Chelsea Handler announced on Wednesday, October 18, that she is leaving her self-titled Netflix talk show after two seasons in order to focus on her activism efforts.
“Like so many across the country, the past presidential election and the countless events that have unfolded since have galvanized me,” Handler, 42, wrote on Twitter. “From the national level down to the grassroots, it’s clear our decisions at the ballot box next year will mark a defining moment for our nation. For these reasons, I’ve decided not to return for another season of Chelsea, and instead devote as much time as I can to becoming a more knowledgeable and engaged citizen and to focus on projects that have significance to me.”
“My goal is to be better informed, raise my voice, and participate in a more meaningful way. I want to travel the country and visit areas and people I don’t know enough about, speak at colleges and listen to students, and gain a better understanding of our political divide,” she continued. “I have joined forces with EMILY’s List to elect more women to public office, register people to vote, and campaign for candidates who are fighting for women’s rights.”
The comedian, who assured fans that new episodes of Chelsea will continue to stream weekly through 2017, added that her partnership with Netflix will continue after the show’s finale. Handler and the streaming giant will be “working together on a documentary where I’ll engage with people I don’t talk with enough — people of different ethnicities, religions and political philosophies.”
Handler has been especially outspoken about her political opinions within the last year. The former Chelsea Lately host was a very active Hillary Clinton supporter throughout the election season and led a Women’s March in Park City, Utah, following Donald Trump’s Presidential inauguration. In January, she scoffed that she would never have the president or the First Lady on her show, because Melania Trump “can barely speak English.”
