Nathan For You: American Psycho's Dorky Canadian Cousin | Big Joel

In this video, I take a close look at Nathan For You. I pay special attention to the way the show seems to take thematic cues from the movie American Psycho. This is an analysis of how the two works are similar in some pretty interesting ways.
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[@gizzylaserfoot2604]

"You drank your grandson's pee?"- the only time Nathan broke character

[@eggynack]

Don't forget the guy who went in for the naked hot dog thing, or the lady who got choked by a ghost in Switzerland.

[@chippchipp1]

Also "Jay-squad!!"

[@GodsNode]

chippchipp1 LOL yeah Jay Squad is the only time I noticed him biting back a smile.

[@icky_sticky_mars]

A couple things Bill says in Finding Francis make him double take

[@fvw1187]

That whole episode was wild

[@McDonaldsCalifornia]

What amazes me about Nathan for you is that many scenarios can basically described as improv hooks. Nathan just gets people to improvisationally perform with him without their knowledge.

[@GlobusTheGreat]

I never thought of it like that but it is SO true. I mean every time he pitches them a ridiculous idea it's his seemingly sincere sense of expectation that compels them to play along and improvise, not wanting to ruin the "scene," but in the end potentially having big consequences for their business. They just keep getting strung along into more and more absurd improv scenes except its also real life. The show's team seems really great at finding people who will improvise rather than reject the premise though, too.

[@seanmatthewking]

@@GlobusTheGreat There are definitely some people who straight up call him an idiot. Like the toy guy.

[@phosphenevision]

@@seanmatthewking some of the best episodes happen when people just refuse to participate, like the dumb starbucks episode, then it's just nathan's pure unmatched brilliance

[@idontwantahandlethough]

whoa.

[@idontwantahandlethough]

@@GlobusTheGreat he kinda relies on the [incredibly Canadian] cultural expectation that people are agreeable it's kinda genius

[@stockhuman]

This was you at 100?! Wow. :) How far you've come, and still great

[@emperorleroy6747]

At first I thought you meant 100,000. Holy crap how far he's come.

[@mrsylvester5874]

100 what?

[@stockhuman]

@@mrsylvester5874 hard to believe, but 100 *subs*

[@metadata4255]

@@stockhuman I really like this channel but it makes me so fucking bitter about capitalism I can't lie...a hundred thousand people in 2017 throwing their lives at this shit and maybe fifty made more than $1000. Wealth is a goddamn pyramid scheme and I'm tired of living in the closet-Nazi ratking that is the US.

[@jan.akisa.]

@@mrsylvester5874 feet tall

[@SuperWeedPower]

"The Wizard of Loneliness"

[@DougBongos]

This is so fascinating now in context with The Rehearsal, because it’s literally the text of the show that Nathan knows exactly how people work to the point he can flowchart every potentiality, but he’s so far removed from being a person until he becomes a cog in his own machine. Very cool stuff

[@djones1234567654321]

Nathan Fielder is an absolute genius. No way around it. He is incredibly funny and one of the best satirists of our time

[@goodbye_horses69]

Hahahahahaha

[@fvw1187]

As I understand it, the cameramen/women and sound folks wear earplugs so they don’t laugh and ruin scenes

[@Xob_Driesestig]

Even the sound folks? Shouldn’t they check, you know, the sound?

[@csl110]

@@Xob_Driesestig there are devices that measure if sound is happening

[@Xob_Driesestig]

@@csl110 But what about the quality? the background noise? The echo etc?

[@csl110]

@@Xob_Driesestig sorry, I was being sarcastic

[@ManchesterMusic]

Why does a cascading piano make an argument more compelling?

[@samwallaceart288]

Because it's the Morgan Freeman of the music world.

[@ben1147]

It’s from American Psycho

[@sean..L]

Even the name of the show “Nathan for you” is indicative of the performative and artificial nature of the individual in society. It makes the distinction between Nathan and Nathan for you who is a caricature of his true self.

[@goodbye_horses69]

I'm just a silly guy

[@sean..L]

@@goodbye_horses69 Me too buddy

[@sugarbugx3564]

It speaks volumes that Big Joel at 100 subscribers is just as watchable and rewatchable as he is now! He's so talented and dedicated. We love you.

[@suk4honesty]

A writer at Nathan For You: lol zoom in when the mask is taken off it'll look like that shot in American psycho This guy:

[@garyswann3292]

vickie g that’s exactly how that works too.

[@tonegoober]

Bad take. Artists are almost never the best at verbally articulating what they're trying to say, and Nathan's show still speaks volumes more than an analysis could.

[@Atticusthird]

Roland Barthes said the author is dead. This commentary is good and the meaning real, even if it wasn't intended.

