MAKING THE MUNDANE FEEL MAGNIFICENTLY WEIRD, NATHAN HARE IS A NATIONAL TALENT ON THE RISE

By Rebeccah Love

Beneath the deliberately awkward, absurdist exterior of Nathan Hare’s (@nathanhare) delivery, his comedy offers a sharp examination of contemporary alienation, interrogating the paradoxes of digital life and the peculiar loneliness of the modern urban experience.

Born into a household Nathan describes as “typically suburban,” he notes that “I was a super hyper kid, wanting attention, making school projects into comedy sketches,” over a meal at Desotos. “SNL got me into the idea of comedians, while The Lonely Island showed me something more geared to me, something you could do with your friends on simple cameras... I grew up on YouTube sketches, ‘Good Neighbour,’ ‘Jake and Amir,’ CollegeHumor, etc.”

After completing his undergraduate studies at UBC, Nathan developed his comedy through sketch classes, stand-up, Twitter, TikTok, and Instagram. “The voice I was developing in Vancouver was a little more traditional and approachable.” Eventually, he moved to Toronto, joining a larger comedy community, where he found “more distinct scenes and alternatives... the audiences in Toronto are exposed to a much greater variety of comedy, they’re more likely to ‘get it.’”

Describing a solo comedy practice rooted in “discomfort,” with references to Nathan Fielder and Larry David, his work touches on the loneliness of digital mediums, the absurdity of the mundane, and the idea of “normal.” He also takes part in a growing comedy troupe, The Big 3, which specializes in improv-heavy parody comedy. “People like the looseness of it... I love working with these guys; they say yes to any idea.” Having recently performed at Anchor Fest (@anchorfest.ca) and toured across Canada, The Big 3’s energy is contagious, and their fanbase continues to grow.

When asked why comedy and art are important, Nathan shares, “Laughter is the best feeling. Comedy can give your audience the feeling of discovery, of not having seen something before.” As for art, he says, “You do it because you have to do it.”

A wildly innovative talent whose hilarious and strange output is definitely worth a follow, Nathan continues to build something very big and exciting.