YouTube

Jacob Samuel’s new special

Jacob Samuel self-produced his newest comedy special, Big Talk. (Chelsey Stuyt Photography)

Jacob Samuel’s second comedy special, Big Talk, premiered on YouTube last month and already it has racked up more than 20,000 views. The Vancouver-based comedian filmed the 52-minute special in front of live audiences at the city’s China Cloud Studio. In addition to writing and performing, Samuel gets producing, directing and editing credits.

Much of the material in Big Talk was worked out over five years, a period punctuated by Samuel’s winning a 2021 Juno Award for best comedy album for his first special, Horse Power. And that win was not the first time the comedian was recognized for his work.

At 25 years old, Samuel submitted some of his original single-panel cartoons to The New Yorker magazine, which published some of them – a notable achievement, especially at such a young age. Several other publications have featured his humorous illustrations, as well, including the Jewish Independent. He has published two books of single-panel cartoons.

Samuel has been performing stand-up for years – at clubs, on stages, television and radio, at festivals. He’s a regular on CBC Radio’s The Debaters.

His drive to perform started early in life.

“Honestly, I’m still trying to convince myself I can competently tell a joke,” he told the Independent. “Growing up, my parents and their friends revered clever comedians. I always felt that being funny was a difficult thing that people valued. As far as I can remember, I have always been driven to get up and talk in front of people even though I wasn’t naturally great at it – when I was young, I had some minor speech impediments.”

As for his gutsy New Yorker submissions, he said, “It seemed like a fun thing to try. I’ve always had a certain misplaced confidence about going after things … I’m not sure why. I think I was blessed with a certain level of obliviousness and an audacity to go for things that I found interesting/exciting.”

Samuel’s new special shows off his rapid delivery and finely honed comedic timing, and the material supports his affable relationship with the audience. The jokes in Big Talk run the gamut, covering the joys and challenges of welcoming a new puppy, the mental health benefits of knitting, the absurdity of the Honda Odyssey, being newly married (Big Talk’s jokes are “officially approved” by his spouse), and other very funny bits.

Being successful requires more than just comedic writing talent and good timing.

“Being a comedian now is like running a small business,” he said. “I have a manager now, but I still manage much of my booking, touring, and sometimes I even produce my own shows. So, I spend just as much time doing ‘comedy admin work’ as I do writing and performing material. You can’t really advance your career now by being exclusively an ‘artist.’ I maintain many comedy spreadsheets, which maybe sounds like an oxymoron.”

Even after all the commercial elements have been satisfied, there are still obstacles to confront. Being an artist who is driven to perform does not mean there are no pre-show jitters, Samuel shared. “The fact that people are coming to see me now actually makes me a bit nervous because I hope I’m as good as what they expect.”

Big Talk feels more personal than Samuel’s previous work, while also featuring plenty of material about everyday human struggles and absurdity.

“I still feel like my comedy is pretty observational but maybe I’m digging more into my personal life subconsciously now,” he acknowledged. “I think maybe I’m gravitating towards more personal material because that is what people tend to connect with more. Maybe I’m getting more inspired to do personal material because, as I get older, I think I’ve gotten a better sense of myself. I think it’s a natural part of maturing, to go from observing the world around to becoming more self-conscious. Having said that, I still love observational comedy. I think my favourite type of comedy weaves both together.”

The use of social media has its benefits, like building an audience, but it comes with costs, too.

“The pressure to produce more content has grown exponentially…. Many of the comedians who are now gaining the most fans are just churning out content,” said Samuel. “So, I do feel more pressure to do that, to keep up, but I’m pretty good at keeping it to a reasonable level so as to not burn out. I need to make sure I’m still having fun writing and performing, so I limit how much I’m going to indulge those pressures.”

But he can’t completely avoid them, as social media has the power to make or break projects in this era.

“The benefits of social media are pretty enormous, in that you can gain an audience without having to go through any gatekeepers,” said Samuel. “The risk is that you start ‘creating for the algorithm only’ and start trying to make content based on what you think will go viral as opposed to what you find funny. Then I think you just end up sounding like other comedians who are doing the same.”

