The Amber Ruffin Show shines in its network TV debut

The newest episode of The Amber Ruffin Show appeared on network television much to the delight of her fans. Last week, host Amber Ruffin announced that her show was given a test run in the 1:30 A.M. programming slot on NBC, temporarily replacing the slot’s current holder, A Little Late with Lilly Singh. In her network TV debut, Ruffin delivered another excellent episode of her late night show.

This change is very exciting for the show but don’t expect any changes from Ruffin herself as she does anything but deter from her usual silliness. Ruffin opens the episode acknowledging both viewers who are watching the show on Peacock but also those who might be watching for the first time on television. She goes on to tell her audience enthusiastically, “This is a late night show! We don’t have guests but we have sketches, songs, jokes, and margaritas. You’re gonna like it! Or else.”

Ruffin’s usual sidekick Tarik Davis is unfortunately absent once again from the taping but she is joined by his temporary replacement, Late Night with Seth Meyers writer and performer, Jeff Wright. Wright also appeared in the position for last week’s episode.

The show went right into the slew of monologue jokes to help Ruffin recap the events of the week. She made light of news such as the last Kmart store in Boston closing, New York City reopening theater venues, and Jeep being asked to retire the name of its vehicle, the Jeep Cherokee, by the principal chief of the Cherokee Nation.

Ruffin also promoted her book, You’ll Never Believe What Happened To Lacey: Crazy Stories about Racism which is available to purchase now.

With an Amber Ruffin-branded foam finger and flag in hand, the show also had its very first audience member, “Randy”, who interrupts as Wright is about to tell his own monologue jokes to viewers. Randy ends up being mysteriously but obviously comically stabbed twice resulting in Ruffin wanting to investigate but ends up blaming long-time late-night show cue-card writer, Wally even though the Wright committed the “stabbings”.

Since we’re nearing the end of Black History Month, this gave Ruffin the perfect opportunity to pay homage to an influential figure in black history. In a pre-taped fake movie trailer, Ruffin portrays Harriet Tubman in “Harriet’s Dream.” In Ruffin’s portrayal, Tubman’s dream is not freeing slaves through the Underground Railroad but to be on a $20 bill, poking fun at the proposed change as President Biden’s Treasury Department is in the process of adding Harriet Tubman to the front of the $20 bill to replace Andrew Jackson. Recently introduced Amber Ruffin Show super fan “Randy” and Wright appear as supporting characters:

Later, Ruffin sings a humorous ballad to share how she feels about how long she’s suffered after living a year into the coronavirus outbreak. Some of the song’s lyrics include “I washed my hands all day and night. Look, my skin’s freakin’ cracked and dry” and “You’re the reason that every last thing I do has to happen over the phone.”

The Amber Ruffin Show comes out in support of the transgender community

Amber Ruffin took the time to address a more heavy topic after highlighting news that a Utah school district suspended a literacy program due to a 3rd-grade teacher including a book about a transgender boy. Ruffin, who is against the decision, claims that she feels patient enough to speak to someone who might not know how to speak to their children about transgender people in a segment called “Look At It This Way”. In the segment, Ruffin appears in front of her desk trying to coax a “person” into being more accepting and passive-aggressively tries to reason with this seemingly hesitant “person”. You can watch the skit below:

At the end of the episode, legendary singer and musician El Debarge appears, saying that he fell in love with Ruffin’s sister Lacey after reading their co-written book. He “proposes” to her asking if she’d be Ms. Lacey Lamar DeBarge before expressing that he doesn’t actually like the sound of the name and instead signs off. Afterward, Ruffin laughs with Wright who asks if Lacey knew that DeBarge was going to appear, to which Ruffin giggles and explains how large of a crush Lacey had on the musician.

What did you think of last night’s episode? Share your thoughts in the comment section below. You can watch The Amber Ruffin Show for free when episodes premiere on NBC’s Peacock website and app Fridays at 9:00 P.M. EST as well as next week on NBC at 1:30 A.M. EST.