the disappointment regarding the total absence of women on late night TV even more apparent is that the only woman to have ever hosted a late night show—nearly 30 years ago mind you—Joan Rivers, passed away this month, and we are no where closer to matching her accomplishment.
Image via Getty.