Late-night show Chelsea Lately ends after seven years

Jessica Sieling, Managing Editor

Talk-show comedian Chelsea Handler hosted the final one-hour episode of her late-night show, Chelsea Lately, on August 26 after seven years of production. The show featured many famous actors and singers from the show’s past, who honored the shows end with songs and speeches during the whole episode.

Chelsea Lately originally debuted on July 16, 2007 and was produced by Handler’s production company, Borderline Amazing Productions. Over the years the show has been written by Handler herself, along with 11 other writers including Tom Brunelle and Brad Wollack. Jim Yukich directed the show. Despite the show’s long time run on E! Network, in 2011 Handler’s representatives stated that Handler would end the show once her contract was up in 2014.

The finale had many different features, from live singing performances by Miley Cyrus and 50 Cent to mock-interventions with some of Chelsea’s closest friend, as well as a group song in honor of Chelsea Handler.

The show started with a surprising sketch video clip of Handler and Ellen DeGeneres herself in a fake shower while discussing why Ellen had never been invited to guest star on the show.

“I don’t necessarily want to be on your show, I’m just wondering why you wouldn’t ask me to be on your show,” DeGeneres, joking with Handler said.

The “intervention” included Mary McCormack, Sandra Bullock and Jennifer Aniston sitting on the couch with Handler to discuss her “unhealthy lifestyle” and how it has affected each of them. Although the intervention was obviously fake, it received many laughs as each actress read speeches they had written for Handler.

“I promised myself I wouldn’t cry, so this should be easy, because I just don’t care anymore,” Aniston said.

One of the most memorable moments of the finale is when a number of Handler’s famous friends joined her on stage to sing a tribute song in honor of Handler. The song was in the style of the 1985 song, “We Are the World”. Gwen Stefani started to song, introducing Handler as “Chelsea Hammer”, a joke to make fun of herself when she mispronounced a name at the Emmys this year. Some of the lead singers included Fergie, Avril Lavigne, Tim Gunn, Tracy Adkins, Gerard Butler and several more. Other background singers included Melissa McCarthy, Joel McHale, Vanessa Hugdens, Selena Gomez and many more. The song has been dubbed “The Goodbye Song” for Handler.

Despite being notorious for her sarcasm and humor, Handler ended her show with a heartfelt speech, thanking everyone involved her show.

“First of all, I want to say thank you to every single person who showed up for me today, and every single person who showed up for me in the last seven years, probably longer,” Handler said. “Every person who works on this show, the crew, and the sound people, who have to deal with my bad moves and my good moods and the bad people I dated and the good people I dated. I am really, really appreciative that I’ve been given this opportunity by E!, that I had a show that is so much fun and so much fun for all these people. And I never really got a chance to be serious and say thank you, and I want you to know that I am grateful for this career, thank you very much.”

Handler then went on the talk about the charity that Miley Cyrus is known to represent, My Friend’s Place, a charity dedicated to helping homeless youth around the Los Angeles area. She told her audience her plans to donate and asked that they and all of her guest on stage also donate to the cause.

Handler ended her show with one more thanks and a funny reference about her future.

“And I want to say thank you to my family and, Mom, I hope you’re watching me,” Handler said. “I’ll see you on Netflix!”