Now perhaps more than ever, we're in an world where entertainment and politics are very closely linked. In addition to content focusing on political issues, we've seen how controversies and poor behavior can have very real life consequences. A variety of powerful Hollywood men have been dethroned due to sexual misconduct charges, adding to the already tense environment. More recently, Roseanne was cancelled after its star and creator unleashed a series of tweets deemed racist. Now late night talk show host Samantha Bee is involved in her own controversy, after calling Ivanka Trump a "feckless cunt" on a recent episode. Bee has since apologized for her language, and recently opened up about what went into the joke being written, and its aftermath.
You know, the thing is our show is steeped in passion. Every week I strive to show the world as I see it, unfiltered. Sometimes I should probably have a filter. I accept that. I take it seriously when I get it right and I do take responsibility when I get it wrong. Stories about 1,500 missing unaccompanied migrant children flooded the news cycle over the weekend. So last night we aired a segment on the atrocious treatment of migrant children by this administration and past administrations. Our piece attracted controversy of the worst kind. We spent the day wrestling with the repercussions of one bad word when we all should have spent the day incensed that as a nation we are wrenching children from their parents and treating people legally seeking asylum as criminals. If we are O.K. with that, then really, who are we?
Samantha Bee took aim at Ivanka Trump due to the first daughter's recent photo with her child. Bee thought the post was insensitive in the wake of news the Office of Refugee Resettlement lost track of 1,500 immigrant children in the last three months of 2017. She seems to blame her passion for the subject as to why she dropped a c-bomb on air, although the comedian once again admitted it was wrong.
This recent statement came from Samantha Bee's appearance at the TV Academy Honors Thursday night (via Deadline). She won an award that night for her coverage of the #MeToo movement on Full Frontal, and used her acceptance speech to address the controversy around her use of the c-word for Ivanka Trump.
While both TBS and Samantha Bee herself have apologized for her use of language, there have also been calls for her firing. Notably, President Donald Trump himself took to Twitter saying Bee should be let go for her misstep. It's unclear if further action will be taken against Bee and the series as a whole.
Full Frontal with Samantha Bee airs Fridays on TBS. Be sure to check out our summer premiere list to plan your next binge watch. Plus our Amazon premiere list and superhero premiere list to ensure you don't miss a single episode of your favorite show.