[@BaronVonBielski]

yeah because a writer would make the decision on when to zoom the camera. he must be a time traveler because how would he even know this would look similar to the american psycho scene before the shoot

[@5easy]

BaronVonBielski haha ur dumb

[@topleybird2443]

"By setting American Psycho in an empty consumerist hellscape..." Oh, the US?

[@cheekybananaboy3361]

i mean thats literally where its set yeah

[@m.streicher8286]

The fact that this came out when he had 100 subs proves that somewhere there's good content we haven't found...

[@thomase13]

Very true! I find amazing stuff on KZbin with atrociously low view and sub counts pretty often!

[@vilefiend9603]

Behind Nathan's excruciatingly faux-self-consciousness beats dimly the heart of a sociopath.

[@JABS991]

Vile Fiend I met a bunch of canadians once. There is nothing going on behind their eyes. Like Nathan here, they only really mimic human emotions. My experience anyways.

[@blarg2429]

@@JABS991 Am Canadian, can confirm. You will be assimilated. Resistance is impolite.

[@seanmatthewking]

@@blarg2429 I'm so surry

[@blarg2429]

@@seanmatthewking You see? It has already reached the point of no return. You will soon need to make your way to the nearest source of maple syrup to consume, lest you wither away.

[@Adam-dd9lo]

Congrats in reaching 100 subscribers Joel!

[@DecibelOfficial]

This was really well-done, awesome job dude.

[@BeeHash]

Decibel agreed. Shades of good nerd writer episodes.

[@LukeRichert]

"Finding Francis" is one of the best documentaries I've ever seen.

[@skr4207]

He looks like someone who graduated a top business school with really good grades.

[@Williamsdshs11]

This was truly smart. From an artistic standpoint a " masked subject whose unmasking reveals nothing new or true or authentic about them" is a fascinating and possibly profound symbolic idea. May I ask, is that an original concept or did you read that somewhere?

[@francislelievre5172]

try the films Satyricon, Being John Malkovich & Get Out.

[@waterguyroks]

It’s straight from American Psycho. It’s spelled out explicitly in the movie and the video says as much.

[@avillz8279]

@@waterguyroks yes but even the American Psycho shot with the unmasking came way after other films that have experimented with the same motif. Check out 'Funeral Parade of Roses' (1969) I mean at least in the context of film. But I guess you could also say physical masks one can wear in front of the face in of themselves embody the same idea

[@waterguyroks]

Andrew Villanueva Sure, I'm not saying it's a completely original idea created by the film, but the way it was used in this particular video was directly inspired by American Psycho, which is what the original post was asking.

[@avillz8279]

@@waterguyroksafter reading this, my face began to disintegrate. I could feel my facial features begin to warp slowly but surely. The cheeks are the first concrete evidence of this, I feel then warp under their own weight and they eventually form into jowls. But this excites me because the extra space provides me with greater inventory capacity. I stop packing it with Grizzly's when the facial tissue has all but completely lost its elasticity and I can feel my cheeks hanging down on my face. The only way I can describe the sensation is with a wad of spit hanging from its thinnest thread, forever destined to free itself from its own temporality, a reality as inevitable as an apple rotting in the shade. All of us eagerly await the harvest season.

[@doogelyjim8627]

Ahh I love this video so much. You've completely recontextualized Nathan For You for me (that was a weird sentence). Specifically the last descriptor about how it doesn't condemn the 'fakeness' that some people express but rather takes interest and wants to explore that non-judgementally. I've never thought about that before. Also the last line in this video made me crack up

[@phinsforlife7713]

I think Nathan is extremely awkward on purpose. And it works. I've never laughed harder at anything in my life than I do at this show. I fucking hope he's not secretly a serial killer lol

[@batman20x63]

I've seen a few comments saying something like "the show isn't that deep," but I raise this: so what? We can't truly know the artist's/creator's intentions; all we can do is respond to what we're given. If I get an insight from the show that makes me stop a bad habit or makes me reconsider something, isn't that valid? I think I'm rewording "The Death of the Author," wherein we must work with the content we have access to, disregarding the creator's intentions. Misinterpretation might be an issue if it leads to harmful actions, but I don't think that's a problem here.

[@babery9756]

american psycho was actually directed by a canadian filmmaker! great video, by the way!!

[@BigJoel]

Wow, what is it with Canada?

[@idontwantahandlethough]

Whoa, Big Joel hits differently when I'm high. I think you might be a genius dude

[@vulpesmacrotis1990]

Try Big Joel on psychedelics

[@aealaeddin]

lol I can't believe you had 100 subscribers only 5 years ago. Your work has been A+ from day one.

