CWW: Chelsea Handler

Chelsea Handler

Funny, Bold, and Talented

Background

-She grew up with her Jewish Family (whom she frequently pokes fun at in her books) in Livingston New Jersey. Her family wasn't very wealthy and she was the youngest of six siblings. So at age 19 she moved to California to pursue an acting career, and two years later she got her start as a stand-up comedian for various clubs and events.

-In 2007 Chelsea broke out and began starring in her own late night comedy series on E! called "Chelsea Lately" This was a huge hit. She averaged in at more than half-million viewers for the show (way more viewers than most late night shows). The first 20 minutes of her show consists of a round table of comedians and chewy who is her little person friend that makes funny comments on the side. Then the last 10 minutes she usually interviews some kind of celebrity (not always A-list).
-In March 2011 Chelsea also starred in a spin off of her show called "After Lately". Where Chelsea and her hilarious staff bicker over various matters having to do with the show. 

-Chelsea is the author of four books all being on the New York Times Best Seller List, three of which have been ranked at #1! Her first book My Horizontal Life is a collection of stories about her various one-night stands with different men. Handler also wrote Are You There, Vodka? It's Me? Chelsea (2008), a collection of humorous essays that had a print run of over 350,000 copies. She went on a nationwide tour to promote her third book, titled Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang, which was released on March 9, 2010. November 15, 2010, it was announced that Handler's publishers gave her her own publishing imprint (Borderline Amazing/A Chelsea Handler Book). After this she signed a three-book deal with the imprint, the first of which is called Lies That Chelsea Handler Told Me, where her coworkers and family members discuss the funny things Handler had done to them in the past, which was released in May 2011 and also hit number one.

-She now performs stand up nationwide, and is constantly all over the media for her bold personality and straightforward humor . Making guest appearances on The Tonight Show, The View, Oxygen Network, My Wife and Kids, etc. Handler was also the second woman to host the MTV Music Awards in 2010. Other accomplishments being her latest show Are You There, Chelsea? which was an NBC sitcom, based on Handler's 2008 best-selling book Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea, which aired  January 11, 2012 but unfortunately was canceled on March 28th of that same year. Also Time magazine placed her on the list of its 100 Most Influential People and in April 2009, she won the Bravo A-List Award for "A-List's Funniest".
Interview Question about Chelsea's first book My Horizontal Life:

Q: When guys have a lot of one-night-stands it is considered a badge of honor, but it’s not the same for women who usually hide it when they do it. Why do you think it’s such a double-standard?
A: I don’t know. I think that’s changing a lot. I think there’s a stigma that goes along with it… You know, the funny thing is that men think that when they have sex with a woman on the first night, that oh, well, she’s not marriage material. Or maybe that’s not the type of girl I want to go out with again. What guys don’t understand is that we’re doing the same thing. If we’re having sex with you on the first night, we’re probably not that interested in seeing you again either.
Appearance on The View

http://youtu.be/q-rcilkZoo8
Analysis
The two women writers that I thought Chelsea Handler was most relatable to are Bell Hooks with Talking Back and Audre Lorde  with Uses of the Erotic: The Erotic as Power. Handler as a woman has a lot to say and does not hold back. As you can see from her interview on The View she pretty much says whatever is on her mind, and is very well known for being an individual in this way. She also has worked very hard to have the voice and influential power she has today. This truly relates to Talking Back because in her story Bell Hooks works diligently to find her voice, and not just any voice but one she can call her own. Much like Handler the things Hooks says to her family are not always appropriate or “things a young lady should say” but yet she says them anyways. With both these writers it’s all about having the confidence to express one’s voice and not really caring what others may think or say. Then in Uses of the Erotic: The Erotic as Power Lorde discusses how instead of suppressing our inner ideas or sexual desires we should unleash them. There is a double standard society places on woman when it comes to sexuality and expressing themselves. Handler doesn’t sleep with men to get ahead in life, she does it out of pure enjoyment and then tells the world about her experiences in her first book My Horizontal Life. This is a form of empowerment all on its own. Also in the first interview of her book Handler brings in a woman’s perspective on one-night stands and puts the power of the sexual relationship in the woman’s hands. This is how Handler takes control of her inner erotic by stating her opinions and saying the things that are not normally said. Primarily though Chelsea Handler breaks societies social norms for a woman and reinvents them by having fun and exuding confidence.