HOMMEHEART Hommage: The Dish

(Image: Lifetime)

Hosted by Tracee Ellis Ross, Styled by the ’90s

Long before she became a red carpet icon or television royalty (black-ish hive, rise), Tracee Ellis Ross was giving fashion, face, and full camp as the host of The Dish—a short-lived but unforgettable TV moment that aired in 1997 on Lifetime. Think MTV House of Style but with the comedic timing of your favorite cool aunt, serving gossip, girl talk, and glam in equal measure.

The Dish only lasted one season, but its impact was served hot. Tracee, fresh-faced and full of sparkle, sat at the center of the show’s glossy chaos, interviewing rising stars (hello, Wild Orchid era Fergie), delivering celebrity fashion commentary, and strutting through segments in chokers, lip liner, and the denim skirts of our dreams. It was messy, fizzy, fashion television—at a time when that meant something.

Why does it matter now? Because this is what fashion TV once was: funny, femme, fearless, and hosted by someone who got it. Long before she was a style icon, Tracee gave us a glimpse into the kind of career that doesn’t just happen—it’s inherited, built, and lived out loud on cable.

Intern #7’s Note:
I binge-watched this on a grainy VHS tape and almost cut my own bangs out of inspiration. Consider this my formal petition to bring back shows where women wore glitter and ran the room.