Of all correspondents in the history of The Daily Show, Toronto native Samantha Bee was perhaps best at getting into her interview subjects' heads. Her off-kilter, ingratiating personality earned the same kind of trust those in the real news media are known to reach for, ultimately getting people to say things they would probably live to regret.

Now Bee will be co-starring on Good God, a right-wing news satire created by Ken Finkleman (The Newsroom.) She plays Shandy Sommers, an overly cheerful morning show host vouching for the Lord on a Fox News-style cable network. We spoke with Bee about Shandy, her real-life encounters with Fox News hosts, and the dearth of conservative comedy.

On The Daily Show you were known for your “This Week in God” segments. Was the role of Christian TV host Shandy created with you in mind?

No, I had nothing to do with it. And unless there’s something mysterious going on behind-the-scenes I don’t think I inspired the character at all. There’s plenty of inspiration already out there for a character like Shandy. I do feel that it fit me like a custom glove. As soon as I read the script I said “Oh, please let me play her!”

Shandy seems like the most confident and comfortable character on the show.

Comfortable, sure of herself, really not self-aware. Those two sides bump up against each other. She has a high opinion of herself but has no idea how the world might perceive her.

Is that common in the real-world TV pundits you’ve met?

I think so. Although I haven’t had much contact with the kind of people who do exactly what Shandy does. For the most part those I have met are incredibly, actually very nice people, in a way that perhaps you would not expect. They do have an ability to detach themselves from what they are saying that, to me, is remarkable. I have a hard time doing that. It’s hard for me to imagine taking delight in the kind of things Shandy would talk about on her show, or saying anything that is contrary to who I am.



It is odd to see commentators who are clearly thoughtful and intelligent expressing factually nonsensical information.

Yeah, some are really just playing a character. I’ve met a lot of people who have worked at Fox News who are well-educated liberals. They’re just doing their time there, for a job they could get. So there’s a lot going on there that is not what it seems.

If you watch Fox News enough you can develop a sense of who truly believes in what they’re saying and who doesn’t.

There’s a tremendous amount of cynicism there. I don’t think a lot of deeply conservative talking heads believe the things they say. They’ll rail against Ivy League education and put their kids into Princeton. It’s an amazing hypocrisy, and it doesn’t seem to bother their audience. People just go along with it. It’s bizarre, watching someone pretend to [despise elitism] when they have access to the same lifestyle. They are wealthy people with the kind of pull we can only dream of.

On The Daily Show did you ever break through that wall of BS?

They are experts in the field. You can’t even poke a pin in them. It’s iron-clad. Not much you can really do, just try to have fun with it.

News personalities were not really my favourite people to interview. They're just so savvy. Very cool customers. They've been developing their thick skin for longer than I've been doing comedy.

Why do you think there is less conservative humour in popular entertainment? Being funny is a good strategy for changing people's minds, after all.

It doesn’t really change people’s minds, does it? I don’t think The Daily Show could ever change anyone’s mind about something. It was mostly catharsis for people who already agreed [with its point of view] or maybe it could illuminate an issue in a way you hadn’t thought of before. Do you think it changed anyone’s mind?

You could say it influenced more apathetic viewers.

Well, that would be nice. It would be very nice if that were true.

Who do you find funny on the right?

I just did an interview with [conservative/small government activist] Grover Norquist and he has a great sense of humour about himself. He’s very funny, very congenial. What he believes in, I can’t say I agree with him, but we don’t disagree on everything. He’s very charming to deal with, and when I tell that to people they’re a bit horrified. We’re all so the same! We just need to be less entrenched.

Good God airs Mondays at 9:30pm ET/ 8:30pm PT on TMN and Movie Central.