Mekeisha Madden Toby

Wanda Sykes is ready for late-night drinks, talk

Wanda Sykes is a funny, busy woman.

These days, she's juggling a role on CBS' "The New Adventures of Old Christine" and a brand new hosting gig on "The Wanda Sykes Show." The latter debuts Saturday on Fox.

"I didn't realize how much energy I had," Sykes said in a recent interview in West Hollywood, Calif., where she promoted her late-night talk show. "I'm serious. I've been lazy. I didn't realize how much I could've been doing back then."

Similar to HBO's "Real Time with Bill Maher," Sykes' series will allow her to chat up a panel of intriguing and timely guests on various subjects. Unlike Maher's show, Sykes will have an open bar so that guests can drink and speak freely.

"Liquid courage goes a long way," Sykes, 45, said. "I want to get Condoleeza (Rice) on the show, get her drunk and let her rip."

Earlier this year, Fox canceled "Madtv," after 14 mostly funny seasons, and the rarely viewed "Talk Show with Spike Feresten" to make room for "The Wanda Sykes Show," which will replace both series on Saturday nights.

Writing and shaping a show that will air for one hour, one night a week is right up her alley, said Sykes, who cut her comedy writing chops as an Emmy-winning scribe on "The Chris Rock Show" for three seasons until it ended in 1999. Sykes, who came out as a lesbian and told the world about her wife a year ago, brought her standup career and personal life full circle with a brilliantly written and performed HBO special called "Wanda Sykes: I'ma Be Me," which aired last month.

"The special took me three years to put together," Sykes said. Jokes touched on everything from marriage and motherhood to President Barack Obama. Sykes and her wife are now the proud parents of twins.

"Now that I'm doing the show, I won't be out on the road doing standup. I get to spend more time with my wife and kids. Producing a show night after night is just stressful."

mmadden@detnews.com (313) 222-2501 Read Mekeisha Madden Toby's blog at detnews.com/tvblog.