“Took a life of its own”—Jennifer Hudson talks about her viral ‘Spirit Tunnels’ 

Jennifer Hudson has minted herself as one of the most talented artists of her generation. This has been cemented by her EGOT status, as she joined a very select group of entertainers who have won all four of the major performing arts awards in the United States (Emmys, Grammys, Oscars, and Tonys for reference).

In the latest iteration of her professional career, the 43-year-old Hudson has pivoted to the role of talk show host, with The Jennifer Hudson Show now in the midst of its third season. Not only is it a platform anchored by positivity and the celebration of its guests, but over time it has become a place where celebrities feel welcomed and appreciated.

At the core of this environment centered on love are the viral ‘Spirit Tunnels’ that began as a way of hyping Hudson up before the shows would begin. According to an interview with People Magazine, Hudson stated,

“They used to do it for me as I would come out, and I'm like, ‘Y'all, we need to be showing this to the world. Show it!’ And it took a life of its own.”

Jennifer Hudson Show’s Spirit Tunnels examined

When speaking on the viral entrances that have become a social media highlight, Hudson elaborated,

“It is from the heart. It's good energy. And all we want to do is celebrate everybody when you come to the show.”

The Dreamgirls standout continued,

“If you want to dance in the spiritual dance, if, you know, it's your moment. You know what I mean? So I wanted to create a safe space for everybody to be able to come to and we've been blessed to be able to all do it together.”

Amongst the spirit tunnel moments with the most cachet, the one that clearly stands out came about when actor Aaron Pierre made an appearance on the show to promote Mufasa, the live-action prequel to 2019’s The Lion King. As he exited his dressing room and walked down the tunnel towards the set, the animated staffers serenaded him with 4 words that would soon become iconic: “Aaron Pierre, that’s Mufasa.” The short clip of Pierre has now amassed more than 6.2 million likes on TikTok alone.

After the smashing success of his entrance, Brenda Song, Gwen Stefani, Benny Blanco, Usher, and others have enjoyed the good pre-interview vibes, which have even earned the show its first Webby Award in the category of Social Video.

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Hudson, for her part, maintains that the goal isn’t awards, however, as she is more focused on creating a familial atmosphere for her guests, who she hopes can showcase their unique energies and quirks while navigating the tunnel.

Also of note, The Jennifer Hudson Show has hit a major milestone, having recently completed its 500th episode. The show was quite a celebration marked by several surprises, and deservedly so, as the wholesome nature of her content is what's currently needed most. Thankfully, to that end, Fox Television Stations has renewed The Jennifer Hudson Show for a fourth season.

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