Amber Ruffin on Her Topical Late-Night Show, ‘The Amber Ruffin Show’

Emmy-nominated writer and performer, Amber Ruffin made history when she became the first African American female to write for a late-night network talk show yet now she’s on her way to paving her own! Ruffin’s new show titled, The Amber Ruffin Show is a topical late-night show that includes weekly news topics with a fun twist – comedy! We caught up with her to discuss this fun new take of a show, quarantine life, and much more.

What’s it like being the first African American female to write for a late-night network talk show for Late Night with Seth Meyers?

Well, it’s fun! (Laughs). I don’t know, it felt like how comedy always feels. When you do improv and there’s more than one Black person, they take them and put them in different improv groups to spread the wealth. Not until The Amber Ruffin Show did, I ever work in a writer’s room with another Black woman, still to this day. Although, I did write for Black Lady Sketch Show, but I did it remotely.

When did know you writing and comedy would be the path you would take in your life?

I never knew that! (Laughs) I’m still like, I better keep healthy so I can deliver well if this falls through (Laughs). I do think that I thought it was possible after moving to Chicago and began improvising. I was told that I could possibly have a career at this. I thought I’d just get a theater career and have to do something else once I aged out (laughs).

Tell us about The Amber Ruffin Show.

The Amber Ruffin Show is a goof-tacular-wonderific show – it’s the newspaper headlines of today (laughs). We look at the news of the week and we write sketches and monologues, even songs and videos based on more of the news. It’s not just a regular sketch show that is goofy focused, we’re like a variety show that is news focused. My goodness, what a weird little thing we have going on (laughs).

Photo by Virginia Sherwood/Peacock

How has quarantine life been for you?

Quarantine life is not horrible for me. If you don’t really tap into what is going on outside of your door, we’re fine (laughs). But then when you add in the real world, it’s horrible. If you’re talking about sitting on the couch, eating, and learning how to make the perfect Paloma, why yes, I definitely did that (laughs). It’s both. It was both relaxing and a fresh hell (laughs).

What can we expect to see from you in the future?

Oh buddy! Who knows because I certainly didn’t see this coming. I can’t imagine what the future holds if now I’m doing this (laughs). Maybe I’ll be a dog groomer? (laughs). Truly, I don’t know, hopefully a lot more writing and fingers crossed a lot more of The Amber Ruffin Show.