And speaking of the coincidental celebratory (birth)day, Hudson tells Glamour that “it was not planned this way. It happened to just fall on my birthday. So I feel like it’s a sign from God and the universe and or something, like confirmation. Just being able to have my show air on the day is a birthday party. But maybe they’ll roll me out a cake.”
As for future dream guests, Hudson lists Cardi B., Drake, Nicole Kidman, The Rock, and Andre 3000 as well as B.J. Armstrong from the Chicago Bulls (whose NBA playing career spanned from 1989-2000). “We got the same birthday, so when I was a kid, in my mind, he was my husband. A lot of these moments is living little childhood dreams and I have the platform where I could be like, ‘You know I have a EGOT, right? And you know I have a talk show? So won’t you come and say hello?’”
And here’s a fun fact, but Hudson’s middle name is Kate, meaning her full name is Jennifer Kate Hudson. She doesn’t think she’s ever met actor Kate Hudson, but has always thought about it, and now might be the time. “Growing up I used to always say she has half my name,” Hudson says with a laugh. “So we should have that conversation. And then Jennifer Jason Leigh has my name and my brother’s name because my brother was named Jason. So when I would think of those two, I would be like, Jennifer Jason, like that’s me, Jennifer. Then Jason. I used to always say that growing up.”
With so many daytime TV options, why should I watch?
Hudson says she just wants to life your spirits and “come into everyone’s living rooms and Jennifer-ize them.” What does that mean exactly? “Some of my friends call me ‘the sendoff kid,’” she says. ” I call it encouragement because we celebrate everything and everyone here. We’re going to encourage you in whatever your passion is.”
She always wants to help you find your “superpowers” and be 100% who you are. “Don’t let nobody tell you no different. You be who you are to the fullest. And if nobody else is cheering you on, I’m cheering you on. I don’t like anybody to be pressed and stressed. We can’t be our best selves that way and things are going to happen. We going to figure it out and we going to get through it. And we going to move on with the day and we going to be fabulous. And that’s just that.”
What other daytime talk shows will influence The Jennifer Hudson Show?
Hudson immediately points to the power of Oprah for bringing households together for an hour each day. “I remember her being that staple. I remember when Diane Warren was on the show and she was playing for Celine Dion and I was like, wow, one day I would love for her to write me a song. And now she’s written me many of those songs. So watching that show and dreaming up my dreams that I’ve been blessed to achieve is what inspires me. And then the icing on the cake with the Oprah show being in my hometown, Chicago and being proud of that. Like wow, that’s here in my city.”
