Kelly Clarkson Previews What to Expect From Her Highly Anticipated Talk Show
Q&A
Some people wait a lifetime for a moment like this. Kelly Clarkson isn’t one of them.
The three-time Grammy winner and inaugural champion of American Idol took some convincing when asked to headline her own talk show. In 2018, after she began as a coach on NBC’s The Voice, producers noticed the bubbly star was a natural on camera and approached her with the idea.
“I was like, ‘No. What would I do with a …? Nobody’s going to watch that!'” she tells TV Guide Magazine. Credit goes to her husband and manager, Brandon Blackstock, for changing the “Since U Been Gone” singer’s mind. “One night we were lying in bed, and he said, ‘I’d hate for you to pass up an opportunity just because you’re uncomfortable.’ And I said, ‘Challenge accepted,'” Clarkson continues with a laugh.
She tells us more about her highly anticipated daytime series, The Kelly Clarkson Show.
Can you give us a glimpse of the format? Please tell us you’ll be singing!
Kelly Clarkson: Music is highly involved. I open every show how I do on tour: I cover a song of an artist I love. A person in the audience picks the song, and I come down and talk to that person. Then we talk to the audience about maybe something that happened that day [before we] start having guests [come] out.
The very first show I went on after Idol was [The Tonight Show With Jay] Leno. He’d have his guests stay [after their interviews were done], and I really liked that. It makes everything amazing. On my pilot, we had Terry Crews with these older ladies from a quilting guild. It was pretty epic!
Is your set comfy couches or more of a desk with a few chairs?
It’s very much a musician’s home with my band. It’s a more chill and comfy and conversational set, with a cool bar vibe. There’s no desk. I don’t think I’ll ever belong at a desk!
You’re a staple on daytime and late-night talk shows. Did any of those hosts offer up advice?
I’ve known a bunch of them for years. Whether it was Ellen [DeGeneres] or [Jimmy] Fallon or Seth Meyers, they’re like, “Don’t worry about anything. Everybody gets terrified at the beginning, and your idea of what you think it’ll be — it’ll change.” I have a bunch of people cheering me on!
Speaking of getting terrified, you admitted a few months ago you were scared to do this. How are you feeling now that you’re in the thick of it?
I’m not nervous at all. I’m excited because I have a dream I didn’t know I had. People were like, “What if it’s hard to have a successful talk show?” and I said, “Well, I’m going to do me and people are either going to like it or not, so I guess we’ll find out.”
How are you handling this and The Voice and your music career?
I’m only two studios down from The Voice, so I can still do that and release new music. It’s busy, but I thrive on being busy. I do well under pressure.
(Chris Haston/NBC)
Who are your guests the first week?
That’s a surprise!
How about your dream guest, then?
My ultimate dream guest is definitely Meryl Streep. I’m a huge fan of hers. But I don’t want it to happen, because I’ll freak out. [Laughs] I don’t really hang out with famous people. My life is very normal. I don’t go to parties because I have four kids. So I’m probably going to freak out every day!
The Kelly Clarkson Show, Series Premiere, Monday, September 9, check local listings
