Singh, who is South Asian, is now the only female late night host on a major network.
Mathew RodriguezLate night television just got a little bit more female … and more queer … and more brown.
Bisexual YouTube star Lilly Singh appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Thursday night to announce that she will take over Carson Daly’s late night spot with her own show, forthcoming in the fall, called A Little Late with Lilly Singh.
Singh also wrote about the reveal on Instagram.
“I’m so grateful and overwhelmed to be joining this incredible family. I’m numb. I can’t even process,” she wrote. “This has been SO long in the making and I’m so happy I can finally share this with you. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!”
Late night television has long been thought of as the last block of programming that continues to stay white, straight and male. Currently, two women have late night slots on smaller networks: Samantha Bee on TBS and Busy Phillips on E!. But Singh’s late night slot is revolutionary because she is a bisexual South Asian woman, and because her show will be on one of the four major broadcast networks.
Singh announced she was bisexual on Twitter in February.
Female
Coloured
Bisexual
Throughout my life these have proven to be obstacles from time to time. But now I’m fully embracing them as my superpowers.
No matter how many “boxes” you check, I encourage you to do the same x
— Lilly Singh (@IISuperwomanII) February 25, 2019
Singh said that her multiple identities have often been “obstacles” in her life, but that she was ready for that to change.
“I’m fully embracing them as my superpowers,” she said. “No matter how many ‘boxes’ you check, I encourage you to do the same.”
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