Ziwe brings Sykes and Piker to Toronto and praises YouTube

Ziwe Fumudoh took two unreleased interviews to the Toronto International Film Festival on Sept. 10, previewing the next run of her podcast “You’d Be an Iconic Guest,” according to Variety.

One episode features comedian Wanda Sykes. The other features streamer and commentator Hasan Piker.

The screening was followed by a post-screening conversation with Fumudoh hosted by Variety in partnership with YouTube. The talk centred on how she makes and releases interviews now.

Fumudoh called YouTube “this sort of great equalizer.” She described it as “one-to-one,” where a creator makes a video and then it is online. She added that she believes digital creators are the new Hollywood.

That direct route matters to her history. Her Showtime variety show “Ziwe” launched in May 2021, ran for two seasons and was cancelled after a change in network leadership. She moved the show to YouTube in 2023.

Only one interview ever went badly wrong, she said. It ended after three questions when the guest ended the conversation. She did not name the guest.

Her recent episode with stylist Law Roach produced a moment that spread widely online, when the pair touched each other’s hair. Fumudoh named sports broadcasters Stephen A. Smith and Charles Barkley, along with actor Jennifer Lawrence, as dream guests she has yet to book.

Fumudoh also made her feature film debut in “One Night Only.” She presents “Ziwe: You’d Be an Iconic Guest” as her interview series on her official YouTube channel, according to YouTube.

A trailer titled “ZIWE TRAILER - Wanda Sykes is an Iconic Guest” is live on that channel. A post on the channel announced the full Sykes episode would premiere on Sunday, Sept. 13 at 8 p.m. Eastern.

What makes this stand out is the simplicity of the set-up. No network slot. No long wait. A conversation filmed, uploaded and found by its audience.