It’s the end for Jada Pinkett Smith’s Facebook show, ‘Red Table Talk.’ Meta announced the cancellation of all Facebook Watch original programming including Smith’s discussion based venture. The decision was made as the company plans to focus its entertainment sector and creating VR experiences. Other canceled shows include, “Cardi Tries” and “Piece of Mind with Taraji with Taraji P. Henson.”
“Red Table Talk,” launched in 2018. Smith was joined at the table by her mother Adrienne Banfield-Norris, and her daughter Willow Smith, both acting as co-hosts. The show focused on having open conversations with women of different generations. Subjects ranged from politics to abuse and everything in between. Guests included figures like Tiffany Haddish, Will Smith, Snoop Dogg, Ashanti, and more. In 2018, the Westbrook-produced show won a Daytime Emmy for outstanding informative talk show. It even garnered its own spin-off, “Red Table Talk: The Estefans.”
The program created a new lane for the talk show space. Although many conversations on the show were controversial, the team had them unapologetically and, many believed, with tact. The show’s production house is currently shopping the show to other companies. In remembrance of its run on Facebook, here are some of the most memorable moments in Red Table Talk history.
Red Table Talk Moments
A Different World Again
The show’s most recent episode, aired in December 2022. It was a reunion of the cast from “A Different World,” of which Pinkett-Smith was a member. The episode was to celebrate the 35-year anniversary of the show. Jasmine Guy, Kadeem Hardison, Darryl M. Bell and Debbie Allen all joined to relive the moments on set and discuss the impact the show had on the culture then and now.
Painful Confessions
In September of 2022, iCarly star, Jennette McCurdy joined the Red Table Talk crew to discuss her book “I’m Glad My Mom Died.” The episode sparked many discussions online. McCurdy detailed her mother’s abuse, including her mother disowning her over email. The actress shared how their traumatic relationship affected her self confidence growing up. The group discussed the negative impacts parents can have on their children growing up and into adulthood.
Alopecia Advocate
Following the infamous 2022 Oscar’s altercation with Smith’s husband, Will and Chris Rock, Jada took some months away from the show to refocus. She returned to the show with an episode about alopecia. She sat down with a panel of people who also suffer from alopecia to discuss their day-to-day lives, struggles and more.
Entangled At The Table
One of the most memorable episodes of Red Table Talk is when Will Smith sat down with Jada following the news of her “entanglement” with singer August Alsina. The two had an open and honest conversation about their marriage, what the new journey meant for them and how they would continue to grow their marriage as friends first.