Lisa Ling has no qualms about being the only female host of her own original series on CNN.
"I think I have bigger balls than most guys," she said proudly at a lunch with reporters on Tuesday. "And I will eat anything that Anthony Bourdain eats."
Bourdain, of course, is host of the network's top-rated series "Parts Unknown." But Ling now hopes to have a top-rated show of her own when she premieres "This is Life" on Sunday night.
"This is Life" will take viewers on a different journey each week, with the stated hope of uncovering some lesser-known subculture or hidden way of life. Ling said that the show will cover a "diverse array" of topics, which is putting it mildly. The premiere episode will take a look at the rising "sugar baby" lifestyle-- young women involved in long-term relationships with older men for financial support. Other topics include the growing number of young men pursuing priesthood, baby geniuses and the gay rodeo scene.
"I promise you, every episode will propel you to think and to think about things differently," Ling said.
She expressed surprise at the amount of raw personal detail people wound up disclosing to her.
"I don't know why these people have been so willing to share their stories with me," she admitted. "Sometimes I'm sitting across from them thinking 'I can't believe you're telling me this... your families are going to see this.'"
Before "This is Life," Ling hosted the OWN documentary series "Our America," which took a similar tack as "This Is Life." Ling said that her new show will be "edgier" and "much more in your face."
"This Is Life" will premiere Sunday, September 28 at 10 PM EST.
Watch the video to see the trailer.