Queen Latifah Says New Talk Show ‘Will Inspire People Who Watch It’

Queen Latifah is ready for her second chance at hosting a talk show.

The Queen Latifah show is set to debut nationally Monday, September 16. The talk show will air across all 16 of the stations owned and operated by CBS. The talk show is executive produced by Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith, with whom Queen Latifah has a longstanding relationship.

“My partner, Shakim (Compere) and I have a long history with Will and Jada Smith, and we have always wanted to find a way to do something big together,” Latifah — real name Dana Owens — said. “We all thought this was the perfect project, and since Will and Jada’s company Overbrook has a relationship with Sony, we’re excited to be doing it with them as well. It’s definitely a family affair.”

Queen Latifah starred with Jada Pinkett Smith in 1996’s Set It Off and made a guest appearance on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air in 1991.

“We have a long history and I definitely feel like we grew up together in Hollywood,” she said.

CBS announced that The Queen Latifah Show was set for a fall launch in February. The show will feature celebrity interviews, human interest stories, and other daytime talk show elements. It will also blend Queen Latifah’s music and comedy into its format.

“My show is going to be an entertaining and eclectic mix of interviews with real people as well as celebrities – people who are fun and fascinating,” Latifah said. “It will be a program you can tune into to feel good every day. I also think it will inspire people who watch it. I know I’ve certainly been inspired by a lot of the stories we plan to share.”

The 43-year-old rapper, singer, and actress hosted a syndicated talk show of the same name in 1999. She was described as the “Dear Abby of the Hip-Hop Generation.” The show ran for two seasons before ending in August 2001.

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