Assembly Required with Stacey Abrams Samantha Bee on How the Funny Can Fight Trump and Republicans
Nov 13, 2025
Samantha Bee, a trailblazing comedian and former Full Frontal host, joins to discuss the vital role of comedy in resisting political oppression. They delve into the current landscape of late-night comedy and its power to push back against censorship and authoritarianism. Bee shares her journey into political comedy and highlights how humor can drive real legislative change. She emphasizes the necessity for artists to stand firm in truth-telling while offering practical ways to maintain humor amid crisis, creating laughter in turbulent times.
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Comedy Reveals Authoritarian Weakness
- Samantha Bee argues late-night comedy exposes authoritarian cowardice by revealing leaders' foibles through humor.
- Comedy makes complex political harms digestible and can motivate public outrage and action.
Rape Kit Coverage Helped Drive Change
- Samantha Bee described Full Frontal's segment on Georgia rape kit backlog helping push legislation forward.
- She framed the show's role as amplifying existing journalism and advocacy work to reach wider audiences.
Comedy Depends On Journalism
- Political comedy succeeds when it processes accurate journalism into short, shareable packages.
- Comedy relies on rigorous reporting and cannot replace foundational investigative work.
