Wanda Sykes Gets the Stand-Up Special Netflix Finally Paid For

With Netflix's aggressive efforts to put out stand-up comedy specials, you wouldn't think it would take so long to get one of the preeminent voices in stand-up onto their platform. So why didn't Wanda Sykes land at the streaming giant earlier? One word: money.

You may recall the whole dust-up a while back between Netflix and Mo'Nique after the Oscar winning actress and comedian went public with her frustration over what she saw as Netflix low-balling her when trying to negotiate payment for a proposed stand-up special. Sykes tweeted in support of Mo'Nique, saying that Netflix had offered her less than half of the $500,000 they offered Mo'Nique. This prompted a whole lot of discussion about Netflix and their commitment to black female comedians. In response, Netflix ultimately signed Tiffany Haddish and Sykes — to which Sykes later clarified that she ended up signing with Netflix because "they moved that comma." 

SPECIAL PRESENTATION: We're finally getting a Wanda Sykes Netflix stand-up special, titled Wanda Sykes: Not Normal. One of the most talented and gifted stand-ups in the business, Sykes's previous HBO specials, Sick & Tired and I'ma Be Me, are modern-day classics. Streaming on Netflix

SEASON FINALE: The second part of the two-night finale of The Voice airs tonight, with judges Adam Levine, Kelly Clarkson, John Legend, and Blake Shelton on hand to celebrate the eventual winner. Also promised are returning fan-favorite performances as well as special appearances by recording artists. 8:00 PM ET on NBC

SEASON FINALE: The fifth season finale of Black-ish comes on the heels of last week's news that spin-off prequel Mixed-ish has been ordered for next season. As for Dre (Anthony Anderson) and modern-day  Bow (Tracee Ellis Ross), they spend tonight's season finale trying to talk Junior (Marcus Scribner) out of taking a job with Migos and instead going back to school. Sounds like a tough sell. 9:00 PM ET on ABC

SEASON PREMIERE: Just in time for Summer, CBS is premiering a new dramatic series that appears to have something to offer everyone. Blood and Treasure is a little bit spy show, a little bit adventure serial, a little bit about art thieves. Food, fun, and fashion, this show has it all. PLUS, as all great CBS summer dramas must, it stars Matt Barr, formerly of the great, bonkers Harper's Island. 9:00 PM ET on The CBS

ALSO TONIGHT

• NCIS closes out its 16th season finale tonight, with Gibbs (Mark Harmon) still haunted by his vigilante past in an episode titled "Daughters." 8:00 PM ET on CBS
• The Kids Are Alright, the ABC series about a 1970s Irish-Catholic family ends its first (and only) season. 8:30 PM ET on ABC
• Bless This Mess also concludes its first season, but fans of the Lake Bell-Dax Shepard comedy needn't mourn -- it will return for a second season this fall. 9:30 PM ET on ABC

Joe Reid is the senior writer at Primetimer and co-host of the This Had Oscar Buzz podcast. His work has appeared in Decider, NPR, HuffPost, The Atlantic, Slate, Polygon, Vanity Fair, Vulture, The A.V. Club and more.