You know, when I first heard about the Comcast/NBC merger, I wondered just how long it would be before we started seeing E! personalities (Comcast owns E!) — or more specifically, Chelsea Lately personalities — popping up on the network. The answer: Not long at all. I worried that Comcast would force the Kardashians onto Celebrity Apprentice (oh, wait … that happened even before Comcast took over), or a Bridalplasty contestant on Law & Order: SVU, or Kendra as one of the Bunnies on The Playboy Club.
None of that has happened … yet … but instead we’re getting the E! family on NBC in their own shows. Chelsea Handler has a sitcom in the works based on her book, Are You There, Vodka? It’s Me, Chelsea, and Natasha Leggero is a cast member on the new Free Agents. This week, roundtable regular Whitney Cummings‘ new show, Whitney, debuted — and it featured a guest appearance by another Comedian of Chelsea Lately, Loni Love (where’s Brad Wollack, Scott Wolf and the other male members of the E! family?).
I’ve heard all kinds of horrible things about Whitney (the show), and after sitting through the pilot I have to say it wasn’t as awful as I’d expected. There’s nothing terribly original in the show about a commitment-phobic couple and their zany circle of friends, but there were some moments that did make me laugh (or rather, made me embarrassed to have laughed). I can’t say I liked all of the friends, in fact, I can say I really didn’t like any of the friends — the drunk, angry girl; the hyper/needy girl; the horny, lecherous cop … and why is Jonathan from 30 Rock here?!?!
I’ve seen Whitney (the comedian) on Chelsea Lately and as host of the MTV New Year’s Eve special. Her act is pretty raunchy. I kind of feel sorry for her here trying to incorporate her act into a prime time, network television sitcom, having to basically tone down her material for the masses. Unfortunately, the only thing left of her act is the loud abrasiveness, and I don’t know how long that will play with TV audiences. The other problem the show may face is its “traditional” sitcom roots in a sea of un-traditional comedies on the NBC Thursday night schedule. Whitney, shot before a live studio audience, follows NBC’s single-camera comedy gems Community, Parks & Recreation, and The Office, and I just don’t think the average Office fan is going to stick around for a loud, brash comedy that wants so badly to be “dirty” but can’t because of network standards.
Lucky for Whitney, she’s also the creator and writer of what many critics consider to be one of the best new shows of the fall season, 2 Broke Girls. Perhaps dividing her writing time between the two shows is more of a hinderance to Whitney, but if Whitney fails at least she has something to fall back on. I’m willing to give the show one more shot because things can change drastically from pilot to pick-up, so we’ll see how episode two turns out. If it’s more of the same, I’m afraid Whitney won’t be long for this world.
Clacked by Chuck Duncan 
on Sep 23, 2011 @ 03:50 EST5EDT
The show was better than I expected; however I was expecting much. The laugh track was really annoying. It said it was filmed in front of a live studio audience but it sure sounded like laugh tracks to me. The friends weren’t special, those characters need work. I’ll watch it again.
The show is so bad, NBC promos it by saying how much the “critics” love it and can only post a quote from The Salt Lake Tribune. Stop fooling yourselves and cancel Whitney ASAP. How anyone thinks it’s funny besides The Salt Lake Tribune is incomprehensible.
*POST AUTHOR*
You notice this is the only coverage we’ve given the show. I gave up halfway through the second episode. Unfortunately, with NBC now under Comcast, which also owns the E! network, Whitney was blessed with a full season pickup. Funny how her own show can be so bad while the other show she created, 2 Broke Girls, is actually pretty funny.
The show was worse than I expected, and I wasn’t expecting much. It felt like they were using a laugh track recorded in the 80’s. I had the sad benefit of watching Whitney’s standup due to my roomate’s suggestion, and watched the first episode as a favor to her (Plus there was a 30 min break in-between The Office and The Mentalist).
I can say I am already assured I will never watch another episode. The characters were filled with stereotypes,the humor was recycled crap from decades ago, and most importantly the delivery was off. I could feel the “Pause for Laughter” on the script after every terrible joke. Seriously, the entire show felt forced and as painful to watch as it must have been to make. Maybe I’ve watched too much Sienfeld, Parks and Rec, and Cosby Show, but this show was just a chore to watch.
While I wish Whitney Cummings the best, I can’t seem to understand why Aisha Tyler wasn’t afforded the same opportunity? She can’t be that busy with Archer’s limited schedule, plus she’s a little bit edgy and a little original.