Wanda Sykes Show: Working Hard, Hardly Working

Clichés drag down late-night debut
By Marie Morris,  Newser Staff
Posted Nov 8, 2009 3:59 PM CST

Viewers expecting something fresh and new out of The Wanda Sykes Show—as the unlikely combination of Fox and an African-American lesbian might seem to promise—were sorely disappointed, writes Ken Tucker. The comedian and actor "is terrific: at ease and bawdy," he writes for Entertainment Weekly. But last night's premiere was "awkward: self-conscious and constrained."

The first half of the hour-long show sat better with Barry Garron of the Hollywood Reporter. He found the politically tinged late-night offering "a smart start, though it had a few potholes." As for the second half, a boozy panel discussion of not-particularly-topical topics, "You could have found more insight on Hollywood Squares."
(More entertainment stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X