Chelsea Handler is an American entertainer known for her comedic work. She gained prominence as the host of the E! network's late-night talk show "Chelsea Lately" from 2007 to 2014. Following its success, she launched a documentary series titled "Chelsea Does" on Netflix in 2016 and briefly hosted another talk show, "Chelsea," on the same platform. Handler is recognized for her comedic talent across various mediums, including stand-up comedy, acting, writing, and television hosting.
1958: Chelsea Handler's Mother Immigrates to the US
Handler's mother immigrated to the United States from Germany in 1958.
February 25, 1975: Birth of Chelsea Handler
Chelsea Joy Handler was born on February 25, 1975.
1989: Diagnosis of Mother's Breast Cancer
Handler's mother received a breast cancer diagnosis in 1989, beginning a battle with the disease that would span over 15 years.
1994: Roseanne Barr Hosts the VMAs
Roseanne Barr became the first woman to solely host the MTV Video Music Awards in 1994.
2002: Start of "Girls Behaving Badly"
Chelsea Handler joined the all-female cast of Oxygen's hidden camera reality television series, "Girls Behaving Badly," which aired from 2002 to 2005.
2005: End of "Girls Behaving Badly"
Chelsea Handler's time on "Girls Behaving Badly" ended in 2005 after the show aired for three seasons.
2005: Handler Releases First Book, "My Horizontal Life: A Collection of One-Night Stands"
In 2005, Handler released her first book, "My Horizontal Life: A Collection of One-Night Stands."
April 2006: Premiere of "The Chelsea Handler Show"
In April 2006, Handler began hosting "The Chelsea Handler Show" on E!, which ran for two seasons.
2006: Handler Begins Dating Ted Harbert
Handler began dating Ted Harbert, the former chief executive officer of Comcast, in 2006.
2006: Death of Chelsea Handler's Mother
In 2006, Chelsea Handler's mother passed away after battling breast cancer for over 15 years.
July 2007: Premiere of "Chelsea Lately"
Chelsea Handler's half-hour late-night comedy series, "Chelsea Lately," premiered on E! in July 2007.
August 2, 2007: First Guest Co-host Appearance on "The View"
Chelsea Handler first guest co-hosted "The View" on August 2, 2007.
2007: Chelsea Handler Appears in "In the Motherhood"
Chelsea Handler appeared in the internet-based program "In the Motherhood" in 2007.
2007: Start of "Chelsea Lately" and Appearance in "In the Motherhood"
Chelsea Handler began hosting her late-night comedy series, "Chelsea Lately," on E! in 2007. The same year, she appeared in the internet-based program "In the Motherhood."
January 2008: Jenny McCarthy Joins "In the Motherhood"
Jenny McCarthy joined the cast of "In the Motherhood" in January 2008.
May 11, 2008: "Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea" Tops New York Times Best Seller List
On May 11, 2008, Handler's book "Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea" reached the top of The New York Times Nonfiction Best Seller List.
September 5, 2008: Second Guest Co-host Appearance on "The View"
Chelsea Handler made her second appearance as a guest co-host on "The View" on September 5, 2008.
September 8, 2008: ABC Picks Up "In the Motherhood"
ABC announced on September 8, 2008, that they would be adapting the internet-based program "In The Motherhood" into a television series.
2008: Chelsea Handler on Guest Quality
In 2008, Handler commented that she found the show to be funnier when the guests were more outlandish and awkward.
May 2009: Handler Hosts 20th Annual GLAAD Media Awards
In May 2009, Handler hosted the 20th Annual GLAAD Media Awards in San Francisco.
June 2009: Handler Named Grand Marshal of Los Angeles Pride
Handler was named Grand Marshal of the 2009 Los Angeles Pride celebration in June 2009.
2009: Handler Poses for Allure Magazine
In 2009, Handler posed nude for the May issue of Allure magazine.
January 25, 2010: Handler and Ted Harbert Break Up
On January 25, 2010, Handler confirmed her breakup with Ted Harbert on her talk show, "Chelsea Lately."
March 9, 2010: Handler Releases Third Book, "Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang"
Handler released her third book, "Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang," on March 9, 2010.
March 21, 2010: "Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang" Hits Number One on New York Times Best Seller List
Handler's "Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang" reached the top of The New York Times Nonfiction Hardback Bestseller list on March 21, 2010.
April 2010: Handler Featured on Cover of Shape Magazine
Handler was featured on the cover of Shape magazine in April 2010.
