Oprah, during her heyday, had the most identifiable sofa seen on syndicated television. That famous yellow love seat that sat celebrities and controversial politicians was more than just a place to rest while the queen of daytime television talked to them. It was a manifesto that helped move away from the bias that there was only one way to command an audience.
The Oprah effect was an eye-opening experience that paved the way for the modern talk show host to be an empowered woman full of opinion and determination. While 2022 has witnessed the likes of celebrities such as Drew Barrymore and the just announced Jennifer Hudson hold the channels on broadcast TV, there is much to say about one female host embracing the coveted digital domain.
Entering the pantheon among these is an alternative trailblazer – Courtney Perna. The Daytime Digital Diva has incredible chemistry full of fun, wild child vibes that perfectly permit this groundbreaking genre to be beautifully different. The fresh frontier of streaming has her crowned queen, and she proudly sits on that throne.
The host and producer breaks the rules as an innovator because she can. Leading the way in her style is something she has done since her early days of starting in entertainment as a Las Vegas showgirl in Le Folies Bergere. From that stage, she kicked down the doors. She broke the glass ceiling of broadcast news to have a storied career that included being an EMMY Award winner for Best TV Host in 2018, red carpet interviewer for E! Entertainment, and lifestyle correspondent at KHOU in Houston. But it wasn’t enough for Perna to just follow the same career path as others. She wanted her life to be something that mattered to the audience, searching for deeper meaning.
“I realized I could go out on my own and do it my way. I could take all my skills and bring much more to the equation. I add that authenticity. I also add that ‘hey girl!’ kind of vibe.”
Known to have “vivacious energy and fearless appetite to try anything,” a gravitational pull led her to the next level with her current streaming program on KP Media TV (available on Roku, Apple TV and Amazon Fire). Brunch with Courtney Perna is an uplifting success story: a part talk show, part much-needed therapy, and stress relief. The show is pure inspiration for a generation of women who have transitioned from the old-school cable box to online. They communally turn to Perna for her enthralling content that is fierce and full of confidence. She authentically speaks to real women about fundamental topics, from finding your inner glow to understanding sexual desires when you reach “a certain age.”
“It’s this collective shift that I feel is happening among women. In the last few years, when I think a lot of women started their businesses or decided not to just sit through the pandemic,” she says about starting up her Las Vegas-based production. “I thought, how can I help? How can I make my voice heard? It’s been inspiring.”
Going on, she reflects on how she knew from the start that her digital program would be an open space that would attract like-minded women to a safe place full of brilliantly candid conversations meant to be a support system. “We don’t have to be competitors. We can root for each other.”
Season one of Brunch with Courtney Perna was a solid hit. A captivated audience brought such positive ratings that Perna’s team has already begun shooting season two in Las Vegas and other parts of the country, and they’re set to drop the new episodes in the fall. Viewers continue to stream the first-round episodes on repeat and ask for more content daily. The entire experience motivated Perna to launch her new female-positive network, Dame Good. Like OWN, but with a focus on digital, the host’s determined personality will anchor the eclectic mix of content.
The charismatic Perna has an incredible skill in engaging the audience’s dutiful attention in a digital domain because, at the end of the day, her most significant asset is that she is an outspoken advocate for women and their allies.
Thank goodness the Daytime Digital Diva is happily dishing out the female journey in healthy doses that we need more than ever. It’s not just brunching with Perna. It’s a radical movement to be applauded.
To watch season one of Brunch with Courtney Perna on demand, go to watch.kpmedia.tv or download the KP Media app on Roku, Apple TV or Amazon Fire. To learn more about the show, become a sponsor, or share your story as a guest, go to www.BrunchWithCourtneyPerna.com
Photos by: Rowan Daly
Glam by: Joel Sebastian
Style by: Derek Warburton
