I loved Samantha Bee on 'The Daily Show', and hoped that she would take Stewart's role as the host when he left. So disappointed that it was not meant to be. I am glad she has her own show and I wish her the very best!
5
With the Daily Show no longer on my TIVO...Sam, we need you now!
3
Whenever Ms Bee performs, she always has her face set in one sort of "comic" expression or another, but the audience never sees her normal, relaxed, everyday face. Seeing a comic always making faces gets very off-putting and not a bit funny.
I have seen very little of her, but I can't say I found her that funny. I'll give her a chance when I come across the show, but probably won't . It's all subjective. I find No, you shut up! on Fusion very funny, thought Stewart and Colbert were okay, that Conan was much funnier than either Leno or Letterman, and Chelsea Handler was much funnier than any of them. Then again, I never found Chris Rock or Adam Sandler funny and the world seems to disagree.
1
The issue isn't her sex. It's the simple fact that she just isn't funny.
Andrew Dice Clay more your speed?
Samantha Bee was one of the funnies comics the Daily Show had to offer.
Samantha Bee was one of the funnies comics the Daily Show had to offer.
5
Go Ms Bee! I loved her (And Jason Jones') reports on the Daily Show. I will definitely be rooting for her and will watch her show. While The Daily Show isn't what it used to be, I think The Nightly Show and Last Week Tonight more than make up the void. Here's hoping that Ms Bee is able to add to my roster of comedy shows I HAVE to watch the next day.
Good luck Sam!
Good luck Sam!
6
All you Colbert "fans" make me want to vomit. You were fans of the "character", not him. You were never going to give him a chance to do anything else because of your narrow-minded view of his talent. He is way more funnier, classier and smarter than Samantha Bee. Good luck to her, but if his show goes off the air (which isn't likely), but if it does, I will give up on late night TV completely. To me, there is no late night without Stephen Colbert. He is the only reason I bother staying up late anymore after Letterman left.
Sorry, Colbert without his character is bland.
1
Samantha Bee should have gotten The Daily Show. There is no question. That was a travesty.
7
I really like Samantha Bee and find her funny and fearless. And yes, no doubt that there is a gender imbalance in late-night. But let's be honest about the fact that some of the decisions come down to pure star power. Amy Schumer and Amy Poehler were offered the Daily Show before Trevor Noah, because they were known commodities with more star power than Noah. Likewise, it's not really fair to criticize CBS for choosing Stephen Colbert over Samantha Bee or anyone else for the Late Show, of any gender. Colbert is a rare performer, and one of the most watchable, entertaining personalities I've seen on late night in years. You get your shot at a guy like that, you take it.
1
The article states that she "does not expect anyone to watch simply because she has two X chromosomes" -- yet, as with this article, that seems to be the linchpin of the show's advertising campaign. It was the entire message of her first ad:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-SiMaoS1PI
The unspoken slogan of the campaign seems to be "Be Progressive, watch Samantha Bee!" Unfortunately, the actual material offered thus far is largely dreadful. The obnoxious (and presumably very expensive) two-minute ad before The Force Awakens, for example, is cringe-worthy. Bee was okay on the Daily Show and I certainly hope her new show is great, but given the way the ads push her sex rather than letting her material stand on its own does not bode well. Of course it likely won't be any worse than the Daily Show under Trevor Noah.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-SiMaoS1PI
The unspoken slogan of the campaign seems to be "Be Progressive, watch Samantha Bee!" Unfortunately, the actual material offered thus far is largely dreadful. The obnoxious (and presumably very expensive) two-minute ad before The Force Awakens, for example, is cringe-worthy. Bee was okay on the Daily Show and I certainly hope her new show is great, but given the way the ads push her sex rather than letting her material stand on its own does not bode well. Of course it likely won't be any worse than the Daily Show under Trevor Noah.
1
There is a gap that she might not be able to cross; TBS is not really known for the intellectual programming that she was used go at Comedy Central. The "safeness" and sameness of late nightcomedy on TBS when people might be expecting edgier might swallow the program. Look at Conan, he is not relevant any more. He is doing a broadcast show on a cable network.
Knock yourself out.
But please stop as if this has any significance.
But please stop as if this has any significance.
yay. something else to watch that could be a good way to end the day. good luck, samantha
3
Why should I buy the Sunday NYT? This article (and others) was posted on line during the week. Sunday is the one day of the week that I sit down with my printed paper to ENJOY READING! Really there is not much to look forward to now since you are posting the Sunday Paper articles on line prior to Sunday. Note: I have been a subscriber for over 30 years. Also the Sunday Magazine used to something to look forward to reading, now I just toss it in the recycle bin. And while I am at it, there isn't a proper place to submit this comment! Maybe when you post the Sunday articles, you could put a note at the top telling us not to read them as they will be in the Sunday Paper!
I think I will re-read Female Chauvanist Pigs instead of tuning in to this show.
It honestly seems to me sometimes that in terms of conciousness of, and actual, gender equality, we are going backwards, as summed up by that awful Vanity Fair article. Bravo to TBS for giving a great female comic a chance, bravo to Ms Bee for earning that chance, and for implementing non-discriminatory hiring practices, and the very best of luck to her.