Asked about the potential impacts of artificial intelligence, Samuel said. “If you asked me this a year ago, I would say I was not at all afraid of AI. It seemed that it would write jokes that were very basic, crude and pretty unfunny. However, since then, it’s gotten a lot better. I think AI can be useful in comedy but I’m also pretty worried about it. I was playing around with AI a few weeks ago and it’s getting pretty good at writing comedy that is formulaic or follows a basic structure. I’ve heard of some other comedians using it to see if their idea is creative enough – if the AI can think of it, then it’s not. It could also be useful as a brainstorming tool. I think AI will change comedy, but I don’t think it will put comics out of business because people crave human connection. Will it make comedy worse or better? It could go either way.”

AI is not the only complexity these days.

“I don’t think any topics are beyond the pale … but some are a lot harder to make an audience laugh at than others,” said Samuel. “When people complain that certain topics should not be joked about, it’s often that the jokes they’ve heard about that topic just were not clever or nuanced enough. I think the more intense and heavier the world is, the more important comedy is…. Comedy is a great way to cope with uncertainty, but I’m also concerned about the increasing amount of comedy that is just feeding off of and confirming disinformation and catering to specific groups’ political views rather than challenging them.”

Asked about what it is like to be a Jew in comedy, particularly during the events of the last couple of years, Samuel said, “I’m not sure I have a great answer…. I don’t think it’s really impacted my career. It has impacted how I feel about being a Jewish performer. I do think that it’s more important now to talk and joke about being Jewish. I definitely feel like a form of antisemitism that was previously contained has now been unleashed in several forms. My only response to that as an individual is to find more ways to joke about being Jewish on stage and not to shy away from talking about being Jewish.”

Big Talk is dedicated to the memory of Samuel’s mother, who passed away in 2021.

“It probably wouldn’t surprise people to know that my mom was my biggest supporter,” he said. “I’m sure she would’ve become a full-time press agent for this special. When I published my second book of cartoons, in 2017, she managed to get a copy to the prime minister somehow (true story). Justin Trudeau sent me a signed letter about it – he was more popular then….

“My mom made a significant professional contribution to Canada’s Jewish community,” added Samuel. “She was the executive director of Toronto’s Jewish affordable housing agency for two decades and was very proud of her work and the impact it had on helping people access affordable housing.

“When I won the Juno Award, I was in the midst of dealing with my mom being very ill. It was the most difficult thing I’ve ever had to deal with. Although I don’t talk about it explicitly, I developed most of the material for this special in the wake of losing my mom. Building this act was something I could work on to process my grief. There’s also something about losing a family member that makes you want to take action in life. It definitely contributed towards my drive to produce this show as an actual comedy special and take the risk of self-producing and self-releasing it.”

Big Talk can be seen on YouTube, which is “the only place to watch [it,] unless someone reading this owns a streaming network and wants to make a deal,” Samuel said.

As for the near future, Samuel has another “special” to produce.

“My wife and I are expecting our first child very soon,” he shared. “So, I’m going on a hiatus from touring and performing for a few months. After that, I will probably be back on the local circuit, likely with some new material about how relaxing it is to have a new baby.”

Success in Hollywood

In Bloomywood, Michael Bloomstein (played and co-created by David Meyers) wanders around Tinseltown asking random people on the street to help him make a movie about his life. (photo from David Meyers)

When David Meyers moved from New Jersey to Los Angeles, one of his goals was to make it in Hollywood. Without any connections or famous friends, he set out to get a project off the ground. Finding humour in his struggle, Meyers developed a fictional comedic YouTube mini series called Bloomywood, which is loosely based on his experiences.

Meyers plays the main character Michael Bloomstein, a nice Jewish guy who wants to write his uneventful life story for a major Hollywood studio.

“It isn’t autobiographical per se, but is definitely based on my experience of trying to be an artist,” Meyers told the Independent. “Michael Bloomstein has never been to Hollywood before, but he does have an unyielding self-belief and a willingness to do anything to succeed. As he chases his goals, Michael will see the highs and lows of the industry – and question if he really has what it takes to make it.”

Meyers said there is so much rejection and “no” along the way for people trying to succeed in Hollywood that he and his co-creators want to show there can be joy and optimism in chasing your dreams.

In the series, Michael wanders around Tinseltown asking random people on the street to help him make his movie, using an unscripted mockumentary format. “In the tradition of Curb Your Enthusiasm, Ricky Gervais and Sacha Baron Cohen, Bloomywood incorporates man-on-the-street interactions, sketch comedy and improv to explore the absurd realities of Hollywood,” said Meyers.

