Chelsea Handler 's new sitcom 'Are You There Chelsea' aired for the first time last night, to mixed reviews. The comedy series is based on Handler's bestselling book 'Are You There, Vodka? It's me, Chelsea?' Although Handler does act in the show, she does not play herself (the character around whom the series is centered). Instead, Laura Prepon (known for appearing on That '70s Show) plays the role of the comedienne, whilst Handler herself plays the role of her sister, Sloane.
A review in the Los Angeles Times, though, suggests that the sitcom is at its best when Handler herself is on-screen, though that will, apparently only happen in seven of the thirteen episodes. In the review, the LA Times critic Robert Lloyd opens with the statement that "whenever Chelsea Handler is on screen in the new NBC comedy 'Are You There Chelsea?'. we see the hint of the better sitcom it wants to become." Elsewhere, New York Daily News gave the show 2 stars out of 5, with their reviewer David Hinckley arguing "the problem isn't the performers. The problem is the jokes." He is also quick to praise Handler's performance, noting, "Handler plays her fictionalized sister, Sloane, with equally good comic timing."
Chelsea is best known for hosting Chelsea Lately on the E! channel. She has also authored four bestselling books, including Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang and My Horizontal Life: A Collection of One-Night Stands.