5
Samantha has gotta be better than the "Daily Pee Wee Herman Show" that destroyed Jon Stewart's goodwill.
Trevor Howard would be a better host, and that Trevor has been dead for decades.
Trevor Howard would be a better host, and that Trevor has been dead for decades.
3
Good luck, Ms. Bee! It's about time. I'm rooting for you. I'll DVR every show.
6
I am delighted to hear this! Best of luck to Samatha Bee, and I'll be watching.
9
I realize this is show biz, which is bottom line ratings/economics, plus I'm just an occasional (if ever) "live watcher."
Dick Cavett & David Letterman both started in daytime. Ellen is daytime. Merv was apparently daytime. Mike Douglas was too. Virginia Graham wasn't a comedienne, oops, and I'm leaving plenty out, sorry.
I merely hereby suggest running the humorous personalities at a varieties of times.
Frankly: Perhaps the great thing about television today is HULU premium w/o annoying advertisements.
I won't take any programs being interrupted, especially crammed-in multiple commercials.
Thus, I fit that not invaluable anti-MAD AVE geezer demographic, so never mind, Chevy.
Dick Cavett & David Letterman both started in daytime. Ellen is daytime. Merv was apparently daytime. Mike Douglas was too. Virginia Graham wasn't a comedienne, oops, and I'm leaving plenty out, sorry.
I merely hereby suggest running the humorous personalities at a varieties of times.
Frankly: Perhaps the great thing about television today is HULU premium w/o annoying advertisements.
I won't take any programs being interrupted, especially crammed-in multiple commercials.
Thus, I fit that not invaluable anti-MAD AVE geezer demographic, so never mind, Chevy.
Remind me again -- what's so funny about her?
Thank you Ms Bee, can't wait for your show, you were always one of the funniest correspondents on the The Daily Show. And you do SoulCycle too? Yikes, that's a little intimidating, please do a piece on the early morning exercise crowd.
4
I've seen some of the previews for her show and wonder why women comedians seem to feel the need to resort to potty mouth. Margaret Cho, Sarah Silverman, Chelsea Handler ... can't they just be funny without talking about masturbation or vaginas? Even the title of Samantha Bee's show has to be "provocative."That's not going to make women flock to watch her. Call me old school, but just be funny ... without the continuous crude language.
1
I accept the PC mandate and promise to laugh at Bee's jokes. It's time the comic patriarchy is stomped out by brave women like her for the good of women and girls everywhere.
2
Ms. Bee certainly has talent, but the "breaking into" nonsense is just that. Who cares what the gender might be of someone who makes a far too lucrative living at making pathetic and feeble jokes about nothing of importance and babbling on with self-promoters about nothing other than the self-promoters involved.
"Full frontal"? Please. The worst of male juvenile stupidity. This is supposed to represent something positive for humankind?
"Full frontal"? Please. The worst of male juvenile stupidity. This is supposed to represent something positive for humankind?
Sam Bee not getting the Daily Show gig was not sexist, she was in exactly the wrong place at the wrong time. Seriously, when Stewart was leaving they HAD to start with a fresh outlook, just like Colbert in Letterman's place. They were trying to reboot the show. Trevor Noah was a wise gamble.
Sam had been there for so long it would have been like giving Jeb Bush the Presidency, a reward for the person who had been loyal and punctual. She deserved better than that. Now, they might not have handled it nicely, that is a different story, but for her to leave the Daily Show was necessary.
Jason is hilarious, but his comedy pushes the shock value beyond most people's tastes. It is a tricky game to get it "just right", but he was more often than not way past humor into shock. Sam also seemed to go more crude at this point to her detriment.
But both of them are very clever and very funny, with great comedic timing and no self-consciousness at all. Having more responsibility might make them pull back a little more from the edge and get it just right.
Don't let the suits tell you what to do and find your own voices, then modulate it to get the audience you seek. Colbert is trying too hard to win Republican viewers while Larry Wilmore gets too into black and youth subculture. Very funny Chris Hardwick has the same dilemma. Colbert - dumb it a little less, Mr. Wilmore, ditch the fora, have only one guest - go for depth. U R welcome. Yeah, I'm salutin' you guys back too, one-finger :)
Sam had been there for so long it would have been like giving Jeb Bush the Presidency, a reward for the person who had been loyal and punctual. She deserved better than that. Now, they might not have handled it nicely, that is a different story, but for her to leave the Daily Show was necessary.
Jason is hilarious, but his comedy pushes the shock value beyond most people's tastes. It is a tricky game to get it "just right", but he was more often than not way past humor into shock. Sam also seemed to go more crude at this point to her detriment.
But both of them are very clever and very funny, with great comedic timing and no self-consciousness at all. Having more responsibility might make them pull back a little more from the edge and get it just right.
