‘There’s terror, but there’s also joy’: Samantha Bee on her new tour and hosting this weekend’s Canadian Screen Awards

This year, the Canadian Screen Awards have done things a little differently.

After two years of remote programming, the celebration of top talent in film, TV and digital media returned to in-person events, which happened all week. Then, on Sunday, “The Canadian Screen Awards With Samantha Bee” will air on CBC and CBC Gem. The pre-recorded special features exclusive interviews with the nation’s best and brightest, and the talents of Bee, one of Toronto’s foremost comedians.

We talked to Bee about the special, her current tour, and the marriage between joy and terror when navigating new professional territory.

What drew you to the Canadian Screen Awards special?

First of all, they asked me to do it! That’s often a barrier because sometimes when you’re working, people think you’re too busy and actually I’m not too busy! It was an instant yes. I also really appreciate that they want to try something new. I would do anything to break up the way award shows are televised. It feels very experimental to me and that excites me because I would watch any award show if it was condensed in this way. I don’t know how people will receive it, but I am joyfully presenting it.

You also have a new tour, “Your Favorite Woman.”

Well, you know how they always say, “Do one thing every day that scares you”? Great! So I should be scared every single minute of every day and that’s the secret.

It’s not a super departure because I did always perform. Even when I started “The Daily Show” in 2003, that was still a live performance so there was always that element of terror: not wanting to make a mistake, wanting to bring your best, wanting to impress. I always knew that when (her talk show) “Full Frontal” ended — and I did know that it would end one day, whether getting cancelled or me not wanting to do it anymore — I always imagined that the next phase of whatever I did would be a live event.

It feels really organic for me and it’s been really fun. I love being onstage with people. There’s terror, but there’s also joy. When I’m out there, I can’t even describe it: I feel very in a “performer” zone and then, all of a sudden I look up and realize I’m finishing it. It’s a very weird vibe.

Has your relationship to comedy changed since “Full Frontal”?

Yes, I feel like I’m much more relaxed. As a human being, I feel a little more grounded and a little steadier on my feet. When your show gets cancelled, you have this big period (when) you go into fight or flight: you’re panicking because everything’s been one way for so long, now all of a sudden you feel untethered from reality. It took me a couple of months to be like, “Now that you don’t have to grapple with the news every single day, what are the things that you’re interested in? What are the stones that you’ve left unturned? What are the things you want to say?” And do those things.

What do you find most exciting about comedy right now?

I think it’s very exciting for me personally that there is so much comedy right now. If you have a great comedic voice, people can find you. Your material is so available to people. I’m not saying there aren’t gatekeepers, there certainly are. But what an exciting way to break down those barriers: to make your stuff publicly accessible. That is incredible to me and I love it.

What’s your relationship to Canadian comedy?

I do wish Canada would bring down some of those CRTC firewalls. Like, people can’t actually watch CBC shows in the States. It’s very difficult. It feels like an anachronism to me, and that’s too bad because I’ve wanted to show people things and I literally cannot. Only certain things make it through and I don’t know how that works, but we need to let that go. And across other nations, too! I don’t want to wait for the 12th season of “Call the Midwife.”

I want to cry in real time!

I want to cry in the beginning, the end and all the way through. I want to see the animatronic newborn baby and cry real tears of joy.

SHARE: