Remember years ago when an op-ed came out claiming women not only weren’t funny, but couldn’t be funny? Samantha Bee proved the haters wrong and laughed (and made audiences laugh) all the way to the comedy winners’ circle. She holds the title of longest-running correspondent on The Daily Show—from 2003 to 2015—and her own late night show, Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, is a huge hit on TBS, nominated for multiple Primetime Emmys in the last two years. She’s funny, but fearless, too. Whether she’s inviting Glenn Beck on as a guest or taking on Trump’s cabinet or being one of the first late night hosts to tackle the Harvey Weinstein harassment scandal with humor and teeth, Samantha Bee isn’t afraid to stick it to the man, whoever that man may be. Samantha Bee will take to the Kennedy Center for a moderated Q&A with New York magazine writer and bestselling author Rebecca Traister, of All the Single Ladies fame. This conversation between two highly intelligent women is truly a must-see and hear during this #MeToo era. The night promises to be full of thought-provoking discussion infused with Bee’s signature dose of insightful and pointed wit. Read more>>> Samantha Bee speaks at 8 p.m. at the Kennedy Center Concert Hall, 2700 F St. NW. $49–$89. (202) 467-4600. kennedy-center.org. (Diana Metzger)
EAT THIS
Winterfest kicks off this weekend at Wunder Garten in NoMa. Swing by the beer garden for s’mores, spiked warm drinks, and a gift market from local craft makers. For opening night tonight there will be a fire performer and other entertainment from 5-9 p.m. Fill up on food from Timber Pizza Co., the Holy Crêpes food truck, CaliBurger, and more. Wunder Garten is dog-friendly. Visit Friday and Saturday from 12 p.m. to 12 a.m., but note that craft vendors close up shop at 8 p.m. Winterfest, 1101 First St. NE, winterfestwg.com. (Laura Hayes)
OH AND ALSO
Friday: New Zealand actor and comedian Rhys Darby, of Flight of the Concords fame, performs at Arlington Cinema and Drafthouse. 7:30 p.m. at 2903 Columbia Pike, Arlington. $25.
Friday: Bon Iver, fronted by indie singer-songwriter Justin Vernon, performs at The Anthem. 8 p.m. at 901 Wharf St. SW. $46–$96.
Saturday: Back in November of 2007, when compact discs were on their way out and MP3s were quickly becoming the preferred way to press play, NPR Music was born. Through meticulous and engaging reporting, NPR Music has cataloged a decade’s worth of musical innovations, like Radiohead’s pay-as-you-wish album In Rainbows in 2007, the 2007 launch of SoundCloud, the birthplace of millennial musicians, and the dramatic and brilliant way Beyoncé can drop record-breaking albums seemingly overnight like she did in 2013 with Beyoncé and 2016 with Lemonade. Even NPR’s own Tiny Desk Concert, created by Bob Boilen in 2008, changed the game by taking musicians out of loud clubs and into a quiet, bookshelf-lined office space for a truly intimate performance. NPR Music has also captured some of music’s more compelling political moments, like Pussy Riot’s protest performance in Moscow in 2012 and when Kanye interrupted Taylor Swift at the 2009 VMAs. NPR Music’s 10th Anniversary Concert and Party will showcase a top-secret lineup of their staff’s favorite musicians of the past decade, so prepare for surprises. Read more>>> NPR Music’s 10th Anniversary Concert and Party begins at 7 p.m. at 9:30 Club, 815 V St. NW. $40. (202) 265-0930. 930.com. (Casey Embert)
Saturday: French DJ Tchami and electronic artist Malaa will perform together at Echostage. 9 p.m. at 2135 Queens Chapel Rd. NE. $25–$30.
Saturday: Wolf Trap presents its Holiday Sing-A-Long, featuring the U.S. Marine Band and members of local choirs and vocal groups performing Christmas carols and Hanukkah songs. 4 p.m. at 1551 Trap Rd., Vienna. Free.
Sunday: The visual artist Mark Bradford is known for synthesizing media in his large scale works, often combining bold language, advertisement, or other images with his distinct style of modern abstraction. His newest—and largest, spanning almost 400 linear feet around the Hirshhorn’s third level—installation, Pickett’s Charge, draws inspiration from the Hirshhorn’s location on the National Mall as well as the Civil War action from which it takes its name. The original Pickett’s Charge was the Confederate Army’s last push during the Battle of Gettysburg and the finale of their hopes for winning the war. In his modern take, Bradford takes stock of the reality and mythology of the battle, adding printed images from Paul Philippoteaux’s “Gettysburg Cyclorama” on top of layers of rope and paper. The resulting eight works are technically and logistically stunning, and allow viewers to question the sociopolitical truths that shape contemporary views of the world. Read more>>> The exhibition is on view daily 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., to Nov. 12, 2018, at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, 7th Street and Independence Avenue SW. Free. (202) 633-4674. hirshhorn.si.edu. (Jackson Sinnenberg)
Sunday: Canadian folk band The Barr Brothers perform at Sixth & I Historic Synagogue. 8 p.m. at 600 I St. NW. $17–$20.
Sunday: Rock group Reverend Horton Heat hit the 9:30 Club stage. 7 p.m. at 815 V St. NW. $30.
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