Don't let the suits tell you what to do and find your own voices, then modulate it to get the audience you seek. Colbert is trying too hard to win Republican viewers while Larry Wilmore gets too into black and youth subculture. Very funny Chris Hardwick has the same dilemma. Colbert - dumb it a little less, Mr. Wilmore, ditch the fora, have only one guest - go for depth. U R welcome. Yeah, I'm salutin' you guys back too, one-finger :)
1
The lack of even considering Samantha Bee to replace Steward had nothing to do with the fact that the Daily Show needed a "reboot"/fresh face. Do you have any doubt that Colbert or Oliver would have been offered Stewart's spot when he retired, had they still been "correspondents" on The Daily Show? I'm not saying Bee should have been considered as a possible successor "merely" because she's a woman, but she was far more than "loyal and punctual".
3
Even though this story repeatedly points out how the show's content is not driven by Bee's gender, the fact that a smart and funny comedian who is a woman heads it is a big deal, so stop playing that down! OMG. And this: "Ms. Miller went a further step by creating an application packet for prospective writers to show them what their submissions should look like — what formatting, margins, abbreviations and lingo to use — so that no one would be penalized for inexperience." That's a powerful method to be inclusive. Bravo to Bee & Co.! Looking forward to being a viewer. I'm already giggling. Guffaws to follow. I'm already a fan!
6
How about not aiming for the acceptance of white male viewers? We need to stop making everything, including tv shows, all about them. If they don't like it/her, who cares?
5
My wife and I have always loved the segments Samantha Bee did on the Daily Show. They were edgy and addressed serious issues with wit and humor.
We were also surprised that she wasn't a serious contender for host when Stewart left.
That said, we're looking forward to Full Frontal.
Its about time!
We were also surprised that she wasn't a serious contender for host when Stewart left.
That said, we're looking forward to Full Frontal.
Its about time!
9
About time. All late-night talk shows these days are white guys in suits behind a wooden desk. Go away, corporate culture.
7
Samantha Bee is not funny. She's uncomfortable in front of the camera. She tries too hard.
We know this from The Daily Show.
But The Daily Show had the genius of Jon Stewart and his writers, and still Ms. Bee was uncomfortable, and un-funny.
Putting Ms. Bee on the air just because she's a "she" doesn't mean it will work.
Just because I don't like something doesn't make me an "-ist". The "-ist-ing" of anyone who has a minority opinion is on reason we settle for so much junk in the arts.
And had Amy Schumer made the mistake of taking Jon Stewart's offer of The Daily Show, we wouldn't be having this conversation in the first place.
We know this from The Daily Show.
But The Daily Show had the genius of Jon Stewart and his writers, and still Ms. Bee was uncomfortable, and un-funny.
Putting Ms. Bee on the air just because she's a "she" doesn't mean it will work.
Just because I don't like something doesn't make me an "-ist". The "-ist-ing" of anyone who has a minority opinion is on reason we settle for so much junk in the arts.
And had Amy Schumer made the mistake of taking Jon Stewart's offer of The Daily Show, we wouldn't be having this conversation in the first place.
3
Humor is in the eye of the beholder. Samantha Bee's talent lies in the ability to make people see the ridiculousness in everyday situations. I think her show will be a hit.
7
So if I don't like this show (or don't watch), I'm a sexist, right?
And in a few months, when the Ghostbusters remake is released, if I don't go to see that, I'm sexist, right?
And in a few months, when the Ghostbusters remake is released, if I don't go to see that, I'm sexist, right?
2
No, those things wouldn't make you a sexist. Obviously.
Asking these questions in this terribly snarky way, however, certainly makes it seem that you are.
Asking these questions in this terribly snarky way, however, certainly makes it seem that you are.
44
Better female comedians have tried and failed.
$10 dollars says it wont make it past a year.
$10 dollars says it wont make it past a year.
2
Samantha Bee could just sit there and read the phone book and still be funnier than those other guys. She will be a breath of fresh air in a stale tv genre.
33
Chelsea Handler did it best
2
I am rooting for Sam Bee to pull this off. Her funniest segments on The Daily Show were her oldest ones, before her husband came onto the show. Jason tends toward more crude overkill and I think influenced her too much in her later pieces. But back when Sam interviewed the Antigay Crusader, at one point asking straight faced if there was a Mrs. Antigay Crusader, she was absolutely brilliant, spontaneous, fearless, hilarious and he never really caught on, he even hit on her. Also loved her piece on the predominance of newscast "NILFs" on network news, and the piece on NASCAR being sponsored by Garnier Fructose shampoo. These were stand-out flawless pieces of comedy writing and performance that I have not forgotten and I hope she can match in her new show. All the best to her!!!
22
I loved Stephen Colbert's Comedy Central show but his new show is very uneven, at best. He clearly struggles to connect as himself, particularly with some of the skits with actors like Scarlette Johanssen or Jennifer Lawrence. Those were just painful to watch. Trevor Noah is doing his best but he probably needs time to grow into that role. Larry Wilmore is making a good effort and is a better interviewer than Colbert, surprisingly. If Samantha Bee can do a half hour of what she used to do on the Daily Show, she should attract a good sized audience. Gender be damned; if she's good, people will watch.
