Lilly Singh apologizes for distasteful joke that backfires

SCREEN CAPTURE / NBC

Jessica Alba was a guest on 'A Little Late with Lilly Singh'

ASAM NEWS

YouTuber Lilly Singh kicked off her new late-night talk show just a couple weeks ago, but she’s already under fire after a controversial joke in which she compared turbans to bath towels, reports Entertainment Weekly.

Singh recently featured guest Jessica Alba on A Little Late With Lilly Singh, when Alba was discussing a house visit during which Singh encountered Alba’s two young kids.

“They’re really good at being cool, especially with people that they geek out over like you,” Alba explained to Singh, according to People. “They’re trying to be cool about it. I was like, ‘Lilly’s downstairs,’ and they’re like, ‘Lilly’s downstairs?’ And I was like, ‘Yeah, come say hi.’ They wear the towels, the turbie twists, so they like look super not cool in the turbie twists but it dries their hair really quickly, so it’s very practical.”

“They look like my Punjabi friends,” said Singh. “It’s fine.”

People took to social media to respond to the comment:

Singh posted the following apology to Twitter on Friday:

“This was the first episode of the show I ever taped and I was very nervous, doing improv that wasn’t well thought out,” part of the apology reads. “I’m incredibly sorry to those I hurt with that comparison.

“I don’t wear a turban and I haven’t lived that experience and so I really value people giving perspective. I’m grateful that this was a teachable moment instead of another opportunity to divide and attack.”

The apology was accompanied by a second Tweet containing an educational comedy sketch on turbans:

The Canada-born comedian was raised in a Sikh household to parents who immigrated from Punjab, India. According to NBC News, Singh is the first openly LGBTQIA+ person and the first woman of color to host an American major network late-night show. Singh identifies as bisexual.

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Don't forget to set your DVRs; Lilly Singh's first late night show premieres tonight

All the pre-show hype releases say Lilly Singh's debut show of A Little Late with Lilly Singh will air tonight, Sept. 16, at 1:30 a.m. What's weird is that 1:30 a.m. is actually Sept. 16, tomorrow morning.

That's a little late for those of us who have to go to work the next day, so I expect recording devices to be in full throttle tonight, or next morning, ... whatever.

Singh, a Youtube sensation with over 15 million followers, was picked to be the new late night talk show host for NBC, replacing Carson Daley, which ran for 17 years.

“This one’s for the culture… it’s not just about my own milestone — it’s about minorities, it’s about women of color, it’s about paving a path," she said on the Today Show this morning.

The Indian Canadian comedian/rapper is making history as the first Asian host for a nationally syndicated talk show and the only woman to host a late night talk show. No pressure there.

For her first show, comedian-actor-writer-producer Mindy Kaling will be her first-ever guest.

OK, so technically, the advance press releases might be accurate because NBC will stream Singh's first episode on YouTube at 10 p.m. ET Monday on the show's YouTube channel, about three-and-a-half hours before the on-air debut. For us West Coasters, that means we'll be able to watch the show anytime after 7 p.m.

Besides Kaling, the other scheduled guest will be Rainin Wilson, Kaling's costar on the long-running The Office.

Other guests scheduled for A Little Late's inaugural week are Saturday Night Live mainstay Kenan Thompson (Sept. 17) when I hope they talk about SNL's new cast member Shane Gilles, Black-ish star Tracee Ellis Ross (Sept. 18) and comedian Chelsea Handler (Sept. 19).

I include a touching video that introduces a fan known only as True, Lilly Singh's Asian Canadian super fan "True," whose appearance was made possible by the Make A WIsh Foundation. 

Singh, seeing the shuttered doors to Hollywood a formidable obstacle, like many Asians, used Youtube as a venue to introduce herself and gain experience. After a brief "mental health break" last year, Singh was picked for the late night slot.

Not forsaking her legions of social media fans around the world (as you might imagine, she's wildly popular in Asia playing to sold out concert venues), The Youtube stream will include the full first episode of A Little Late, along with some additional content airing directly before and after the show.

Singh told The Hollywood Reporter that in addition to the on-air content, the show will feature web-only sketches on its YouTube channel: "I think of the show as launching at 1:30 a.m. and then it has a life for the next 24 hours."

