For those of you who remember the 90s (and a time when talk shows were the original reality TV) this is… kind of a big deal! Ricki friggen Lake is coming back to daytime television and it sounds like she’s down for the takeover. I nearly fell out when I saw this promo trailer… and then maybe, yeah I might have gone to her site and watched a few more clips… and promos… and behind-the-scenes footage of the new season. Judge me if you will! I haven’t watched one of these daytime shows in forever, but I’d be really interested in seeing how Ricki will reinvent herself. Check out the promo video and tell me if you’ll be chanting “Ricki, Ricki!” this fall.
I know Ricki Lake was on the 13th season of Dancing With The Stars and made some waves there, and she’s also a newlywed with 2 children from her first marriage. A lot’s changed since we last saw her on TV and I think that’s a good thing. To be honest, I can’t believe I’m really this excited about her return! But when I think about it she really was a staple in daytime television and since her show’s been off the air she’s popped up in some unexpected but very cool ways. For example, she became a big advocate of home birth a while back and made a fantastic documentary called The Business Of Being Born, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival (Tribeca called it “The Inconvenient Truth of Childbirth“).
Deadline Hollywood was at the 2012 Television Critics Association to report on Ricki‘s return:
She’ll be entering a crowded chat market that includes fellow newcomers Katie Couric, Jeff Probst and Steve Harvey. Unlike those three, Lake has been down this road before, having had a mega-successful 11-year run (1993-2004) with her previous daytime talker. Lake began that one at the tender age of 24. Now she’s 43, hardened by life, once-divorced and the mother to two school-age kids. “I really want lightning to strike twice,” Lake said during a lunch panel. “There’s a lot of pressure, a lot of money invested in this show. But I feel like I have more to offer this time. Last time, I was just trying to be Oprah. This time, I’m wiser and more evolved.” The show is also being done out of L.A. this time (Culver Studios) rather than New York City as her previous show was. She promises “a little less fluff and more substance” this time around, even though she proudly claims to be neither a doctor nor a therapist nor a super homemaker — just a working mom sporting battle scars and relatability.
Read more here.
I’m sorry, I just… I’m excited, ok?! I’m willing to admit that I’ve just never not loved Ricki Lake. From Hairspray (the original!) to the talk show, she’s just been so cool to watch. I really hope she can make a triumphant return on September 10.
i used to totally cheer her on and i really liked her film the business of being born.
but. when she said that she was marrying ‘a nobody’ i got over her.
i won’t watch her show..and not just cause i dont have a tv!
I’m excited for it; I love Ricki. WIth that said, I doubt I’ll actually watch it, mostly because of the fact that I don’t really watch TV.
Who knew so many people don’t have tv? I don’t either (or at least not one that’s hooked up to broadcast or cable or even netflix) so I won’t be watching. But I do know that when Ricki started speaking out about natural childbirth and advocating for homebirth especially, she got herself a pretty dedicated fan club. Natural birthing stay at home moms may tune into this show at least initially just to support her. Of course, I think at this point daytime talk is basically an outmoded format (hi, have you heard of the internet? Podcasts? On-demand?). I think her show may ultimately fail just because of that.
Still – more power to her! I hope she can parley her niche success as a childbirth advocate into some more mainstream success.
I use to love watching her as a teen. “Go Ricky, Go Ricky, Go Ricky!” I may watch a couple of eps just to see how it is.