‘Full Frontal with Samantha Bee’ Premieres Tonight on TBS
Move over Beyoncé there’s a new bee in town and she’s packing quite a sting. We’re talking about Samantha Bee, the former Daily Show correspondent who this week assumes the role of new queen satirist of late night TV. Her program, Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, premieres tonight at 10:30/9:30c on TBS.
Akin to weekly news magazine shows like 60 minutes or 20/20, Full Frontal boasts a wicked sense of humor and is taped before a live studio audience. Other late night hosts like to sit behind desks, but Bee is opting to do something different. She’ll be found strolling around her boldly colored yet sparsely adorned set dishing out witticisms on current events and introducing short field pieces filmed and edited for the show. For a sample of what’s on tap, check out how she handled the Iowa GOP debate below.
Besides format, Bee’s other differentiators are her “woman-ness” and her Canadian upbringing. Both inform her humor and give her a different perspective on things. She’s eager to tackle female-centric issues such as a women’s right to choose and sexism, and when it’s called for, she has no qualms about calling a boner, a boner. Being from Canada also gives her a little bit of distance from the American way. It’s certainly been a plus for her former Daily Show colleague John Oliver, who is kicking ass and taking numbers on his HBO show, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver.
Bee also has a great team supporting her. In addition to her husband Jason Jones, who was also a correspondent on the Daily Show, her other producers are Jo Miller and Miles Kahn, both of which she stole from the Daily Show, and Tony Hernandez, whose credits include Inside Amy Schumer, Broad City and Younger. The show also cast a wide net during its hiring process, and Bee has bragged about how diverse her writing staff is. Also refreshing, is Bee’s commitment to developing new talent, both on and off screen. She has also stated that she has plans to start a mentorship program.
As we mentioned above, Full Frontal is recorded in front a live audience in New York City. If you want to be part of the fun, you can sign up for tickets here. Be sure to tune in tonight, February 8 (and every Monday following) at 10:30/9:30c on TBS.