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TGIF Feature: If Bollywood songs were rap, Lilly Singh would be rappin'

YOUTUBE

Lilly Singh in a traditional Indian dress and jewelry -- is back!

It was just a few months ago when YouTube star Lilly Singh explained to her fans that she needed time off from vlogging and her channel for "mental health" reasons.
It seems a mental health break is not necessarily a work break. Rather than disappearing from the public eye, she evidently kept herself busy.

Besides being named a late night talk show host taking the place of Carson Daley, the comedian wrote the lyrics for this fantastic video.

With the YouTube video, she wrote: 

"I love Bollywood and I love rap music. So I decided to let my worlds collide by turning some of my favourite songs into rap songs! And while I was at it, I thought, why not make them little motivational anthems that speak to causes close to my heart? I hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoyed making them! I can’t wait to perform these at #YTFF on Saturday in Mumbai!"

The response from her fans has been overwhelmingly favorable.

Enjoy!

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Lilly Singh makes history as new late-night host

SCREEN CAPTURE / NBC

Jimmy Kimmel, left, and Seth Meyer, right, welcome Lilly Singh to NBC's late night lineup.

YouTube star Lilly Singh has broken through to the big time. She's been named as the new host of NBC's newest late night talk show,  “A Little Late with Lilly Singh.” 

Singh announced her new gig on social media, posting, "It's official. Ya girl is getting her own  @nbc late night show ..." Later -- much later -- she made the formal announcement on the Jimmy Kimmel Show.

She will be replacing Carson Daly for the time slot, 1:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. In her new job, she'll be marking two "firsts:" She will be the first host of Asian descent for a late-night talk show and she'll be the first woman to host a late-night talk show full-time.

“A Little Late” will feature the Asian Canadian host conducting in-studio interviews, as well as feature pre-taped comedy sketches and other “signature elements.”

“Lilly is truly a star and we’re thrilled to welcome her to our NBC family,” said Doug Vaughan, executive vice president, special programs and late night, NBC Entertainment. “She is a multi-talented performer who will surely have a great rapport with not only all her guests but also with our devoted late-night audience. We can’t wait to get started.”

Singh could not contain her exhuberance. She tweeted:

As one of the most successful and lucrative YouTube stars ever (where she’s known as IISuperwomanII), Singh has amassed more than 14 million subscribers on her channel.

She recently took a mental health break from her YouTube channel to just take a break from the pressure of creating content. "I want to be honest with you, I could be happier," she told her fans. "I'm not my optimal happiness right now, I could be mentally healthier. I don't feel like I'm completely mentally healthy. There's a lot going on up here that I need to address and I'm not able to constantly pumping out content."

She obviously took time off to refocus her career. Her show is slated to launch in September.

 “An Indian-Canadian woman with her own late night show? Now that is a dream come true,” Singh told Variety. “I’m thrilled to bring it to life on NBC, and I hope my parents consider this to be as exciting as a grandchild.”

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TGIF Feature: YouTube star Lilly Singh is burned out and is taking a mental health break

SCREEN CAPTURE / YOUTUBE

Popular YouTuber Lilly Singh needs a break, she says.

AFTER EIGHT YEARS, one of the most popular content creators on YouTube is taking a break.

Lilly Singh, AKA "Superwoman," needs a vacation. In a video (of course) she made it clear that she's not quitting YouTube, the video platform that made her one of the world's most popular YouTubers.

“I am mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually exhausted,” she told viewers in her video. “I think there’s a lot going on up here that I need to address that I’m not able to, constantly pumping out content.”

"I want to be honest with you, I could be happier," she says. "I'm not my optimal happiness right now, I could be mentally healthier. I don't feel like I'm completely mentally healthy. There's a lot going on up here that I need to address and I'm not able to constantly pumping out content."

I'm familiar with that feeling. After 28 years in journalism, most of it as an editor, I've seen reporters burn out at the constant need to produce content for the never-satisfied "Daily Beast.," whether it be a story, a brief, a caption, an expose exposing corporate graft or marking a centenarian's birthday.

The constant pressure to produce grew as the corporate media moguls gobbled up family-owned newspapers. Reporters felt like they were simply cogs in a machine.

In Singh's case, despite the glory and fame that came with her YouTube channel, the pressure seems to be self-inflicted. Singh admitted that she's not been happy with some of her latest content.

