Hollywood has never quite known what to do with Aisha Tyler. (Dare I say most black folks don’t know much about her either). She started out as the host of “Talk Soup” and then went on to host the unfortunate dating show “The Fifth Wheel” (but we’ll forgive her for that). But the sister is really a stand-up comic and actress who needed the right gig to showcase her talent. Although she has had some memorable roles—most notably as the black girl who dated both Joey and Ross on “Friends”—no long term roles seem to stick. (They even killed her off of “Ghost Whisperer” at the beginning of the second season—even though she was Jennifer Love Hewitt’s best friend).
Well, hopefully, things are about to change for Aisha. ABC has given her the go-ahead to shoot a pilot for a talk show (for either cable or syndication). It will be a mix of comedic skits, political commentary and guest interviews. This will be a chance for her to pair her comedic timing with her old hosting experience. If you remember, the sister used to be pretty hilarious on “Talk Soup”—and all she had were a bunch of clips. Imagine what she’ll be able to do with a budget.
In a way, I almost think Aisha is sort of the female equivalent of Wayne Brady. He has had a fair amount of success in the mainstream community and black folks could take or leave him (okay, so they mostly left him). Then he did “Chappelle’s Show” and we saw him in a new light. (Plus his music is quite decent.) Aisha’s style is decidely different than say Wanda Sykes Cheryl Underwood, or Mo’Nique but she’s still a sister who has something to say. So let’s see what the chick who was in the background in “Balls of Fury” can do.
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I like Aisha- and if I remember correctly she either left law school or graduated then decided to make a career shift. She has to make her own opportunities otherwise people will continue to sweep her under the rug. Hopefully this will be her launching pad.