13
CBS will do itself a favor by replacing Colbert, the sooner the better. I watched and enjoyed his Colbert Report for its entire run. But as you say, he just might not be suited for this new role. It would great to have a newer, younger face (I'm in my 60s, age wise). Trevor Noah is a breath of fresh air. I know that the writers help him, but his delivery is fantastic. I enjoy Larry Willmore, except for the panel.
Wow, Women are "other?" We're more than 50% of the population, and statistically, we watch more TV too. Can't wait for this show. And my husband will be watching too.
18
Love this article, and will definitely watch her. I liked her on the Daily Show. Trevor Noah is boring. And yes -- I will watch her in part because she is a woman doing late night -- not just to support the team but because the all-boys club is a big yawn. Melissa McCarthy, Amy Schumer, Amy Poehler, Tina Fey --all hilarious. I don't know why Hollywood is so scared of taking a chance on women, half the population is female and the other half might love the new, fresh comedic perspective. Go Samantha Bee!! And I love your husband, too -- he is awesome.
18
Every time I dial around late-night TV, I'm reminded that network brass obviously feels they'll go to Great Britain or South Africa before they'll deign to consider a woman.
Samantha Bee is hilarious. It's about time she got her shot. I'll watch her over the unfunny Trevor Noah any day of the week.
Samantha Bee is hilarious. It's about time she got her shot. I'll watch her over the unfunny Trevor Noah any day of the week.
24
Er, Ms. Bee is a born and bred Canadian.
1
Ms Bee ... I can't wait for your show.
29
Brava! You go girl - I'll be in the audience!
17
I hope she's better than her trailers.
3
I always loved Samantha Bee's segments on the Daily Show. Looking forward to her new show and wish her lots of luck.
28
Samantha-- You're going to have a great show and I can hardly wait to watch.
How do I know? How cool is it to make the job application process blind and to let new people in on the mechanics of the process so they can let their talents shine? Brilliant! Go for it!
How do I know? How cool is it to make the job application process blind and to let new people in on the mechanics of the process so they can let their talents shine? Brilliant! Go for it!
46
Love her and can't wait to see her show. I am enjoying Trevor Noah but would have preferred they give the job to Samantha and Jason.
23
I have not enjoyed any of the new late night hosts even though I liked watching them in previous shows. I get the impression that they're enjoying watching themselves enough for both of us. I'm looking forward to seeing something from a different point of view. Good Luck Ms Bee.
26
I'll watch, not because it's the girls' turn to host a late-night show, but because I like Samantha Bee. She is funny and talented she'll probably have a good show. Lucky for her, her show has to be only a little better than Jimmy Kimmel Live to be the best show in late night. I think she can do it.
18
Very excited about this show. Samantha Bee is going to crush it.
But I am not surprised about Samantha Bee NOT being offered The Daily Show. Saddened, but not surprised. During his farewell episode, Jon Stewart managed to thank everyone...except The Daily Show creators Lizz Winstead and Madeleine Smithberg. Madeleine Smithberg: the woman who hired Steve Carell AND Stephen Colbert.
But I am not surprised about Samantha Bee NOT being offered The Daily Show. Saddened, but not surprised. During his farewell episode, Jon Stewart managed to thank everyone...except The Daily Show creators Lizz Winstead and Madeleine Smithberg. Madeleine Smithberg: the woman who hired Steve Carell AND Stephen Colbert.
66
Comedy Central was nuts not to give the Daily Show to Bee and her husband. I watched Trevor Noah once and have not looked at it any more. It's awful.
31
Don't go crazy. Bee is good, but Jones is mediocre at best. His departure was the best thing about the revamp of the Daily Show.
3
I really really like Trevor Noah, and liking him does not mean I don't like Samantha Bee. Too much of that going around - it is possible to like two comedians - or ten - or none. Ms. Bee is so talented and outrageous! Wonderful that she is going to have her own show and I surely plan to watch. Love Jason as well. Bonne Chance....
6
No, it's really not. It's quite good actually!
1
I am so glad that Ms. Bee and Mr. Jones are going to continue on. I was dismayed when they left The Daily Show. They were two of its funniest, most daring correspondents. Samantha Bee is fearless, and I cannot wait for her new show! UBeeU, Ms. Bee!
34
When are "all" of you going to grow up and stop using "LIKE" where it isn't correct or needed (including Ms. Bee).
5
Like, we're not.
17
The Daily Show with Jon was a classic comedy/news show that will never be surpassed. When the watchers of Jon were more correct on current events than those who watched the Fair And Balanced News Fox, that is saying something about quality versus propaganda.
8
Ms. Bee was my favorite TDS correspondent. I am looking forward to seeing more of her.
14
"They spent a late December day fine-tuning a satirical segment on how Veterans Affairs hospitals are oblivious to the needs of female patients."
Yeah. I'll stay up late for that.
Yeah. I'll stay up late for that.
8
Might be funny but not true. As a VA patient, here in NY, about half the doctors are female as is almost all the staff. But, not many ex female soldiers since they were not part of the military for so many years.
