|
reading/comedy
Most Senior Correspondent Samantha Bee is the most recognizable squawking head of Jon Stewart's cabal of satirical Daily Show pundits. Knowing that comes in handy while reading I Know I Am, But What Are You? (Gallery, June 1), Bee's literary debut. Handy because her candid collection of autobiographical essays from her admittedly bizarre upbringing and early adulthood is enhanced if you imagine them delivered with Bee's sprightly deadpan voice and rubber-faced comedic inflections. There's the story of her youthful infatuation with Jesus ("Man-witch"). Of being mistaken for her mother's partner ("May December Never Come"). Of a hot-but-dense roommate who believed gerbil is pronounced "gurr-bull." Of course, Bee disagrees. "Who in the world would want to hear this with my voice?" jokes the 40-year-old on the phone from her New York office. "I just recorded the audio book of this, which is just the weirdest thing. I would rather I had Patrick Stewart read my book. But he's expensive." (Check out Critical Mass for an extended Q&A with Bee.)