She's run into a wall that's iimpacted other content creators. They aren't paid by YouTube for all their hard work, n some cases, risk-taking. That has led to criticism of exploitation. However, YouTube offers them a platform for which they can become famous and that could lead to monetary benefits through sponsorships and endorsements. In Singh's case, some estimate her worth around $16 million.

The Canada-born Singh, 30, is the daughter of Sikh immigrants. She began vlogging in 2010, singing, rapping, just being funny. Her videos have received over 2 billion views, and her channel has accumulated over 14 million loyal subscribers, who feel they have a personal relationship with someone who is funny, creative, rich and famous.

Singh admits that she doesn’t fully understand YouTube’s current culture, which has drastically changed over the years. “I haven’t been super happy with a lot of the content I’ve created,” she says.

“You know, the thing about YouTube is that, in all of its glory, it kind of is a machine," she continued in her video. "And it makes creators believe that we have to pump out content consistently, even at the cost of our life and our mental health and our happiness because if you don’t, then you’ll become irrelevant.” Some of the content she makes, she adds, is “because I think I have to on this platform that demands constant content, but it’s not really a reflection of me.”

Singh emphasizes that she's not leaving YouTube but says she’s unsure how long she’ll be away. “I hope you know that I really need this for my sanity, for my happiness, and to just be better,” she says.

WATCH more of Lilly Singh's videos.____________________________________________________________________________________

Youtube Fanfest @YTFFPH: OMG! LOL! 416 takes over 63!!!!!

Mickey Bustos and Lilly Singh, two of YouTube's stars, performed at YouTube's FanFest in Manila.

QUICK! Besides the rapper Drake, name two other entertainers from Toronto who are wildly popular with the under-25 crowd.

Before I answer, if you're unfamiliar with social media shorthand, let me interpret the headline for this post: "YouTube FanFest-Philippines: Oh my god! Laugh out loud (the title of famous YouTuber's rap)! Toronto takes over the Philippines!"

Emcee Mickey Bustos opens the YouTube Fanjets in Manila.

Two Toronto natives have made it big enough in the YouTube universe as creators to have a huge, rabid international fanbase of "friends" that transcends borders, language and cultural differences.

For the first time, Lilly Singh (AKA Superwoman) and Mickey Bustos, both natives of Toronto, were on the same stage at the same time. Judging by the reception in Manila, you'd think they were rockstars. Catch Bustos opening number:

Bustos, who moved to Manila after reaching the finals of Canadian Idol, was picked as the event's emcee. The FanFest was held last weekend attracting thousands of internet savvy fans to the World Trade Center auditorium in Manila.

RELATED: Why you should get to know Mikey Bustos

Singh, with 11 million followers, was the main headliner of a cast that included internationally known stars and a host of local creators. Singh ranked third in the Forbes list of highest paid YouTube stars for 2016.

Her parents are Punjabi immigrants and she is Sikh. She weaves her ethnicity throughout there videos and her stage performances.

They're not so well known in the mainstream entertainment world, but to those online addicts, the YouTube performers are treated like celebrities.

The days of getting discovered at the corner drugstore in Hollywood are so yesterday. More than likely, entertainers have found the online venues to be the best way to introduce themselves to the world. For Asian/Americans who find it more difficult to get the attention of talent scouts than white performers, YouTube is the great equalizer.

In the early days of YouTube, breakout stars Japanese/American Ryan Higa (nigahiga) and Vietnamese/American Michelle Phan paved the way by topping YouTube’s most-subscribed charts.

Since then, they've been joined by a host of other virtual performers and channels, most notably Wong Fu Productions, which create short films, music videos and even air their own video drama series, social comment Fung Bros., comedian Alex Wassabi and singer AJ Rafael.

It's a whole different world than mainstream media but YouTube is providing a platform for performers that Hollywood can no longer ignore.

The YouTube FanFest in Manila was viewed by thousands through - what else? -  the lenses of their smartphones and video cameras.

YouTube removes a lot of the traditional barriers to stardom: "There's no casting director monitoring the upload button. Anyone has the opportunity to post the exact same video online. It's equal opportunity in that sense," says Singh, who is taking the big step into the mainstream, AKA Hollywood. Watch out for Superwoman.

Lilly Singh is making the big leap from online stardom to Hollywood.