Tracee Ellis Ross has opened up about an uncomfortable chapter from her Girlfriends years, recalling how the hit sitcom was largely overlooked by the mainstream entertainment industry. In doing so, the actress specifically called out former late-night host Jay Leno and questioned why she was never considered for an appearance on The Tonight Show.
Ross discussed the experience while appearing on What Now? with Trevor Noah where she reflected on the racial biases she encountered in television and the feeling of being overlooked despite starring in a successful primetime sitcom. The episode, released on August 13, 2026, explored her career, Girlfriends, Black-ish and the broader pressures women face in the entertainment industry.
Why Did Tracee Ellis Ross Call Out Jay Leno?
Ross recalled that during Girlfriends’ eight-year run from 2000 to 2008, she and her co-stars were seemingly left out of some of the biggest late-night platforms. “No Tonight Show, no David Letterman, no Emmys. Had never been to the Emmys,” Ross recalled.
She then shared one particular memory involving Jay Leno. According to Ross, when the possibility of her appearing on The Tonight Show came up, the response was: “We love Tracee. Call us when she gets something.”
For Ross, that response was difficult to understand. At the time, she was already the lead of Girlfriends, playing Joan Clayton, a successful lawyer navigating friendships, relationships and her career. “I was like, I remember thinking, ‘Get what? What else do you have to get?’” Ross recalled.
The actress said the experience left her questioning what exactly she needed to achieve before she would be considered worthy of that kind of mainstream recognition.
Why Did Tracee Ellis Ross Question If Racism Played A Role?
Ross also remembered seeing actors from other television shows appear on Leno’s program and said one example particularly confused her. She brought up Tony Shalhoub and Monk, recalling that the show had significantly lower viewership than Girlfriends at the time. “I remember seeing him on the show, and I was so confused,” Ross said.
“And the only thing you can boil it down to, you’re like, ‘Is it just racism?’ I’m not sure how to—how do you categorize it? I don’t know what it is,” she continued.
Ross did not present racism as a definitive explanation for why she was not invited. Instead, her recollection highlighted the uncertainty she felt about why a successful show led by Black women received so little mainstream recognition.
Was Girlfriends Successful?
Girlfriends premiered on UPN in 2000 and later moved to The CW. The series followed four Black women living in Los Angeles as they navigated friendships, careers, romance and family.
Ross played Joan Clayton alongside Golden Brooks, Persia White and Jill Marie Jones. The sitcom ran for eight seasons before ending in 2008, with its final season affected by the 2007-08 writers’ strike.
The show became an important part of television representation, particularly for its portrayal of the lives and relationships of Black women. Yet Ross recalled that its success did not translate into the kind of mainstream awards and late-night recognition she expected.
What Happened To Tracee Ellis Ross After Girlfriends?
Ross eventually found the mainstream recognition she felt had been missing during her Girlfriends years. She went on to star as Rainbow Johnson in Black-ish, earning five consecutive Primetime Emmy nominations for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series. Her career also expanded into entrepreneurship with Pattern Beauty and Broadway, among other projects.
