Niecy Nash begins her second season hosting Fox’s musical competition series “Don’t Forget the Lyrics,” in which contestants try to lip-sync songs with missing lyrics for a chance to win cash.
“What I’m looking forward to the most is just watching the journey of the contestants,” Nash, 53, told The Post about the new season, which premieres May 23 (9 p.m.).
“It’s a very fun season. I just love being able to connect with competitors. I’m biting my nails; I’m waving my hands. You want them to do well.
“We just came out of a pandemic, so you want people to be able to win money just for doing what they do all the time — you sing in the shower. I am definitely their biggest cheerleader.
Nash, currently starring as Simone Clarke on ABC’s “The Rookie: Feds,” has worked in comedies (“Reno 911!” “Claws”) and dramas (“When They See Us,” “Selma”). A wide range of He has also snagged several Emmys (for the HBO comedy “Getting O” and for hosting the Style Network show “Clean House”).
“I love the work,” he said. “So, I don’t have a favorite [genre]. With comedy, you make people laugh; With drama, you make people feel.”
For “Don’t Forget the Lyrics”, she said that if she were a contestant, she would do well if the music category focused on the ’90s and early 2000s.
“That was when we had great groups – Destiny’s Child, TLC, Backstreet Boys, NSYNC. That was my era. Besides, don’t ask me! “
Nash also has a personal connection to “Don’t Forget the Lyrics,” as his wife, musician Jessica Bates, 40, whom he married in 2020, is also on the show.
“I am back with my better half [Jessica]. My spouse is a member of mine [house] band,” he said. “So, every day is like ‘bring your spouse to work day.’ We love it. I could do this every day. When you’re with the right person, it doesn’t even feel like work.
“We never tire of each other.”
Nash was also recently in Netflix’s controversial hit, “Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story,” which could earn him another Emmy (this year’s nominations will be announced on July 12).
“You always hope your work is well received,” he said of his possible Emmy chances.
“The main thing for me with ‘Dahmer’ was to have my peers see me as I see myself, which is a multi-hyphenate when it comes to tone and style. A lot of people know me to be funny. . I wanted to reintroduce myself to my colleagues and say, ‘You can trust me with the heavy lifting.’ That was the hope.”
Meanwhile, ABC has yet to make a decision on a second season for “The Rookie: Feds,” and Nash said she doesn’t know about its renewal prospects.
But, if it gets a second season, “Simone’s love life is always a lot of fun to unravel,” he said.
“I would like to see her have more challenges when it comes to her children, because this is real life. And I’d like to see him get in on the action a bit more. “
