Lilly Singh just wants to be herself.The homegrown YouTube sensation is now officially a history-making TV personality south of the border. In the wee hours on Tuesday, Singh became the first “woman of colour” to host a late night show. That phrase, “woman of colour,” was a conspicuous turnkey as the premiere of NBC’s A Little Late with Lilly Singh rumbled to life with energy, promise and a few rookie mistakes.After months of hype, and presumably oodles of time to set the tone, the debut opened with a sketch. Singh saunters into a network boardroom, eager to discuss her new gig with execs who are exclusively white and male. They drone on stereotypically, wondering if she should wear a grey or navy suit while outlining their vision for the show. This includes a topical opening monologue and presidential jokes. In other words, what most late night shows are now doing.“That’s not really my style, you know?” says Singh. “I was thinking I could actually share my perspective, especially being a woman and all.”To which one exec replies: “I’m not sure if people will relate to that.”Singh: “I’m not sure that I related to 10 seasons of Friends.”And then a few seconds later: “Guys! I just want to be myself!”Then a phone rings and the sketch turns into a feminist rap video.The lights dim, the backbeat thumps and Singh jumps atop the table and spits out her mission statement in rhyming couplets: “Hello, my name is Lilly and I ain’t no white man / My skin’s got some colour and it ain’t no spray tan.”After promising to put some “melanin up in your late night,” Singh also rattles off her pioneering bona fides, including creating a writers room that is 50 per cent female and includes “people of all races.” In a few jangly minutes, she heralds public breastfeeding, pro-choice, diversity, her Canadian roots and cultural r ...
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