Overview
- Ross told Trevor Noah that during Girlfriends she and her co‑stars were largely excluded from major promotional platforms, saying they never got bookings on The Tonight Show, David Letterman, or invitations to the Emmys.
- She quoted a Jay Leno team member as saying, “We love Tracee. Call us when she gets something,” and said seeing lower‑rated shows like Monk booked on late night left her asking, “Is it just racism?”
- Girlfriends ran for eight seasons (about 172–173 episodes) from 2000 to 2008 and earned extensive NAACP Image Awards recognition but only one Emmy nod, which Ross and commentators say limited the show’s crossover visibility.
- Ross credited later success on Black‑ish, including multiple Emmy nominations and a Golden Globe, with changing how the industry treated and compensated her as a Black actress.
- News outlets reporting her podcast comments have sought a response from Jay Leno’s representatives and have not received a substantive public reply, prompting renewed reporting and debate about past late‑night booking practices and industry gatekeeping.