- In full:
- Chelsea Joy Handler
- Born:
- February 25, 1975, Livingston, New Jersey, U.S. (age 51)
Chelsea Handler
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Who is Chelsea Handler?
Chelsea Handler (born February 25, 1975) is an American comedian and author known for her bawdy style. Before her career took off, Handler grew up in New Jersey and, at 19, moved to Los Angeles hoping to start an acting career. She switched to comedy and began performing stand-up at clubs, which led to a stint on Girls Behaving Badly.
Handler is known for her late-night talk show, Chelsea Lately (2007–14). She has also written several books, including Are You There, Vodka? It’s Me, Chelsea (2008), Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang (2010), and Lies That Chelsea Handler Told Me (2011); all of which hit number one on the New York Times bestseller list. In addition to her television career, Handler continues to perform as a stand-up comedian.
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What is Chelsea Handler best known for?
Chelsea Handler is an American comedian and author recognized for her "earthy, bawdy style". She is best known for her late-night talk show, Chelsea Lately (2007–14), which aired on E! and featured her stand-up and roundtable discussions with guest comedians. Handler has also appeared on other TV shows, such as The Chelsea Handler Show, In the Motherhood, and The Good Wife. Additionally, she hosted MTV’s Video Music Awards in 2010. Handler is also a best-selling author, with books like Are You There, Vodka? It’s Me, Chelsea (2008) and Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang (2010).
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What are some popular TV shows hosted by Chelsea Handler?
Chelsea Handler is an American comedian and author known for her bawdy style. After appearances on The Tonight Show and the E! network, Handler was given her own program on E!, The Chelsea Handler Show.
Other popular TV shows hosted by Chelsea Handler:
* Chelsea Lately premiered in 2007 and included Handler’s stand-up and a roundtable segment featuring guest appearances by other comedians.
* Chelsea Does is a four-part comedic documentary series (2016). In each episode, Handler extemporized and conducted interviews about a controversial subject.
* Chelsea, a freewheeling talk show on Netflix (2016), was canceled the following year.1 Britannica SourceCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
What books has Chelsea Handler written?
Chelsea Handler is an American comedian and author known for her brassy and irreverent style. Her books include My Horizontal Life: A Collection of One-Night Stands (2005), a series of comedic essays about her dating life, and Are You There, Vodka? It’s Me, Chelsea (2008), which debuted at the top of the New York Times nonfiction best-seller list. This success was followed by Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang (2010) and Lies That Chelsea Handler Told Me (2011), both of which also hit number one. Handler also wrote Uganda Be Kidding Me (2014), Life Will Be the Death of Me:\u2026and You Too! (2019), and I’ll Have What She’s Having (2025). Additionally, she executive produced Are You There, Chelsea?, an NBC sitcom based on her books, and appeared in a supporting role.
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How has Chelsea Handler used comedy to share her opinions on social issues?
Chelsea Handler, an American comedian and author, is known for her comedy, which often touches on social issues. Handler's Netflix comedic documentary series Chelsea Does (2016) used interviews and Handler's own takes to explore controversial subjects. In 2019, she released Hello, Privilege. It’s Me, Chelsea, a documentary that examines the impact of white privilege on culture. Handler has also used her stand-up specials, such as Chelsea Handler: Evolution (2020), as a platform to share her views.
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What impact has Chelsea Handler had on the entertainment industry?
Chelsea Handler is an American comedian and author known for her bawdy style. Handler gained recognition through her E! network program, The Chelsea Handler Show, and later with her late-night talk show, Chelsea Lately, which ran from 2007 to 2014. Handler's show was unique because it attracted both low-grade celebrities and A-list names. She also hosted MTV's Video Music Awards in 2010, following in the footsteps of comedians such as Chris Rock, Jack Black, and Dennis Miller.
Handler is also a best-selling author. Her books, including Are You There, Vodka? It’s Me, Chelsea, Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang, and Lies That Chelsea Handler Told Me, topped the New York Times nonfiction best-seller list. Additionally, Handler has released comedy specials and taken roles in movies.
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Chelsea Handler (born February 25, 1975, Livingston, New Jersey, U.S.) is an American comedian and author known for her earthy, bawdy style and her late-night talk show, Chelsea Lately (2007–14).
Early life
Handler grew up in New Jersey, the youngest of six siblings. As a teen, she competed in the Miss New Jersey pageant, but she did not pursue work in performing until she was 19, when she headed to Los Angeles in hopes of starting an acting career. Eventually, she switched her focus to comedy and began performing stand-up at clubs around the city. This led to a stint on Girls Behaving Badly, a hidden-camera show on the Oxygen network that premiered in 2002. Handler drew fans with her brassy, self-deprecating style and by approaching the topic of sex with an irreverence bordering on crassness. In 2005 she published her first book, My Horizontal Life: A Collection of One-Night Stands, a series of comedic short essays devoted to her dating life.
Chelsea Lately
After making appearances on the E! network and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Handler was given her own program on E!, The Chelsea Handler Show. Alternating comedy sketches with segments of Handler’s live stand-up act, the show ran for 12 episodes between April and September 2006. The following year Chelsea Lately premiered on E!. The show featured Handler’s stand-up and a regular roundtable segment featuring guest appearances by other comedians. It was unique among late-night programs in that it specifically courted low-grade celebrities as its guests while also attracting A-list names. After Lately, a sitcom based on the backstage goings-on of the talk show, debuted on E! in 2011.
In 2007 Handler also began appearing opposite Jenny McCarthy and Leah Remini in the online comedy series In the Motherhood (2007–08; later adapted into a short-lived television series [2009] starring different performers). Handler guest starred on numerous television shows, including The Practice, Reno 911!, and The Bernie Mac Show, and she appeared as herself on such programs as The Good Wife. In 2010 she hosted MTV’s Video Music Awards ceremony, following in the footsteps of comedians such as Chris Rock, Jack Black, and Dennis Miller. In 2014 Handler announced that Chelsea Lately would end that year and that she was developing content for Netflix. That project developed into the four-part comedic documentary series Chelsea Does (2016). In each episode, Handler extemporized and conducted interviews about a controversial subject. Later in 2016 she premiered Chelsea, a freewheeling talk show, on Netflix as well. The program was canceled the following year, and her deal with Netflix ended shortly thereafter.
Books and other work
Handler’s second book, Are You There, Vodka? It’s Me, Chelsea (2008) debuted at the top of the New York Times nonfiction best-seller list. It was followed by Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang (2010) and Lies That Chelsea Handler Told Me (2011), a collection of anecdotes written by her friends and family; both books also hit number one. Handler related her travel mishaps in Uganda Be Kidding Me (2014), also an immediate best seller. Are You There, Chelsea?, an NBC sitcom based on Handler’s books, aired in 2012. Handler served as executive producer for the show and appeared in a supporting role. Her later books include Life Will Be the Death of Me:…and You Too! (2019), which chronicles her “year of self-discovery,” and I’ll Have What She’s Having (2025). Hello, Privilege. It’s Me, Chelsea (2019) is a documentary that explores the impact of white privilege on culture.
In addition to pursuing her television career, Handler continued to perform as a stand-up comedian. Several of her shows were filmed for comedy specials; these included Uganda Be Kidding Me Live (2014) and Chelsea Handler: Evolution (2020). In addition, a Las Vegas residency began in 2025. Handler also took small roles in movies, including the ribald best friend of Reese Witherspoon’s character in the action comedy This Means War (2012).