Sarah Silverman Plays America’s Seamstress Betsy Ross on Dan Harmon’s Great Minds

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Bobby Quillard/HISTORY

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Bobby Quillard/HISTORY

Bobby Quillard/HISTORY

Dan Harmon has invested in a time machine to bring us the interesting guests who died before we could meet them, and his assistant Spencer might have figured out the secret to summoning women!

This week, Dan and the patriotic-est seamstress in our nation’s history, Betsy Ross (Sarah Silverman), discuss the ideas preceding the completed American Flag and what else she had done in her life (nothing, sorry Betz). As Harmon shows his visitor the various presidential candidates, Betsy’s interest is caught by a certain Socialist “tailor” ( her old-timey code for Jew). Betsy and Dan travel to an East LA studio to check out the art made for Bernie’s campaign, and Ross regrets that all she ever did in her life was sew a dumb, mish-mosh flag. Through her tears she sews a much cooler Bernie-fied version of the American flag, which the now-pals parade until Betsy, as all beings someday must, disintegrates into grey dust and hopefully returning to her time intact. Next week’s visitor will be Amelia Earhardt  played by Kristen Schaal).

Sarah Silverman’s personal politics are no secret; her video endorsing the Senator has more than 500,000 views and she introduced him to a Los Angeles crowd of thousands all the way back in August of 2015. But her politics have been entertaining and educating for years. Back in 2012, a video she released exploring the discrimination in voter ID laws garnered more than three million views. Silverman’s record of using comedy to make politics and education palatable makes her an appropriate guest on the newly reinvented History Channel.

Dan Harmon’s “Great Minds” is actually only half a show; “Crossroads of History” comprises another ten minutes and the twenty minute block is rounded out by “How to Lose the Presidency”, a mini-show analyzing infamously humiliating moments that cost candidates the entire election. Last night’s episode of “Crossroads” explored how a slave (Los Angeles comedian Byron Bowers) who took pity on superstitious Puritans brought inoculations to America. Next week’s episode will recount the road to the ratification of women’s right to vote.

Although not part of the “Night Class” block, the History channel is also home to Craig Fergusson’s debate show, “Join or Die”.  All three shows, or two depending on how you look at it, are in their first season and represent a shift from the predominantly unscripted television the History Channel is home to. The channel is broadening its appeal through comedy and there’s an endless supply of brilliant comedians eager to share how bizarre, unsettling and hilarious history has been.

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Rachel Crowe

The most notable lies Rachel Crowe has ever told were that she has 10 children (no twins), she’s running a marathon retracing the path her ancestors took to evade the IRS and that she found childcare for 10 on a Saturday night. She’s also a stand-up comedian and dog walker living in Los Angeles. Follow Rachel on Twitter @Racheddar or on Instagram @thelma_and_disease. Or don’t, but at least appreciate those fresh hot puns.
Rachel Crowe

Rachel Crowe

The most notable lies Rachel Crowe has ever told were that she has 10 children (no twins), she’s running a marathon retracing the path her ancestors took to evade the IRS and that she found childcare for 10 on a Saturday night. She’s also a stand-up comedian and dog walker living in Los Angeles. Follow Rachel on Twitter @Racheddar or on Instagram @thelma_and_disease. Or don’t, but at least appreciate those fresh hot puns.