The Celebrity of Chelsea Handler Shines on Santa Barbara  

When I told friends and family I’d had the chance to chat with Chelsea Handler, everyone was thrilled. Everyone, it seems, knows Chelsea Handler. And it’d be hard not to — the comedian and host who has been on the stage for nearly 25 years is everywhere. The author of seven New York Times best-selling books is filming her next special while touring (her High and Mighty Tour visits Santa Barbara September 18), plus, she’s expanded her podcast into the Dear Chelsea Network.

The world knows Chelsea Handler. And she’s using that “celebrity” — however you define that term — for more than just fancy cars, international travel, and homes around the world. Well, to be fair, she’s definitely used her fame and success to get some of those things, too — after all, we spoke over the phone while she was relaxing at her home in Mallorca, Spain — but she also uses that fame for good. “I am very interested in spreading joy,” she said. 

It’s what gave Samantha Bearman, the Santa Barbara comedian and owner of Bear Cave Productions, the confidence to start a campaign to join Handler on stage when she returns to the Arlington Theatre this year. After posting around 10 videos on TikTok pitching herself, which Bearman self-depreciatingly admits “generated nothing other than me continuing to make them,” she shared one on Instagram, and Handler reached out directly. She immediately was given a spot on the stage. 

“She’s always been such a strong force in the comedy industry,” Bearman said. “She’s used her position as a wealthy, white woman in entertainment to move the dial as much as she can. She holds every man in comedy, and other women too, accountable for what they say and do. And she makes no apologies for her life.”  

[Click to expand] Video by Sam Bear urging Chelsea Handler to put her on stage | Credit: Sam Bear

More than that, the friend (don’t try to call her a saint, unless she says we’re “changing the definition”) is extremely loyal to her people and her fans. It’s not lost on Handler how lucky she is. So she’s using her platform to spread joy however she can, whether it’s offering up singles looking for love on Instagram, bringing along family (however dysfunctional) to exotic destinations, or sharing the stage with ambitious, local comedians. 

“I quite enjoy the life that I have. I feel a real sense of responsibility to provide a good time,” she said, echoing something similar she said to Leslie Dinaberg in 2024, the last time she was in Santa Barbara.

“I think with the backdrop of everything we’re experiencing in this world right now, and all of the unknowns, every person should figure out what they’re doing to double down on positivity, kindness and goodness,” says Handler. 

Handler knows all too well that a little drop of kindness can go a long way. It’s a huge reason she started Dear Chelsea, a podcast with iHeartPodcasts. The advice podcast pairs real-life questions with celebrity guests. Handler regularly tries to solve everything, from solving wedding drama to date-night suggestions for new parents along with a celebrity guest weekly. Using a mix of Dear Abby wisdom (Handler admits that her father required front-to-back newspaper reading as a child, and the old woman’s advice column was her favorite) along with a stint in therapy where she was determined to get it done so she could “get on to the next phase of my life.” 

With the success of her own real-life Dear Abby–style advice column, Handler is expanding her network into additional outlets for others. You’re the Problem with Yamaneika Saunders, under Dear Chelsea Network, debuted in July. “She’s actually the problem,” Handler laughs when speaking about her friend, “but I was so sick of listening to her on tour that I was like, ‘We need to get you your own podcast.’ She’s crazy, funny, and just unhinged.” Saunders will be opening for Handler when she returns to Santa Barbara in September.  

Where will she end up next? Who knows. She tends to go with her gut, just like it seems she’s always been doing. Her instincts seem to lead her the right way.

Chelsea Handler: The High and Mighty Tour is happening on Friday, September 18, 8 p.m., at the Arlington Theatre (1317 State St.). Seebit.ly/3SmUfAU.