Watching 'Full Frontal' Live Makes The Show Better

Oftentimes, what an audience sees on television is just one part of the what is actually going on during the taping of the show. There's a different dynamic between what's edited together to air on television and what's going on behind-the-scenes. But, luckily, audiences aren't completely closed off to experiencing the television magic. With most daytime and late night talk shows being aired in front of live studio audiences, fans in Los Angeles, New York, and even Chicago can get a taste of what it's like on the sets of their favorite shows. And on Monday, February 8, I was lucky enough to get a taste of the very first live taping of Full Frontal With Samantha Bee .

Personally, as a local New Yorker, I've been able to attend my fair share of television tapings. I've been in the audience for The Late Show With David Letterman, Jimmy Fallon (before he was the host of The Tonight Show), Rachael Ray, and The Chew. Actually going and laughing at a comedian's jokes — or smelling the actual food from those daytime shows — is always fun. However, sometimes you end up learning more about the show than you originally expected. And, when it comes to sitting in the studio audience of Full Frontal With Samantha Bee, the magic only got stronger than the amazingness that already was being aired on television that night.

First, I'm going to state the obvious for those of you who tuned in for the first episode. Samantha Bee does not hold back with her jokes. She goes all in with her opinions on the current political landscape — and, honestly, there's so much humor in it these days, what is there really to avoid? Although the show is only a half-hour, Bee is also breaking down late night talk show barriers by not sitting behind a desk (like most of us might be used to seeing). However, the bold, female political perspective we have long awaited stretches beyond what the television viewer's eye can see. This show is nothing less than straight-up female empowering.

If there's one thing I noticed from being at the first episode's taping it was this: This show is nothing less than a party. Yes, the topics might be news-oriented, and everything that comes out of Samantha Bee's mouth might be exactly what you're thinking (Seriously, did anyone else feel that way while tuning in?), but things aren't quite so serious once they call cut. Bee's comfort level on the sound stage was incredible, the warm-up comic and Samantha herself threw tote bags and other fun prizes into the audience, and the music was always blasting even when something wasn't being taped. If there was a technical difficulty or a mess-up, the audience was included in on what was going on. For a crew on their first day of work, it was already clear that they were one tight-knit family.

So, what kind of music was Bee jamming out to in between takes? Everything from Beyoncé's "Run The World" to Demi Lovato's "Cool For The Summer," adding to the party atmosphere. And as far as the crew? Well, personally, I was so completely ecstatic over the fact that there were so many female crew members on set. In an industry where women are still largely underrepresented both in front of and behind the camera, this show had a female stage manager, camera woman, warm-up comic, and more. In fact, just watching the set operate from the studio audience made me think to myself: Shouldn't a balance like this be apparent on all television sets? Everything was natural, organized, and just plain fun.

Overall, watching Full Frontal With Samantha Bee felt like I was watching television history in the making. Late night television watchers: Prepare yourselves for more kick-ass females. The late night talk show we have been waiting for is finally here — even though something like this probably should have been on the air 20 years ago.

Images: TBS; Full Frontal With Samantha Bee/YouTube (2)