[Mz K]

*BET's Monday premiere of "The Mo'Nique Show" drew 1.5 million viewers, making it the top-rated program of the season for the network, Variety reported. Tuesday's broadcast was seen by 1.9 million, according to Nielsen.

Airing at 11 p.m. weeknights, the hour-long talk show improved on its lead-in substantially. Director Tyler Perry's "Diary of a Mad Black Woman" saw an audience of 758,000 on Monday, and the first installment of "Mo'Nique" nearly doubled that viewership.

Guests for the inaugural episode were Steve Harvey, R&B artists Monica and Jeremih and Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin. The show tapes in the Georgia capital.

Meanwhile, Mo'Nique will be a player in this season's Oscar race for her performance in "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire." She's receiving strong reviews, and at Sundance, she drew the special jury prize while the film took the audience award.

[♥Monte]

dats wassup....i like her show....even tho she loud like wah mi like it...its hilarious