Standing at the intersection of politics and show business is MSNBC show host Rachel Maddow. I awoke Saturday morning to the news that cable television’s favorite liberal news show anchor has signed on to a recurring role in The CW’s Batwoman.

Maddow made the announcement that she will play the character Vesper Fairchild in the new superhero series. The premiere episode airs Sunday. What sets Batwoman apart from other superhero shows is that Batwoman is a lesbian. And her character is played by an openly out lesbian actress, Ruby Rose.

I know no one's going to believe this is true, but it's true.

I'm "Vesper Fairchild" in the new Batwoman TV show that starts this Sunday night on The CW.

(My character is soooo not me; turns out playing her is one of the most fun things I've ever done).https://t.co/LP8PauXvUL

— Rachel Maddow MSNBC (@maddow) October 4, 2019

Here’s the twist – Maddow’s character doesn’t appear on the screen. Vesper Fairchild, like Maddow, is a broadcast personality.

Maddow takes on the role of Vesper Fairchild, a character from the Batman comics. Fairchild is a television and radio personality who had a romantic relationship with Bruce Wayne (Batman). The Batwoman catch is that Maddow’s Fairchild will never appear onscreen — at least there are no current plans for her to do so. Still, Maddow is expected to “appear” in multiple episodes.

It isn’t clear exactly how Maddow will “appear” but maybe it will be like the old John Forsythe character in the original Charlie’s Angels television series. His character’s voice was in episodes but he remained sight unseen. Perhaps her voice will substitute for her physical presence.

“We consider Vesper Fairchild to be the sardonic Voice of Gotham,” Batwoman showrunner Caroline Dries told THR. “In addition to Rachel’s interest in Batwoman, we thought she’d be the perfect casting choice because her own hard-hitting journalism wildly contrasts Vesper’s penchant for snark, gossip and criticism of female superheroes.”

“Hard-hitting journalism”, eh?

I’m not really familiar with the Batwoman character. She was created as a part of the whole Batman universe. I watched Batman as a kid – I remember Adam West – and then the Batman movies but my interest has waned. After Michael Keaton’s portrayal of Batman, the more current actors playing Batman don’t measure up for me. Your mileage may vary. Woke Rachel may feel a personal connection and this isn’t the first time she’s been a part of Batwoman’s history.

This will be the political commentator’s second connection to the world of Batwoman, the DC Comics series about an out lesbian superhero. She previously wrote an introduction for the 2010 deluxe hardcover edition of writer Greg Rucka’s Batwoman graphic novel Elegy. (That collected Detective Comics issues 854-860.)

Our superheroes have to have political messages now, you know, and that includes the ones made for television. Supergirl is a good example of how off the rails a show can go from its original concept. I watched that show when it first began. Full Disclosure: I covered Supergirl for NewsBusters. It began innocently enough. But, as it grew in popularity, the series went in a decidedly liberal way with all the usual hot button issues dragged into the storyline. If I remember correctly, I only watched and wrote about the first two seasons. I’m happy I no longer have to watch it. Hollywood liberals ruin everything.

It may be interesting to see how the show brings in Vesper Fairchild. From what I read, she was killed off by orders given by Lex Luther. No wonder she won’t appear.

Maddow isn’t the only media personality with a Hollywood deal these days. CNN’s Dana Bash has inked a side gig of her own.

It was at least the second deal announced this week involving the mainstream media and the world of showbiz. On Thursday came word that CNN political correspondent Dana Bash will consult on “The Hill,” a drama series in development for NBC.

Here’s the trailer for Batwoman:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UajKZHBjukY