TORONTO 鈥� Samantha Bee is taking a pause from the world of politics.
During her seven-season run as host of the TBS late-night talk show, 鈥淔ull Frontal with Samantha Bee," and 12 years as a correspondent on 鈥淭he Daily Show,鈥� Bee covered a wide spectrum of political and social events with a layer of satire on the side.
While the topics were inexhaustible 鈥� from U.S. presidential elections to the 2021 attacks on Asian communities 鈥� the show, as it turns out, was not.
On July 23, the Emmy Award-winning program aired its last episode before being cancelled as a part of a new programming strategy at TBS.
Bee says that she knew the writing was on the wall for 鈥渜uite a long time鈥� before 鈥淔ull Frontal鈥� officially ended. While the timing was a shock to her, she says she was ready for it to conclude.
鈥淚鈥檝e been doing political comedy for 20 solid years without stopping, so I think I might need more of a break than I originally thought I did,鈥� says Bee, who stood out as one of the few women among the man-in-a-suit model of late-night hosts. 聽聽
鈥淚鈥檓 just trying to figure out 鈥� what are the elements from this 20-year journey I can鈥檛 live without doing, and one of those things is interviewing people. I love it so much and it鈥檚 very fulfilling to me.鈥� 聽聽聽
Though the Toronto native is currently finding different outlets such as the new educational and silly Canadian Audible Original podcast series "Wildlife Confidential," which launched last week, Bee says she expects it won't be long before she returns to her comedic roots.
"It's strange to not be publicly commenting on the state of the world right now. But I actually think this is a pretty temporary break," Bee says.
"I will definitely carry forward commenting on the current political system," she continues. "I don鈥檛 really know what form it will take though."
Bee stars in 鈥淲ildlife Confidential鈥� as avian talk show host Cameron the Crow, who interviews fellow animals, played by a cast of humans, about wild stories ripped from the headlines.
It's a welcome change of pace for Bee after a long on-air career of finding the humour in the news about the dog-eat-dog world of politics.
"I can鈥檛 believe I鈥檓 saying this to the actual press, but it鈥檚 true. I bought peanuts once I decided to take on the role of a crow,鈥� says Bee.
"I heard crows really love peanuts, so I was like 鈥榓ll right folks, we鈥檙e going to get to know each other.'"
For Bee, the exercise was as much about getting into character as it was about finding a way to get along with the clever yet petty birds occupying her property.
"We have a house outside of New York City with crows in our yard and they鈥檙e incredible,鈥� says Bee. 鈥淚t鈥檚 just happenstance that I鈥檓 playing one now because I鈥檝e been staring at them and attempting to lure them for a while. They halfway like me, but I also think they aren鈥檛 sure yet.鈥�
Over the course of 10 episodes, listeners get to hear interviews with an array of curious critters. The lineup features a number of recognizable voices, including "Schitt's Creek" actor Jennifer Robertson and Colin Mochrie of 鈥淲hose Line is it Anyway?" playing Bonnie and Clyde, the capybara couple who captivated Toronto with their 2016 escape from High Park Zoo.
"Run the Burbs" star Andrew Phung, who co-hosts the series as rodent reporter Gordo the Groundhog, says he was drawn to the project that would appeal to his children.
For Phung, a seven-time Canadian Screen Awards winner, a first-time vocal project like 鈥淲ildlife Confidential鈥� is a welcome new experience.
The Calgary-born comedian first secured major prominence as the charming Kimchee Han on 鈥淜im鈥檚 Convenience,鈥� prior to his lead role in 鈥淩un the Burbs," which he created and will return to CBC for its second season next year.
Like Bee, Phung views the experience of lending a comedic voice to an audible medium as equally meaningful to being in front of a screen, but also more convenient.
鈥淚 didn鈥檛 have to wear makeup, or go through a wardrobe or have perfect hair,鈥� says Phung, who on some days would perform in shorts, a hoodie and a hat. 聽聽聽聽
鈥淥ften, when you鈥檙e acting in TV or film, there鈥檚 a small percentage of you that鈥檚 always worried if you鈥檙e on the mark. 鈥楬ow does my hair look?鈥� 鈥楧id I smear my makeup?鈥欌��
For Phung and his fellow Audible host Bee, freewheeling projects like 鈥淲ildlife Confidential鈥� serve as a complement to the free-form current state of their careers. 聽聽聽
鈥淚鈥檓 in a really good place right now creatively because there are so many ideas and stories I want to tell,鈥� says Phung.
鈥�'Kim鈥檚 Convenience' has made me feel as if I could do it. It made me fearless and allowed me to take on more projects like these.鈥�
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 26, 2022.
Noel Ransome, The Canadian Press