“When we made the show, I thought no one would stop to talk to Michael when I approached them on the street – but almost everyone did. And I think it is because they were attracted to this character who was determined to be positive and happy, no matter what happened. And I think that’s a message people could really use right now, with all the negativity we are bombarded with.”

Meyers, who was raised in Fort Lee, N.J., went to Rutgers University and Columbia Law School. After graduation, he worked in the staff secretary and communications offices in the White House for three years, then did communications and speechwriting in the U.S. Senate. He worked part-time in journalism, wrote plays and pursued acting, as well. He did a national commercial with Danny DeVito, was in a feature film called Killer Caregiver for Lifetime TV, did a commercial with James Franco, and more.

He has written plays that have been produced around the United States, and has two TV shows in development. His play We Will Not Be Silent – based on the true story of a group of German college students who opposed Hitler during the Second World War – had five productions around the country. “It was supposed to come to New York, starring two-time Oscar-nominee Michael Shannon and directed by Dexter Bullard. Unfortunately, we were derailed by COVID, but I hope not permanently,” said Meyers.

Growing up, Meyers was very active in his Jewish community. His grandfather was Orthodox and his grandparents were a very big part of his childhood. Because of his strong Jewish identity, Meyers wanted to make it clear that Bloomstein was a member of the tribe.

“Viewers will definitely know Michael is Jewish,” he said. “He talks about it all the time. Since so much of the show is improvised, and since being Jewish forms so much of who I personally am, I knew Michael had to be Jewish. Once I came up with the name Michael Bloomstein, it wasn’t even a question. I didn’t try to come up with a Jewish name – it’s just so internal to me, that my first idea of a name was Michael Bloomstein.”

“Not only that,” Meyers continued, “Bloomstein brings up his Jewishness constantly – whether it’s landlords liking him because he’s Jewish and, therefore, responsible, or the fact that his Jewish mother doesn’t believe in him. It informs all of his interactions and, to be honest, he’s definitely a bit of a nebbish.”

Meyers met his co-writer for the show, Taylor Gregory, after an audition in Los Angeles. “The director left right before I was supposed to go on,” he said. “So Taylor and I talked about the way that people mistreat actors and writers (Taylor is also a writer), and how hard it can be to pursue your dreams amid all the rejection.

“Taylor had the idea to create this show – he initially called it Doormat – which would have my character constantly being rejected, but still move forward with hope and optimism. We decided to start filming and see what happened. Taylor’s friend Rory Leland is an incredible editor and he shot all of our footage. On our first day, the character of Michael Bloomstein really came to life. Rory and Taylor had so many great ideas and the three of us put together Bloomywood.”

They started filming Bloomywood last November and, after finishing seven episodes, the pandemic arrived. “COVID hit us really hard. We had to stop production on the show, abridging our season from 10 episodes to seven,” said Meyers, noting that each episode is two to three minutes long.

“We had an amazing social media person who was helping us, who had to withdraw after her mother died from COVID. We had a great press agent who agreed to take us on pro bono because she loved the show – and then she had to leave because of staff cuts at her agency and a death in her family. At times, it felt like the show was cursed,” said Meyers. “But we were inspired to move forward with hope and optimism, just like Michael Bloomstein. The show inspired me to stay positive on a daily basis.”

Meyers is financing the show himself. “I have been using my money from past acting and writing projects to try and invest in myself and get exposure. Right now,” he said, “the main goal is to get as many people to see Bloomywood as possible.”

Meyers is thrilled with feedback they have received. “It’s been amazing,” he said. “We have heard from celebrities and TV writers, including one of the writers from The Goldbergs. It has been really gratifying because we put so much time and so much love into this show.”

One of the people they heard from was Curb Your Enthusiasm actress Cheryl Hines. “We sent Cheryl a cameo request and, in return, we would donate money to charity, asking if she would watch our trailer and send Michael a message,” Meyers explained. “We assumed she wouldn’t do it, but she did! And we could tell by her response that not only had she watched the show, but she enjoyed it, so that was extremely gratifying.”

Although Meyers doesn’t have any ties to Vancouver, he said, “There is so much TV shooting in Vancouver and I’ve often said that I want to move there one day – I am just waiting for the right professional opportunity.”

Who knows, maybe Michael Bloomstein will wind up taking his quest for fame on the road to Canada!

Bloomywood can be found online at youtube.com/bloomywoodtheseries and at bloomywood.com.