1
I joined the Navy in 1972, and was decidedly not welcome at the VA hospital I went to in the 1990's.
6
Bee would have been the perfect, familiar, and also groundbreaking Daily Show transition, but the old boys media club really mucked it up.
47
I find Samantha Bee to be occasionally funny, but in my experience, her fans are more excited by the fact that she is an overt liberal than her actual comedic skills.
The truth is the the vast majority of the fans of Stewart, Colbert, Bee, Oliver and Wilmore would not find those comedians funny at all if they were partisan conservatives instead of partisan liberal.
There used to be a maxim at SNL to go for laughs, not applause. The Daily Shown, SNL and Bill Maher are all looking for applause for their partisan jabs, not laughs from their comedy. Lame.
The truth is the the vast majority of the fans of Stewart, Colbert, Bee, Oliver and Wilmore would not find those comedians funny at all if they were partisan conservatives instead of partisan liberal.
There used to be a maxim at SNL to go for laughs, not applause. The Daily Shown, SNL and Bill Maher are all looking for applause for their partisan jabs, not laughs from their comedy. Lame.
3
Just trying to think of a comedian (I mean someone who is intentionally trying to be funny as opposed to those madcaps on the Fox morning show) who is an overt conservative. Drawing a blank.
8
Because conservatives are humor impaired, Mike?
The Daily Show was a classic that will never be surpassed. Sorry, you can't find any right wingers to do this.
The Daily Show was a classic that will never be surpassed. Sorry, you can't find any right wingers to do this.
11
Conservatives have no sense of humor. We get it.
3
I cannot wait for this show. The Daily Show is just dreadful now. I am not a big fan of the Nightly Show (still DVR-ing but not watching so much). Come on Samantha Bee!
32
The problem with the Daily Show now is not the writing, and it's not even that the host is bad. It's that he is the the wrong man at a critical time. Unlike Stewart, he has no dog in this 2016 election hunt. He can't vote and he can't honestly drum up or express the very real anger that Stewart and Larry Wilmore can about the idiocy and fatuity and intellectual dishonesty and ignorance of today's Republican Party. He is on the outside looking in.
37
While I can't get behind the Daily Show anymore, I really do enjoy Larry Wilmore. Cannot believe how lame Colbert's show is after being a faithful watcher for so many years of his old show. I am eager to see this new show.
11
I think it takes time. I did not like Larry Wilmore at first. He has progressively improved and is much better today. Same for Trevor Noah. I hope. The couple times I saw him on the Daily Show I thought he would be a great replacement. I agree however that he has no dog in the 2016 presidential fiasco and that is what this year is all about.
2
Like everyone else on Comedy Central and as she demonstrated regularly on the Daily Show and has continued to evince in the promos for her new show, Ms. Bee's "humor" is of the Howard Stern school. It is vulgar and meant to shock and primarily revolves around body parts and bodily fluids.
Ms. Bee isn't funny. She's gross. And, that's exactly what she wants to be. As a result, I will continue to tune her out, just as I turned off the Daily Show any time she had a segment. She just isn't funny.
I'm sure the Times has lionized the show Broad City, which is likewise a gross example of lowbrow, vulgar, disgusting non-humor. This is what "comedy" has come to these days.
Ms. Bee seems to think gross is a substitute for talent of cleverness. She's wrong. And, as a result, the show will likely fail. Then, the Times and everybody will blame sexism. And, they'll be wrong when they do.
Gross humor is funny occasionally. Unfortunately, it seems to be Ms. Bee's stock in trade. Because of this, it doesn't matter if she's a man or a woman or something in between. Her "humor" isn't sustainable.
And, that's precisely what's going to kill this show.
Ms. Bee isn't funny. She's gross. And, that's exactly what she wants to be. As a result, I will continue to tune her out, just as I turned off the Daily Show any time she had a segment. She just isn't funny.
I'm sure the Times has lionized the show Broad City, which is likewise a gross example of lowbrow, vulgar, disgusting non-humor. This is what "comedy" has come to these days.
Ms. Bee seems to think gross is a substitute for talent of cleverness. She's wrong. And, as a result, the show will likely fail. Then, the Times and everybody will blame sexism. And, they'll be wrong when they do.
Gross humor is funny occasionally. Unfortunately, it seems to be Ms. Bee's stock in trade. Because of this, it doesn't matter if she's a man or a woman or something in between. Her "humor" isn't sustainable.
And, that's precisely what's going to kill this show.
7
I'm not sure you've ever seen the Daily Show...
20
Very happy to hear this. I finally got a TV recently and so can actually watch the occasional thing on my cheap-o cable contract and do watch Colbert - but MAN, there are very few women there at all. It's kind of shocking. The band is 90 or 100% men and most of the guests are men except for the occasional movie star. He needs to do better. Maybe Sam will move him in that direction. Congrats to her.
12
Already an American institution, thanks Canada, Ms Bee will be a wonderful addition to the late night boy's club. Now I have to run to the living room to see if there's a TBS app on my Apple TV......you go girl!
