Female Comedians That Deserve Their Own Talk Show
When it comes to talk shows, the industry is typically dominated by male hosts. Aside from Ellen DeGeneres, most lists of the "Best Talk Show Hosts" are composed of men, in both the United States and the United Kingdom (per ScreenRant). While we're fans of many of these late night television presenters, we'd like to see more female comedians take up the mantle in the future. Some women are already paving the way, like Wendy Williams and Loni Love, both of whom host their own amazing — and hilarious — shows (via Essence).
However, numerous female comedians are dominating the genre right now as well, with notable names like Ali Wong, Whitney Cummings, and Phoebe Robinson leading the pack. In addition to these three women, we've added three additional comedians to our list of dream talk show hosts, including Ashley Nicole Black, Aparna Nancherla, and Arielle Vandenberg. If you haven't heard of these entertaining women before, you're in for a real treat! Each woman have made a name for themselves through their own unique brand of comedy, and they all have what it takes to run successful talk shows as well.
Ali Wong is a comedy queen
Ali Wong is currently one of the most famous female comedians in the business. Wong made her official debut in 2016 with the release of her Netflix special "Baby Cobra," which was immediately well-received (via IMDb). At the time, the comedian was approximately seven months pregnant, but this didn't slow her down or deter her from joking about specific subjects, such as her previous miscarriages or her experience with having HPV (via E!).
Even though Wong had been working as a comedian since 2011, this was really the first time she captured the public's attention. Since then, Wong has steadily built her career by releasing the popular stand-up special "Hard Knock Wife," in addition to developing her acting career. She has appeared on the show "American Housewife" since 2016, and she has voiced characters in the cartoons "Tuca & Bertie" and "Big Mouth" since 2019 (via IMDb).
Wong also co-wrote and co-starred in the 2019 Netflix film "Always Be My Maybe" alongside Randall Park, which is one of our favorite rom-coms (via Glamour). Since the California native has worked as a writer, stand-up comedian, and an actress, she really has the breadth of skills needed to successfully operate her own talk show.
We'd love to see her interview her former scene partner Keanu Reeves, so let's keep our fingers crossed for this one!
Whitney Cummings is a talented comedian and podcaster
Whitney Cummings is the type of comedian who can make you laugh so hard your face hurts. The Gentlewoman dubbed her the "Joan Rivers for the kale generation" which is an accurate description of Cummings' overall style and tone. Her brand of comedy is a little raunchy and raucous, but it's her unflinching delivery and commitment to honesty that makes her so appealing. Plus, she's the epitome of the term "multi-talented" as she's more than just a stand-up comedian.
Cummings has built her career through a mix of ventures, as she has previously worked as a writer, an actress, an executive producer, and a director (via The Things). She famously created the popular television show "2 Broke Girls," and she had her own sitcom, "Whitney," from 2011 to 2013 (via IMDb). Even though her film and television credits have slowed in recent years, Cummings has still worked successfully as a stand-up comic and podcast host.
Her podcast, "Good For You," features interviews with notable guests like Dan Levy, Paris Hilton, Hilary Duff, and many, many others. She's a great conversationalist and covers a variety of topics with her guests, which is why we think she'd really excel as a talk show host — probably on the late night circuit, since her content can be explicit sometimes.
Phoebe Robinson is a comedian, writer, and actress
Chances are, you've likely seen Phoebe Robinson in one of your favorite television shows or movies, as the comedian and actress has appeared in several popular roles over the last few years. Her acting credits include "Broad City," "Search Party," "Ibiza," and "What Men Want," to name a few. Robinson has also served as a writer on the comedy series "Portlandia" since 2018, and she has published three non-fiction books about her life and career, each of which are equal parts humorous and illuminating (via Phoebe Robinson Official Website). She recently became the host of her own show, "Doing The Most with Phoebe Robinson," which we're huge fans of already (via IMDb).
For her show, Robinson interviews celebrities like Kevin Bacon, Hasan Minhaj, and Ashley Graham, all while showing off her brilliant sense of humor. The series launched on Comedy Central in 2021, which shows that we've clearly got great taste, as the network saw Robinson's potential to be a star talk show host. Hopefully "Doing The Most" continues to grow in popularity, as this venture showcases the stand-up comedian and author's penchant for truth telling in every medium.
Ashley Nicole Black is a writer, performer, and talk show correspondent
Ashley Nicole Black is part of the insanely talented cast of "A Black Lady Sketch Show" along with Issa Rae, Robin Thede, and Gabrielle Dennis (via IMDb). Black's sketches are perfectly written and delivered, which comes as no surprise since she has been successfully working as a comedy writer for years. Her previous credits include "Full Frontal with Samantha Bee," where she worked as a writer and correspondent, and the popular Apple TV show "Ted Lasso," where she works as a writer and producer.
Even though she isn't as well-known as the other female comedians on this list, we're big fans of her work because of its leveled nuance. As Black herself stated during an interview with Insider, "I am really interested in, obviously, making people laugh, but comedy that has a heart." It's this combination of hilarity and earnestness that makes Black such a successful comedian, and we think her kind nature and inherent curiosity would lend themselves to a dynamic talk show.
Aparna Nancherla is a gifted comedian, voice actor, and writer
Aparna Nancherla may not be someone you're familiar with, but we'd recommend getting acquainted with this female comedian right away! Variety recently named her one of their 32 Greatest Character Actors Working Today, and within good reason. Nancherla has established a breadth of work that is truly awe-inspiring. Not only has she successfully worked as a stand-up comedian for years, but she's a successful voice actor, and has acted in films like "A Simple Favor" alongside Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick, too.
Nancherla has lent her voice to characters in "Bob's Burgers," "BoJack Horseman," and "You're Not a Monster," and she has appeared in the shows "Space Force" and "Crashing," amongst several others (via IMDb). As if that wasn't impressive enough, Nancherla previously worked as a writer on "Late Night with Seth Meyers," and she has hilariously performed her stand-up routine for Netflix's "The Standups" and Comedy Central's "The Half Hour" (via Avalon).
We'd love to see Nancherla host a television show where she has the chance to exhibit her incredible talents, as she has so much to offer in terms of writing and performing.
Arielle Vandenberg is a former Vine star and current Love Island host
Rounding out our list of female comedians that deserve their own talk show is former Vine star and current "Love Island" host Arielle Vandenberg. This is another unexpected pick on our part, but bear with us for a moment. When Vine was one of the most popular apps back in 2013, Vandenberg consistently produced hysterical videos for her legion of followers. Entire compilations of her Vines have been re-uploaded to YouTube, many of which have over 90,000 views (via YouTube). Vandenberg's comedic timing is absolutely perfect, and the physicality she lends to her performances reminds us of a young Jim Carrey.
Following the dissolution of Vine in 2017, Vandenberg maintained her online presence through her Instagram profile, where she still posts comedic sketches. She has recently segued into the world of television presenting after being announced as the host for the U.S. version of "Love Island," (via CBS). Vandenberg showcases her ability to blend humor with presenting duties on the show, which is why we think she'd be great as a host for a talk show where she'd have the ability to facilitate more complex conversations.
Vandenberg has previous experience as an actress and as a podcast host, so she has the connections and the temperament needed to successfully navigate the process of managing her own production.