July 2010: Handler Participates in "I Am Equal" Photo Documentary Project
In July 2010, Handler participated in the "I Am Equal" photo documentary project in memory of her mother.
August 18, 2010: Announcement as 2010 MTV VMA Host
Chelsea Handler was announced as the host of the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards on August 18, 2010.
September 12, 2010: Hosting the 2010 MTV VMAs
Chelsea Handler hosted the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, becoming the second woman in the event's history to do so.
November 15, 2010: Handler Receives Own Publishing Imprint, Borderline Amazing/A Chelsea Handler Book
On November 15, 2010, it was announced that Handler's publishers gave her her own publishing imprint, Borderline Amazing/A Chelsea Handler Book.
2010: Handler's Sex Tape Leaked
In 2010, a sex tape of Handler was leaked and offered for sale.
2010: Handler Ranked on Forbes Celebrity 100
In 2010, Handler was ranked No. 98 on the Forbes Celebrity 100 list.
2010: Production of "Pretty Wild"
Chelsea Handler, alongside Tom Brunelle, took on the role of producer for "Pretty Wild," a reality series following the lives of the Neiers sisters, in 2010.
March 6, 2011: Debut of "After Lately"
"After Lately," a mockumentary spinoff of "Chelsea Lately," premiered on E! on March 6, 2011.
May 2011: "Lies That Chelsea Handler Told Me" Released
In May 2011, Handler released "Lies That Chelsea Handler Told Me," the first book from her imprint, Borderline Amazing/A Chelsea Handler Book.
June 2011: Handler Featured on Cover of The Hollywood Reporter
In June 2011, Handler was featured on the cover of The Hollywood Reporter.
2011: Handler Briefly Dates 50 Cent
Handler briefly dated rapper 50 Cent around 2011.
2011: Chelsea Handler Opens Up About Abortion at 16
In 2011, during an interview with The New York Times, Chelsea Handler revealed that she had an abortion at the age of sixteen. She expressed that it was the right decision for her at the time.
March 2012: Handler Featured on Cover of Redbook Magazine
Handler was featured on the cover of Redbook magazine's March 2012 issue.
March 2012: Handler Hosts Human Rights Campaign Gala
In March 2012, Handler hosted the Human Rights Campaign Gala in Los Angeles.
March 28, 2012: End of "Are You There, Chelsea?"
The NBC sitcom "Are You There, Chelsea?" aired its final episode on March 28, 2012.
May 11, 2012: Cancellation of "Are You There, Chelsea?"
NBC cancelled the sitcom "Are You There, Chelsea?" on May 11, 2012, after just one season.
September 2012: Handler Featured on Cover of Marie Claire Magazine
In September 2012, Handler was featured on the cover of Marie Claire magazine.
November 2012: Love You, Mean It With Whitney Cummings Premieres
In November 2012, Chelsea Handler, through her company Borderline Amazing, became executive producer for Whitney Cummings's talk show "Love You, Mean It With Whitney Cummings," which premiered on E!
2012: Time Names Handler One of the 100 Most Influential People
Handler was named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time magazine in 2012.
2012: Time 100 Most Influential People
In 2012, Time magazine recognized Chelsea Handler's influence by naming her one of the 100 most influential people in the world on their annual Time 100 list.
February 2013: Love You, Mean It With Whitney Cummings Canceled
In February 2013, "Love You, Mean It With Whitney Cummings," a talk show executive produced by Chelsea Handler, was canceled after four months.
October 3, 2013: Handler and Andre Balazs Break Up
On October 3, 2013, Handler confirmed her breakup with hotelier Andre Balazs on her talk show "Chelsea Lately."
2013: Discovery of Grandfather's WWII Service
Chelsea Handler discovered that her maternal grandfather served in the German army during World War II, a revelation made on the TLC series "Who Do You Think You Are?" in 2013.
August 26, 2014: Final Episode of "Chelsea Lately"
August 26, 2014, marked the airing of the final episode of "Chelsea Lately."
October 2014: Handler Releases Stand-Up Special "Uganda Be Kidding Me: Live" on Netflix
Handler's stand-up show, "Uganda Be Kidding Me: Live," was released on Netflix in October 2014.
2014: End of "Chelsea Lately"
After more than 1,000 episodes, the final episode of "Chelsea Lately" aired on August 26, 2014.
2014: Hello Ross Canceled
Handler produced "Hello Ross," Ross Mathews's talk show on E!, which was canceled in 2014 after two seasons.
