TCA Press Tour: 'Lopez Tonight' to debut in November on TBS

When "Lopez Tonight" premieres in November, don't expect host George Lopez to sit behind a desk or to read from cue cards. He wants to mingle with his guests on plastic-wrapped furniture. (He was joking about the plastic. We think.)

His Monday-through-Thursday TBS late-night show is going to be a party that won't always begin with his stand-up. Some nights a musical guest will open the show. Other nights, maybe a conversation with an actor will kick it off. What Lopez says he wants more than anything is a spontaneous party atmosphere that thrives on the energy of his guests and audience.

"There have been a lot of supermarkets but until Costco came around and started selling the big mayonnaise, it took it to another level," he said. "This show is gonna be bigger and badder."

Lopez said he is honored to be the first Latino to land a late-night hosting perch, and is hoping that fans of his 2002-2007 ABC sitcom, "The George Lopez Show" (now in syndication), will only be one part of his new audience.

"As the country changes and people become more familiar with comedy and comedians....it's not that old America anymore. It's not your father's America anymore. I only feel added pressure because apparently in some parts of the country, I'll be up against novelas and I can't win that battle."

"The goal is to do a show so great that people who are out there with black boxes will actually want to turn themselves in and get cable," he added.

Addressing a question about the increased competition in the field, with Jay Leno launching a new nightly comedy show on NBC on Sept. 14, Lopez said he welcomes being in the race for viewers. His show will air at 11 p.m.

"It's a beautiful position to be in," he added. "There's competition in every business you're in. I don't want to slam anybody except Erik Estrada."

He's also not worried that he will get caught in the booking wars and be left with no noteworthy guests.

"I don't think anybody's going after Menudo," he joked.

Lopez, who said his career was transformed when he appeared on "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson" in 1991, said he will give new comics a chance on his show and plans to re-institute Carson's famous thumbs up and wave to those he invites to the couch.

He's fully aware that not everything will go smoothly.

"If I can remember that I'm inherently funny, there are going to be some moments that are going to be a little tough," Lopez said. "You know you're going to hit a couple of stumbling blocks and how you react the first time is telling. 'What do I do now?' So the first time I ask a question and it doesn't go over very well and I go, 'OK, now what?' Now I'm gonna wish I had cards."

--Maria Elena Fernandez

--Credit: Getty Images

Comments

[BoberMcdoo]

yuck. we wont watch Lopez. Send him back to whereever he came from

[Albert Jimenez]

Proof that not all that is or derives from " illegals" is malignant to the US. Please welcome the positives and not generalize the negatives.

[Rob]

Sweet.
Lopez is a funny guy - I look forward to giving his show a shot.

[jamal]

I hope he gets his eyebrows shaped again for the show. It looks good on him. I'm sure a lot people will watch the show.

[ib22]

i love george lopez! can't wait for his new show!

for all you other fans, be sure to check out this great new video of george backing the bid for the 2016 olympics in chicago!

www.aChicagoThing.com

[BIG MAUSEY ESO]

LETS GO!!!!! IVE BIN WAITIN FO SUIM LIKE THIS!!! PUTTING ALL THA MEXICANZZ ON THA MAPP BOIII!!!!!! CNT KEEP UZ DOWN CUZ WE AZTECA WORRIORS!!! SO FO YA MEXICAN HATERS.... KEEP ON HATEN WE LOVE TO SEE THA FACE ON YA WHEN A MEXICAN STRAIT FROM THA HOOD MAKEN HUNDREDS OF THOUSENDS IN JUST ONE NYT!! DO YO THANG GORGE!!!! GORGE LOPEZ IZ ONE FUNNY A- S S COMIC... THE FUNNYS IN THA BIZZ!!! IF U DNT THINK SO, HIT ONE OF HIS SHOWS, YOULL LEAVE WITH YOUR EYES CRYN FROM THA LAPHTER. I ALSO LOVED THA SHOW..... ND NO DOUBT IMA B WATCHN THA PREMIER OF THA SHOW IN NOVEMBER!! DO YO THANG GORGE!!!!!!!!