Alice Burdick Schweiger is a New York City-based freelance writer who has written for many national magazines, including Good Housekeeping, Family Circle, Woman’s Day and The Grand Magazine. She specializes in writing about Broadway, entertainment, travel and health, and covers Broadway for the Jewish News. She is co-author of the 2004 book Secrets of the Sexually Satisfied Woman, with Jennifer Berman and Laura Berman.

Time to face ourselves

Actor and comedian Sacha Baron Cohen delivered the keynote address last month at an Anti-Defamation League conference. His words quickly went viral because he pinpointed fears and challenges shared by millions about the power of social media. He hit many nails on the head.

“Democracy, which depends on shared truths, is in retreat, and autocracy, which depends on shared lies, is on the march,” he said. “Hate crimes are surging, as are murderous attacks on religious and ethnic minorities. All this hate and violence is being facilitated by a handful of internet companies that amount to the greatest propaganda machine in history.”

He was referring to social media like Facebook and Twitter and platforms like YouTube and Google, whose algorithms, he said, “deliberately amplify the type of content that keeps users engaged – stories that appeal to our baser instincts and that trigger outrage and fear.”

Had Facebook existed in the 1930s, he went on, it would have run 30-second ads for Hitler’s “solution” to the “Jewish problem.”

Baron Cohen acknowledged that social media companies have taken some steps to reduce hate and conspiracies on their platforms, “but these steps have been mostly superficial.”

“These are the richest companies in the world, and they have the best engineers in the world,” he said. “They could fix these problems if they wanted to.” The companies could do more to police the messages being circulated on their sites, he suggested.

He’s correct about the problems. But the first problem with his solution is that he is asking a couple of corporations to judge billions of interactions, making them not only powerful media conglomerates, which they already are, but also the world’s most prolific censors and arbiters of expression. Of course, by abdication, they are already erring on the side of hate speech, but is the alternative preferable? If we think Facebook chief executive officer Mark Zuckerberg has too much power now, do we really want to make him the planet’s censor-in-chief?

Yes, the platforms benefit from and, therefore, promote, the most extreme viewpoints. But, even if we could, would forcing those voices off the platforms make the world a safer place? There are already countless alternative spaces for people whose extremism has been pushed off the mainstream sites. Just because we can’t hear them doesn’t mean they’ve gone away.

Marshall McLuhan, the Canadian philosopher who declared “the medium is the message” died four years before Zuckerberg was born. He could have predicted that social media would change the way we interact and communicate. But has it fundamentally changed who we are? Or has it merely allowed our true selves fuller voice? Perhaps a little of both. Facebook, Twitter and the others are not agnostic forces; they influence us as we engage with them. But, in the end, they are mere computer platforms, human-created applications that have taken on outsized force in our lives. And all the input is human-created. Since the dawn of the industrial age, we have imagined our own inventions taking over and controling us, from Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein to 2001: A Space Odyssey’s Hal to Zuckerberg’s Facebook.

In all these cases, fictional or not, the truth is that the power remains in human hands. This is no less true today. We could, if the political will existed, shut down these platforms or apply restraints along the lines Baron Cohen suggests. But this would be to miss the larger point.

We live in a world filled with too much bigotry, chauvinism, hatred and violence. This is the problem. Dr. Martin Luther King said: “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” And there are plenty of sites on social media that advance mutual understanding and love over hate. Are their messages as likely to go viral? Probably not. But that, ultimately, is determined by billions of individual human choices. A small but illuminating counterrevolution seems to be happening right now with a renaissance of the ideas of Mister (Fred) Rogers and his message of simple kindness. While much of the world seems alight in hatred and intolerance, a countermovement has always existed to advance love and inclusiveness. This needs to be nurtured in any and every way possible.

If Facebook were a country, its “population” would be larger than China’s. Bad example when we are discussing issues of free speech and the accountability of the powerful, perhaps, but illuminating – because an entity of that size and impact should be accountable. As a corporate body, it has few fetters other than governmental controls, which are problematic themselves. Concerned citizens (and platform users) should demand of these companies the safeguards we expect. We are the consumers, after all, and we should not ignore that power.

But neither should we abstain from taking responsibility ourselves. Social media influences us, yes. But, to an exponentially greater degree, it is merely a reflection of who we are. It is less distorted than the funhouse mirror we like to imagine it being. If what we see when we look at social media is a depiction of the world we find repugnant, it is not so much social media that needs to change, it is us.