6
Whenever Samantha Bee or her husband appeared on The Daily Show, my wife and I both groaned, and I hit the fast forward.
Before She could even finish her nodding and mouthing routine in the lead up to her actual bit, we'd moved on to whatever was next in the show.
Before She could even finish her nodding and mouthing routine in the lead up to her actual bit, we'd moved on to whatever was next in the show.
8
I mostly agree. Bee could be funny, but it was hit or miss. She was never as funny as predecessors such as Beth Littleford. Jason Jones being funny was a rare event on TDS.
2
Whenever Samantha Bee had a piece on TDS, I knew it was going to be hilarious. I can't wait for her new show to start.
15
Born in Canada? HA -- She CAN'T be president!
Wait ... what ???
Well, she's a woman, so STILL can't be president!
Huh? ok, nevermind, I'll vote for her.
Wait ... what ???
Well, she's a woman, so STILL can't be president!
Huh? ok, nevermind, I'll vote for her.
3
Loved Samantha Bee on the Daily Show and cannot understand why she was not a front-runner to replace Jon Stewart. Looking forward to seeing her in any new endeavors.
By the way, Bee was a member of CBC Radio's Canada reads panel for 2014. She blew my mind! (She is w-a-y more than "just" a comedian.) The whole panel was humane, articulate, passionate and yes even kind (mostly!). Great stuff:
http://www.cbc.ca/books/canadareads/canada-reads-2014-watch-the-debates....
By the way, Bee was a member of CBC Radio's Canada reads panel for 2014. She blew my mind! (She is w-a-y more than "just" a comedian.) The whole panel was humane, articulate, passionate and yes even kind (mostly!). Great stuff:
http://www.cbc.ca/books/canadareads/canada-reads-2014-watch-the-debates....
16
IMO, just as there's a difference between leading actors and character actors, there's a difference between show hosts and comedians who do bits in character. Stewart was great, but he couldn't play a character. Bee is great, but she's too "out there" to be a host. Colbert could play one character as the host, but he probably couldn't play a different character. And I think that on his CBS show, it frequently looks like he's trying too hard, especially during the show opening and monologue. I think one of the reasons why they're saying that Bee is not going to sit behind a desk in the new show is that there's a recognition of what she's best suited for, which is not the traditional host. There's nothing wrong with that - how many do we need?
As far as I'm concerned, I couldn't care less as to the gender, race or age of the host. I only care if they (and the writers) are intelligent and funny and whether they come across as credible.
Stewart was brilliant at making the show his own and making it seem like the writing came out of his own mind. Trevor Noah is good, but it still sounds like he's reading someone else's writing and he's not a great interviewer.
Most of today's comics are edgy enough that we're not supposed to like them. But when you're on every night, they have to make us like them. If Bee "plays" someone we don't like, she won't succeed in the long run.
As far as I'm concerned, I couldn't care less as to the gender, race or age of the host. I only care if they (and the writers) are intelligent and funny and whether they come across as credible.
Stewart was brilliant at making the show his own and making it seem like the writing came out of his own mind. Trevor Noah is good, but it still sounds like he's reading someone else's writing and he's not a great interviewer.
Most of today's comics are edgy enough that we're not supposed to like them. But when you're on every night, they have to make us like them. If Bee "plays" someone we don't like, she won't succeed in the long run.
2
The eleventh link in this reporting on Samantha Bee, gives us The Daily Show's mashup of memorable moments from Samantha Bee, and the third link shows us Samantha Bee as herself, at least making a couple of comments, on how the magic gets made.
But a huge thank you to you, CM, for your link to the greatest title match, CBC's battle of the books, and to Samantha Bee beyond the comedian. Bee is passionate and not playing for laughs, at the 17:10 , and 34 minute marks of day one and on following days. Being Samantha Bee, she is still arguing for positive change, against complacency, and fearless in the face of knowing that her choices will not sit easily with everyone.
I hope that Samantha Bee finds her audience. I know I will be watching and rooting for her.
But a huge thank you to you, CM, for your link to the greatest title match, CBC's battle of the books, and to Samantha Bee beyond the comedian. Bee is passionate and not playing for laughs, at the 17:10 , and 34 minute marks of day one and on following days. Being Samantha Bee, she is still arguing for positive change, against complacency, and fearless in the face of knowing that her choices will not sit easily with everyone.
I hope that Samantha Bee finds her audience. I know I will be watching and rooting for her.
2
Good luck to her. She is smart and funny.
55
I never found Ms. Bee, unlike her husband, to be funny when they were both on the Daily Show. When she came on, I would often fast forward through her segment.
I do not care what gender, skin color, religion or sexual orientation the person is, I just want them to be good at what they do. In the case of Ms. Bee, as a comedian, I do not find her funny.
I do not care what gender, skin color, religion or sexual orientation the person is, I just want them to be good at what they do. In the case of Ms. Bee, as a comedian, I do not find her funny.
