“The Jennifer Hudson Show” received the Variety Changemaker Award, presented by Waymo, at Variety’s L.A. Power of Women event on Wednesday in Beverly Hills. The award was presented by Waymo’s chief marketing officer Suzanne Philion, honoring the show’s cultural impact.
In her introduction, Philion shared that the EGOT winner’s talk show is an example of what is possible when people “lead with empathy, authenticity and heart.”
“In a world that can often feel chaotic and overwhelming, ‘The Jennifer Hudson Show’ offers that exact same sense of sanctuary,” she said. “Every day, Jennifer and her extraordinary team turn daytime television into a space where people from all walks of life feel seen, feel safe and feel genuinely celebrated.”
Hudson accepted the award alongside the team behind her show, saying that the award is “such an amazing representation of 150 producers that are standing right here. I always tell them, ‘I could not live this life without you.’”
The singer and actress invited Michelle Salemi, the show’s co-executive producer, to the microphone to accept the award as Hudson joined the team behind her.
“At ‘The Jennifer Hudson Show,’ we strive every day to make content that’s creative, joyful and meaningful,” Salemi said. “It makes you laugh. It makes you think. It makes you feel. In a world where our industry landscape is changing every day, we are steadfast in the pursuit of meeting people where they are.”
Striving to tell stories that inspire audiences, the show has donated more than $3 million and has reached more than 11 billion views online throughout its five seasons, Salemi shared to applause.
“Those numbers are incredible, but what they really tell us is that we’re connecting. And standing up here with me tonight is an incredible group of women who represent the 150 people who come together every day to make this show,” Salemi said. “Isn’t that what our industry is about? It’s about collaboration.”
Salemi then thanked Hudson for working alongside the team in creating a show that makes a difference.
“From the beginning, Jennifer wanted this place to be where people could come together, be themselves and feel seen. And that’s really the heart of the show,” she said. “Jennifer, thank you for being that north star to us and standing alongside us every day.”
“The Jennifer Hudson Show” premiered in September 2022 and has continued to resonate with audiences. Its pre-show ritual, the Spirit Tunnel, went viral on social media and has since amassed more than 6 billion views across social media platforms. In the show’s 2025-2026 season, its followers on social media rose 90.7% to 17.5 million, impressions increased 242.8% to 7.5 billion and engagement jumped 164.1% to 537 million. The series ranks No. 1 among daytime talk shows on TikTok and Threads.
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