It's been about four months since the first episode of Chelsea Handler's Netflix talk show was released, but the comedian feels the show has already found its groove.
As the streaming company's first talk show, "Chelsea" had to evolve before viewers' eyes.
"I feel like I was digging into something like unknown territory for me, and trying to kind of do something that was breaking with the format of a traditional talk show," Handler told Business Insider.
Handler didn't want to use the classic late-night talk show format of a monologue, guests, musical guests, etc. It was a definitely a process of experimentation for several weeks.
"I feel like we clicked in about six weeks in. Or I clicked in, personally, on a performance level," she said. "And now it's just — everything keeps falling into place."
Although the show streams just three new episodes a week, it's a full-time job for Handler and the show's staff.
"All I can say is I get up earlier than I ever have, and I work harder than I ever have," Handler told Business Insider. "When I had my talk show at E!, I was there for three hours a day. I get here at like 7:30 a.m."
Business Insider got a rare look at a day with Handler behind the scenes of her talk show at the Sony Pictures Studios lot in Los Angeles.
Here's a look at what a taping day for Netflix's "Chelsea" is like:
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8:36 a.m. PT: Handler and her team meet for the daily production meeting.
"Chelsea" showrunner Sue Murphy runs this meeting. They go over the show rundown and allow staffers across different departments — writers, talent, field, social media, PR, and research — to coordinate efforts.
Handler says she has a morning ritual.
"I have like an arugula salad at 8 o'clock in the morning with turkey and hummus in it," she said. "And my whole production is disgusted by me. That's pretty much my ritual."
9:16 a.m.: Handler reviews the show script with one of her talent producers, Dave Hettrick.
During this time, Handler tries to shape a segment so that viewers really learn something new.
"Luckily, now there are so many other shows where you're playing games or you're singing songs or stuff," she said. "It's an opportunity to have a real conversation, and to have fun with it. So we just try and find areas that they haven't really touched upon yet, and then ways to kind of get into a deeper conversation in a shorter amount of time, depending on who I'm talking to."
10:03 a.m.: In her office on the Sony Pictures Studios lot, Handler takes a call with "Today" show producers regarding an upcoming appearance.
Handler stocks her office fridge for survival, and it comes in handy in times like this.
"The refrigerator is stocked with some primary ingredients that I go through all day," the host said. "I've got all my meals, I've got all my drinks and beverages in there. So it's stocked a little bit like 'Sleeping with the Enemy.' There aren't a lot of free minutes in the day."
See the rest of the story at Business Insider