10
Where as I found the reverse to be true of that team. Bee was not generally HUGE funny (like Oliver, or Colbert, or Mandvi) but she was often funny. Jones was funny I think only once or twice in all the years he was on the show.
1
I know that the ambivalence of young women who worked as interns to go into the business of comedy isn't always true. My daughter was an intern on the Colbert Report, and that experience inspired her to become an Improv performer who also does comedy writing and directing.
7
Yes, we need more women hosts and writers on late night! But why the not-so-subtle innuendo of names like "Full Frontal" and "Inside Amy Schumer"? With females hosting coarsely named shows, it's just two steps forward and two cutesy, winky steps back.
102
Add to that "Broad City."
6
This isn't really apropos, but... I saw Amy Schumer in a comedy club in NYC a few years ago and she was absolutely brilliant--the best standup I had seen in years. But the one time I tuned in to her show-- it was not funny at all, and disgusting. Not worthy of her considerable talent.
Jason jones was way funnier on TDS. Hope he's in the new show often. Sam will be great , though. She sounds like she's got something to prove, and that usually makes for great creativity
12
Go Samantha! I can't believe she wasn't even considered for The Daily Show and that there are so few other women and people of color in late night. With all the changes that have happened in that time slot in the past year or so, ("not a lot of turnover"? Really? where you sleeping during 2015?), it's a crime there's not more diversity. Samantha Bee's gonna kill 'em!
28
Cool write-up, and I'm looking forward to this show. I've always liked Ms. Bee, she's intelligently hilarious, and I've even had the good fortune to run into her twice on the streets of NYC. In my usual manner I just started talking to her as if I knew her (some stars are a little taken aback by this but most seem inured to it), and she was very friendly and down-to-earth.
I wish her great success with this project. And as for what white males want to see, I'm a white male. I'm a big fan of Broad City, Inside Amy Schumer, and plenty of other random shows. I'm not only interested in seeing other white males discuss stuff, I want to see smart, funny, entertaining stuff, and that can come from any source. I think plenty of other white male viewers would like to see Full Frontal too (see what I did there? Hehe).
I wish her great success with this project. And as for what white males want to see, I'm a white male. I'm a big fan of Broad City, Inside Amy Schumer, and plenty of other random shows. I'm not only interested in seeing other white males discuss stuff, I want to see smart, funny, entertaining stuff, and that can come from any source. I think plenty of other white male viewers would like to see Full Frontal too (see what I did there? Hehe).
15
He he, so not!
1
Funny. I don't know how many if any of you will agree with me when I say that the comedy skits on the Daily Show were generally cringe worthy. Every actor/comedian exhibited the same bombastic overly exaggerated slap stick characterization. I wondered at why this was? After seeing Jessica Renee Williams in a recent movie role and at first not recognizing her because of just how good she was, as opposed to how packaged she appeared to be on the Daily Show, really substantiated the way I had come to view those skits. Samantha Bee was, in my opinion totally ham strung by the flavor of those skits. It's kind of like the way so many of the male leads and some female leads in Woody Allen movies take on Woody's persona. I could never figure it out as to why these great actors would limit their range so drastically and to what effect?
23
The didn't do "skits" on The Daily Show and I don't recall any slapstick at all, and I saw almost every single show with Jon Stewart. Perhaps you meant "satire?"
19
Was this some other "Daily Show" you were watching?
6
Maybe you don't know what a skit is? Satire is funny. So no it's not satire for me.
1
Love Samantha Bee! I don't think I have ever watched TBS in my life; I will be checking for her show now that the NYT has told me when and where I can find it. Can't believe The Economist hasn't covered it yet; just one more reason to seek out diverse sources of info.
16
This definitely inspired me to hit record on my DVR and see what she comes up with. I'd love to see her succeed.
15
Love Ms. Bee. Her field reports on The Daily Show were priceless.
54
Good for her. I will definitely check it out.
I was a Stewart and Colbert fan for years, but I must admit, I lost a lot of respect for them both after they simply popped a beer, scratched their privates and kept the boy's club in tact. I've not watched The Daily Show since then. It made Stewart's earnest and seemingly honest commentary on the problems of the country seem hypocritical. He went from someone I actually trusted to being just another PT Barnum. Kind of sad.
So white guys won't tune in if the host is a woman? I have to wonder how you would possibly know that, given the history of genre.
I was a Stewart and Colbert fan for years, but I must admit, I lost a lot of respect for them both after they simply popped a beer, scratched their privates and kept the boy's club in tact. I've not watched The Daily Show since then. It made Stewart's earnest and seemingly honest commentary on the problems of the country seem hypocritical. He went from someone I actually trusted to being just another PT Barnum. Kind of sad.
So white guys won't tune in if the host is a woman? I have to wonder how you would possibly know that, given the history of genre.
13
You do realize Jon Stewart's brother ran the New York Stock Exchange, right?
1
The Daily Show was supremely foolish not to offer Samantha Bee the job as host. She is exponentially funnier and more relatable than Trevor Noah. It is difficult to believe that sexism did not play into that decision. I wish her the best of luck with her new show and look forward to watching. As for the Daily Show, sigh, no longer worth my time....