June 2015: The Josh Wolf Show Premieres
Chelsea Handler produced "The Josh Wolf Show," which debuted in June 2015 on CMT.
January 2016: Release of Chelsea Does
In January 2016, Chelsea Handler released "Chelsea Does," a documentary series on Netflix.
May 2016: Premiere of "Chelsea" on Netflix
Chelsea Handler's new Netflix original comedy talk show, "Chelsea," premiered in May 2016.
2016: Chelsea Handler Reveals Second Abortion
In a 2016 interview with Playboy magazine, Chelsea Handler revealed that she had a second abortion at age sixteen, further opening up about her past experiences.
2016: Chelsea Handler's Political Activism and Criticism of Donald Trump
During the 2016 US Presidential Election, Handler was an outspoken critic of Donald Trump. She actively supported Hillary Clinton and stated her belief that a Trump presidency would have dire consequences. However, she faced criticism for using homophobic language when referring to some of Trump's political allies.
2016: The Josh Wolf Show Canceled
"The Josh Wolf Show," produced by Chelsea Handler, was canceled in 2016.
October 2017: Chelsea Handler Announces End of "Chelsea"
In October 2017, Chelsea Handler announced the conclusion of her Netflix talk show "Chelsea" after two seasons.
November 2017: Hulu Develops Dramedy "Unspeakable" Based on Meghan Daum's Memoir
In November 2017, Hulu began developing "Unspeakable," a dramedy based on Meghan Daum's 2014 memoir, "The Unspeakable: And Other Subjects Of Discussion," which Handler had optioned in 2014.
2017: End of "Chelsea"
Handler's talk show "Chelsea" on Netflix concluded after its second season in 2017 as she shifted her focus towards activism.
March 2018: Chelsea Handler Signs Multi-Year Deal with NBCUniversal
In March 2018, Handler signed a multi-year first-look deal with NBCUniversal to develop programming for Universal Television and Universal Television Alternate Studio.
August 2018: Start of Work on "Hello, Privilege. It's Me, Chelsea"
Chelsea Handler began working on a documentary for Netflix titled "Hello, Privilege. It's Me, Chelsea," which explored the concept of white privilege, in August 2018.
February 2019: Marvel Television and Hulu Partner for Animated Series, Including "Marvel's Tigra & Dazzler Show"
In February 2019, Marvel Television and Hulu announced a partnership for several new animated series, including "Marvel's Tigra & Dazzler Show," produced by Chelsea Handler, Jeph Loeb, and Erica Rivinoja.
April 2019: Handler Publishes Memoir "Life Will Be the Death of Me"
Handler published her memoir, "Life Will Be the Death of Me," in April 2019.
September 2019: Release of "Hello, Privilege. It's Me, Chelsea"
Handler's documentary examining white privilege, "Hello, Privilege. It's Me, Chelsea," was released on Netflix in September 2019.
September 2019: Universal TV Acquires Rights to Adapt "Life Will Be the Death of Me"
Universal TV acquired the rights to adapt Handler's memoir, "Life Will Be the Death of Me," into a television series in September 2019.
December 2019: Writers Depart "Marvel's Tigra & Dazzler Show"
In December 2019, Erica Rivinoja and the writers for "Marvel's Tigra & Dazzler Show" departed due to creative differences.
January 2020: Marvel Studios Scraps "Marvel's Tigra & Dazzler Show"
Marvel Studios scrapped "Marvel's Tigra & Dazzler Show" in January 2020.
May 2020: Announcement of HBO Max Stand-Up Special
Chelsea Handler announced in May 2020 that she would be producing and starring in a stand-up special for HBO Max, delving into her personal experiences with family, friendships, and therapy.
September 2020: Handler Sells Two Comedies, "Blair" and "Wiped Out"
In September 2020, Handler executive produced and sold two comedies she developed at Universal: "Blair," to HBO Max, and "Wiped Out," to Peacock.
October 23, 2020: Chelsea Handler Confronts 50 Cent Over Trump Endorsement
On October 23, 2020, Chelsea Handler appeared on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" and addressed 50 Cent's endorsement of Donald Trump. She revealed that she contacted him to express her disapproval, highlighting his influence within the Black community. 50 Cent later rescinded his endorsement.
February 2021: Chelsea Handler Celebrates 46th Birthday Skiing in Panties
In February 2021, Chelsea Handler celebrated her 46th birthday in a bold way by skiing in Whistler, British Columbia, wearing only panties. She shared a photo on social media with a message about body positivity and self-acceptance.