I was reading over an industry newsletter and at the very bottom there was this notice.
Twentieth Television, Inc. named Lisa Kridos as Executive Producer of The Ricki Lake Show, the new syndicated talk show hosted and executive produced by Ricki Lake. Currently, the show is sold in 93% of the US and will premiere in September. Prior to this appointment, Lisa has been the Executive Producer of KTTV-FOX's Good Day LA, the top-rated morning show in Los Angeles.
I skimmed it, stopped and read it again, "Ricki Lake Show, didn't that get cancelled in 2005?"
In fact the old Ricki Lake show did get cancelled in 2005, but that was the old Ricki Lake, this is the new post Dancing With The Stars Ricki Lake and she's back with a new show, Ricki Lake- This is My Comfort Zone. A new fit look and yes a new show set to hit the air in September 2012.
“The good thing is I’ve done this before,” says Lake. “This is my comfort zone. Dancing and doing the Viennese waltz in front of 20 million people - not so comfortable. But talking to real women, real people about things that matter to us, that’s what I love.”
“Ricki is an extraordinary talent who is extremely comfortable in front of the camera,” says Kridos. “Even better, she is the same person off camera as she is on – warm, smart, personable and caring. Ricki has the qualities that make for the perfect daytime host.”
Finally someone using Dancing With The Stars as a springboard for "good." Lisa Rinna, take some notes! In the post apocalyptic talk show world without Oprah, the choices and quality of what is considered "good" daytime talk has dropped severely, filled with doctors, lifestyle gurus, shrinks, and former anchormen all trying to "connect." The result for the majority is a big swing and a miss. Lake has the opportunity to hit a home run.
Maybe Lake needed DWTS to remind the world that she is a personality who has substance and style, that's fine, the end result should be the return of an old school talk show host who can help return talk to the "hay day" of Donahue? Lake is the first to admit she has grown up and is excited to share her life experience with her viewers.
“We’re doing a show that is elevated content for women 25 to 54,” says Lake. “So basically the things women who grew up with me are now like me going through whether it is divorce, or re-marriage or raising teenagers or dealing with fertility issues, aging, career. I’ve grown up a lot. I have this life experience. I’m not who I was when I was 24. I’m 43 and in a lot of ways I think I know who I am in ways I did not before.”
Can Ricki be, dare we say, Oprah? “For me as a viewer I miss the old Oprah show,” says Lake. “That is what we are trying to do, before the book club. Before she became sort of untouchable. I’ve always loved her. She’s the show I miss watching every day, the way she was when she would go out in the audience. If you think of her 10 years ago she had her arm around that audience members and you felt like she was going through it with us."
Lake is quick to pay homage to The Queen and is clear that the new show is part of her own personal journey. “No one can replace Oprah,” she responds. “I’m not going to lie. No one is going to replace anyone. These shows are personality driven.” “There’s going to be a lot of the excitement and energy just as my old show had,” says Lake. “But at 43, the show I want to watch is very different from the show when I was 22. It’s going to be everything we women are trying to figure out.”
Lake isn't trying to shove what she thinks viewers want to see down their throats, she is utilizing the tools she didn't have during her early years to create content for the new show, the internet. "I am reaching out to mom bloggers and women bloggers… not only to support our launch but to give us information, ideas on which ways we should go and use them so that we can all work together to do the show we want to see.”
Lake remains humble and credits the advice of John Waters (Hairspray director) to keep her grounded. “He gave me some great advice. Before the movie came out I didn’t know what to expect. I didn’t know what my career would be like. He pulled me aside and he said, ‘Look I want you to remember these three things. Always be humble. Always stay true to yourself. And if you’re going to read and believe the good press about yourself, you’re going to have to read and believe the bad as well.’”
“Those are three things that stayed with me,” Lake says. “People that know me refer to me as the unfamous famous person. I am definitely someone people know. I live a very normal, everywoman life. I think that’s refreshing for people who want to tune into a show for an hour in the afternoon, and feel like they’re going to have some take away, feel like they’re with someone they can trust and they like; and who is familiar and who is not going to judge them. I am excited to be that person for them again.”
Look out Gayle, Dr. Phil, Rosie and the rest 2012, just may be the year of Ricki!
Filed under: Uncategorized
Tags: Chicago, Dancing With The Stars, David Wallach, Dr. Phil, John Waters, New Talk SHows, Oprah, Ricki Lake New Talk Show
Patty Gayden
2 days, 6 hours ago