105
I have to agree. I gave it a shot but Mr. Noah is a little too chrome-plated in his delivery for me, not relatable. The segments before the interview aren't groundbreaking, the interviews are not hard-hitting. If it had been Ms. Bee instead, I'd be watching it as dedicatedly as I did years ago.
47
Totally agreed.
6
As it in Colbert time frame, I never watch it. But stumbled across daytime rerun the other day: so painful, beyond not funny bad.
3
Break a leg! Break one of mine if you prefer.
16
I really loved Samantha Bee on the Daily Show.
She deserves to be up there with the biggest names in comedy.
She deserves to be up there with the biggest names in comedy.
35
"And how should Ms. Bee deal with the fact that when “Full Frontal” has its premiere, it will be the only late-night satire program currently hosted by a woman, and one of very few in the decades-long history of the genre to feature a female star?"
There is nothing to "deal with."
There is nothing to "deal with."
41
Best of luck, Ms. Bee!
27
I can't wait!
9
For my part, I just hope Bee will avoid the apparently popular assumption that equality, for women, means trying to out-crude the boys. I'm certainly no prude, but the bathroom humor that is so pervasive these days - it's why I don't think Sarah Silverman or Amy Schumer are any fun to watch - is nothing more than lowest-common-denominator doggerel. I have been a years-long fan of both Stewart and Colbert in large part because they managed to be so hysterically funny and spot-on relevant in spite of keeping the bathroom humor to an absolute minimum. Intellect, not bodily function jokes, makes for great satire.
115
I so agree! Stewart, Colbert, and the other late show hosts are at their best when their humor is clever and intelligent. Base humor just pales so much when it's inserted into this context.
27
Just like there are lots of different types of male comedians, so there are different types of female comedians. Louie CK is not the same kind of comedian as Richard Pryor. Women should have the same variety of funny as men do. I think Sarah Silverman is very funny and smart. I've never found her to be crude or coarse. Amy Schumer and Broad City can be crude and coarse sometimes - and that's funny too.
19
And how should Ms. Bee deal with the fact that when “Full Frontal” has its premiere, it will be the only late-night satire program currently hosted by a woman, and one of very few in the decades-long history of the genre to feature a female star?
She and we will celebrate and what's to be dealt with in the first place? How does this writer deal with the fact that late night TV has been 90% mind numbingly inane forever?
She and we will celebrate and what's to be dealt with in the first place? How does this writer deal with the fact that late night TV has been 90% mind numbingly inane forever?
11
My problem is that I just do not find Samantha very funny. In fact, I often find her so overblown as to be a bit irritating. I am sorry that is the case. I want to like her work. I respect all that she has accomplished. My guess is that her show will be cancelled after two seasons. I hope I am wrong and I wish her well, but my opinion of her work is shared by just about everyone with whom I have discussed the topic.
11
You could discuss your opinion with the many other readers who commented on this article. Perhaps one could offer a diagnosis and solution - or, you could just realize different strokes for different folks. I loved her on the Daily Show, and look forward to watching her host this one. But no worries if you aren't tuned in - its not a test.
6
Samantha relied too heavily on the "Jerky Boy" "Ali G" style of making the guest look stupid.
The problem I have with Sam's show is that my dance card is pretty full with Colbert. I enjoy this show at a different level than I enjoyed his last show.
I haven't really given Trevor Noah the full attention The Daily Show deserves And poor Larry Willmore... Another guy who was big in small doses but.... And Larry, baby, it's Comedy Central. I can dig that you want a newsier vibe, but... It still has to be comedy, and your show isn't quite that.
2 TB and STILL real estate on my DVR is at a premium. DO I have the space for (and the time to use) Full Frontal? I guess it's better possibly than Big Bang reruns when there's nothing else on... so maybe.
On a personal note: Been there! Nice little town; Perpignan.
The problem I have with Sam's show is that my dance card is pretty full with Colbert. I enjoy this show at a different level than I enjoyed his last show.
I haven't really given Trevor Noah the full attention The Daily Show deserves And poor Larry Willmore... Another guy who was big in small doses but.... And Larry, baby, it's Comedy Central. I can dig that you want a newsier vibe, but... It still has to be comedy, and your show isn't quite that.
2 TB and STILL real estate on my DVR is at a premium. DO I have the space for (and the time to use) Full Frontal? I guess it's better possibly than Big Bang reruns when there's nothing else on... so maybe.
On a personal note: Been there! Nice little town; Perpignan.
Holy Cow! It never occurred to me that people have different preferences. What a profound insight. Now, let's see whether I am right about how long her show lasts.
Why doesn't the article tell us what time the show will be on? Looking forward to it. Bee is terrific.
48
I was wondering the same thing, none of the promos for the show I've seen say what time it will be on.
4
In any case, I went from watching the Daily Show daily to only watching Trevor Noah twice before saying, "Meh, why bother?" I think Sam has had some clever and original ideas. Not everything works, but she keeps taking risks and some of them have been boldly original and fun to watch. Looking forward to more.