If Tom Cavanagh’s character on last week’s episode of Superman & Lois seemed familiar, there’s a good reason for that. Cavanagh’s cable news host “Gordon Godfrey” was inspired by Fox News host Greg Gutfeld.
The most conspicuous connection comes with the title of his show, Godfrey!, with a logo and other on-air graphics styled in a similar fashion to Gutfeld! on Fox News. While Gutfeld’s logo contains a star in the center of the D, Godfrey’s was stylized with a hashtag inside the O.
The real Gutfeld is known for his self-titled late-night comedic panel show, as well as being one of a group of anchors on the conservative cable network’s The Five.
Cavanagh’s Godfrey is portrayed as a journalist eager to play into villain Lex Luthor’s (Michael Cudlitz) narrative of events, conducting an exclusive interview with the criminal businessman. Similar to the real Gutfeld’s presence across the Fox News schedule, Luthor does a daytime interview with Godfrey before challenging Lois Lane (Bitsie Tulloch) to face him during Godfrey’s evening show.
If that cable news host on last week's episode of 'Superman & Lois' looked familiar, there's a good reason for it. #Gutfeld pic.twitter.com/eQNN7N0aMm
— LateNighter (@latenightercom) November 26, 2024
When Lane shows up alongside Superman (Tyler Hoechlin), Godfrey presses Lane and tells her that he finds Luthor’s evidence that she lied to smear Luthor’s reputation compelling. Lane accuses Godfrey of conducting an ambush, to which the host explains, “I’m just doing my job as a journalist.”
Lane holds the line for journalism, retorting, “Editorializing isn’t being a journalist, it’s being a carnival barker.”
Cudlitz, who also directed the episode, described Cavanagh’s Godfrey in an interview with Superman fan outlet KryptonSite as “this sort of weird mix between Tucker Carlson and a Jerry Springer sort of host. He was just a complete opportunist.”
The Godfrey character is based on DC Comics’ “Glorious Godfrey,” initially modeled after preacher Billy Graham before being refashioned as one of the preachers of the modern era—a cable news host.
You can watch the Godfrey-centric episode, “Sharp Dressed Man,” streaming on The CW’s CWTV.com. The Superman & Lois series finale airs Monday, Dec. 2.
