'Busy Tonight' fans rally for a second chance for show after E! network's cancellation: 'A show by women, for women'
Busy Philipps reinvented the concept of late night talk shows with 'Busy Tonight', by not only being one of the very few women in the game but also by bringing a homey and comforting aesthetic to the otherwise suited up aura associated with such shows.
Sadly, however, just when the show was wrapping up its first season, with a little over a 100 episodes, Philipps announced that it had been canceled by the E! network through an Instagram post. While the network has cited flat viewership rates as the reasons, fans of the actress have come up stating the very obvious reasons why both she and her voice deserves a second run.
There's no denying that Philipps ventured into a primarily male-dominated arena with her talk show, something that only Sarah Silverman and Samantha Bee have done in the recent past. But what set her show apart from falling into the stereotypes associated with late night talk shows was the general essence of 'Busy Tonight.' Unlike most talk shows, Philipps' would have the actress sit on a blue couch, clad in vibrant hues of pastel, oozing off an air of warmth and comfort, as she would invite her audience and viewers to sing along to the show's signature 'Tequilla song.'
With Philipps recently opening up about her abortion in the past, following the recent passing of the anti-abortion law in Alabama, more viewers tuned in to hear the host's unfiltered, heartfelt commentary on what it means to be a woman in today's social climate. And while critics' reviews were of the mixed kind, viewers agreed in unison that the network is appeasing fans who prefer reality series on pop culture icons, rather than quality talks shows hosted by women.
"It seems that E! Is sticking to demographics that love KUWTK and Busy Tonight was bringing in new viewers like myself. It is unfortunate that they think that Nightly Pop is an adequate replacement,"
Twitter user @iNKIRueKA shared exclusively with MEA WorldWide. "I came across this show while channel surfing. It's the only thing I watch on E!. Sad that this show is ending," they added.
Another user Corey Spade shared: "I hope the show gets picked up somewhere! I thank Busy for being brave enough to share her own abortion story! I stand with all women. All marginalized groups. The storms brewing and you all have allies."
This only goes on to prove the severe impact Philipps' show had had on its viewers in just a single season run. Not only was her guest list sprinkled with big names from the industry, but as Philipps mentioned in her Instagram, the "creative staff is, like, 89% female.” And along those lines, a fan of the show, @canadianlinz pointed out "Seriously, E. @BusyTonightTV is a show by women, for women (and everyone else who likes to be entertained) and you all made a big mistake. #BusyTonight"
There was a lot going on for the show if you ask the fans. The mood was lighthearted and playful, but Philipps would never shy away from addressing the real issues women are facing in these times. From opening up about her own abortion story at the age of 15, to casually spilling to all her fans that she had never seen an episode of 'Game of Thrones' shortly after interviewing one of the series' actors - Philipps had a habit of weaving an air of casual chat with her audience and viewers, something a lot of them have observed to be missing from the several late night shows hosted by her male counterparts.
And like Twitter user @sweetlilsoul_ shared, "This was a refreshing, great show! So....naturally you cancel it! I hope netflix, hulu or Amazon picks it up. We need more shows w/positive, funny, inspiring women vs old, male, white dudes on late night!
