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Chelsea Lately

(Rated TV-14, Comedy, Starring Chelsea Handler, Where to watch: E!)

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 14, age appropriate for kids over 18; suggested age 15.

  • Is it any good?

    3.0

  • Common Sense says

    Late-night talk show host speaks her (dirty) mind.

Why We Rated This iffy for Ages 15–18

What to watch out for

  • Messages:

    In general, the show celebrates celebrities' negative "train wreck" behavior, poking fun at others' foibles and misfortunes.

  • Role models:

    It's admirable that Handler is breaking gender barriers in late-night television, but she's hardly trying to be a shining role model when it comes to her attitudes regarding topics like alcohol and premarital sex.

  • Violence:

    The show occasionally airs segments that contain violent behavior.

  • Sex:

    Comics regularly rely on sexually charged jokes and puns. For example, in an exchange about teen pop star Joe Jonas's latest break-up, a guest comedian quipped, "This is what happens when you date a virgin. He's probably boring; that's why she had to break up with him. You watch movies, you go to his concerts. At one point, you wanna f--k." Handler replied, "There's plenty of things you can do without having penetration. You can take your purity ring and put it in different ... places."

  • Language:

    Some bleeped swearing (including "f--k" and "s--t"), as well as audible words and phrases like "damn," "hell," "bitch," and "suck on that."

  • Consumerism:

    Celebrity guests sometimes appear to promote their own brands or products (including new books, albums, movies, etc.).

  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Many jokes make fun of celebrities' drug or alcohol addictions. Handler also shares her own misadventures while under the influence of her favorite drink -- vodka -- during a regular segment, "Things You Can Do with Vodka."
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Chelsea Lately

Parents need to know that this irreverent talk/comedy show won a Teen Choice Award for Best Late-Night Talk Show in 2009, which means it's popular with plenty of teens. But that doesn't mean it's the best choice for high-schoolers in terms of content. The show gets a lot of its entertainment value from an arsenal of off-color jokes, many of them sexual in nature, and includes some bleeped swearing ("f--k" and "s--t") as well as audible words like "ass," "slut," and "dirty little bitch." Comics also poke fun at serious subjects like drug and alcohol abuse, stalking, and sexually transmitted diseases, which makes it an iffy choice for kids under 14. Note: Most teens who watch late-night shows like this check them out on a "time-shift" basis via DVR or online clips, rather than at the original 11:30 p.m.-or-later air time -- which is better for their sleep habits!

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about the fact that Handler is currently the only female talk show host in a late-night line-up that includes Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, and Craig Ferguson. Why do men tend to rule the late-night time slot? Are they inherently funnier than women?
  • Why does Handler focus so much on celebrity news and gossip? Do the celebrities she has on her show tend to be good role models or bad ones?
  • How do late-night talk shows like these influence a movie or television star's public image? How do they help (or hurt) stars promote their own brands?
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