[@waxh9679]

idk if nathan for you is that deep, but i think you're onto something. reality tv tries to expose the human condition over and over, but the human condition can be understood in books and movies and by living with other people. one only has to pay attention - sometimes ask questions. idk if i would say /i/ have DID, but i know a lot of people who do, and we've discussed the crossover between manufactured identity and identity disorders before. as children, a lot of people learn to perform the personalities expected of them, whether or not those personalities are genuine. sometimes, people develop disorders over that. agreeing to do things we wouldn't have done given a fair choice can mess people up. idk idk idk lots of thoughts about this video. thanks

[@GlobusTheGreat]

I full-heartedly think Nathan for You is filled with interesting artistic subtext. Whether or not the writers really understand all of the themes or messages (which I bet they mostly do), just the act of putting real people into contrived, absurd scenarios and spinning things with satirical commentary from nathan is a rich situation to explore a lot about human nature / behavior.

[@avery465]

There are definitely some brilliant reoccurring ideas that seem to be sprinkled throughout the show. Some more blatant then others

[@Scallopwag]

Dude, I love your channel! Just discovered it and I think you do an amazing job. Keep up the great work!

[@BigJoel]

Thank you!

[@andreweaston390]

I've been binging all of Big Joel's videos from oldest to newest for months now LMAO. Thank you for being the biggest Joel in my gf's and I's life:)

[@fleidyleegyrson7361]

This is one of your best videos

[@VictorRebuzzi]

You should do an update for this one now that the show has ended with the beautiful "Finding Francis"

[@imsotiredofthiscrap2341]

i just wanted to say that when i watched this i thought it was posted a couple months ago… FIVE YEARS AGO? this is some quality analysis big/little joel. good for you.

[@noahsmythe7022]

Really fucking interesting. Didn't think these two productions would ever be comparable. Great video dude

[@BigJoel]

Thank you!

[@Gloria-xb6ch]

Dang ...what an articulate analysis. I never thought of Nathan for you in this way until now.

[@BigJoel]

u honor me i am a nigerian prince pls send me mons.

[@Gloria-xb6ch]

Big Joel lol seems legit

[@BigJoel]

thank you, having made video essay about nathan for you and being a nigerian prince who needs your money are two of my fav things abt me.

[@cartermo13]

This was an absolutley beautiful comparison, i've never been able to put words to Nathan's style of comedy, and you hit it right on the head.

[@OwenLikesComics]

This was absolutely brilliant! American Psycho is my favourite movie, and now I'm dying to start watching Nathan For You haha, great job!

[@BigJoel]

Thanks so much. Yea American Psycho is one of my all time favorites too. Honestly though, I prefer Nathan For You.

[@liammarshall-butler3384]

"I just saw that I hit 100 subscribers" and a legend was born

[@vaughan3000]

Terrific video man great job. Love the show and the movie. Superb editing

[@BigJoel]

Thanks, I really appreciate it

[@benjaminbird6166]

Pretty fascinating man, love the show, great take on it.

[@BigJoel]

Thank you!

[@xcf1614]

I love your video essays and your whole channel. My friend works on this show btw!

[@Tobyee]

This is awesome, Joel! 👍 Has been a fan of the show & I knew there's something unique about it comparing to others - Never looked at Nathan that way before.

[@BigJoel]

Thanks so much

[@mikegribanov6105]

This was awesome, great job

[@Fpsmexicanninja]

this is quite a well thought out video dude, keep it up

[@mazenrabih2]

This is really good keep at it bro!

[@captnquazar2153]

Great video man. Keep up the good work

[@matthewhovda5989]

This is like when your professor makes you write an essay so you force a connection that isn't actually there

[@eggynack]

What connection is being forced here? Seems straightforwardly evident in the text, and even intended by the creators.

[@avj8833]

But he did it really well

[@ruhroh7042]

Yeah this is quite a stretch. It really has nothing to do with American Psycho other than that one visual element

[@CcBloom777]

Love this show and I love video essays, but this shit was really reaching

[@eggynack]

Still not sure what, if anything, about it was reaching. It's not like he said they were particularly similar works. It was just using the lens of American Psycho to better understand the oddity that is Nathan for You.

[@al_sprays_paint8669]

I was a little skeptical about the thesis, but you backed it up very well

[@DrCanyonero]

Thought this was a Nathan For You clip. I was disappointed. Luckily not for long since I kept watching. gj

[@goodbye_horses69]

Thankyou Joel. Trailer up soon. Nathan x

[@xWASDMitch]

fantastic video

[@BigJoel]

Thank you!

[@AlexaSmith]

Really interesting video! I never would have thought of it this way

[@nathanphillips6911]

Congrats on 100 subs!!

[@Cesspool127]

this was...beautifully put, genius

[@Forestfreud]

Big Joel is the perfect embodiment of the John Mulaney bit where he says “in college you can just raise your hand and be like ‘I think Emily Dickinson’s a lesbian’ and they’re like ‘PARTIAL CREDIT!’”

[@brunomesmo4906]

Your channel is awesome!!! Salute from Brazil

[@ArianaAlexis]

I just started watching this show today and you basically said everything I was thinking and didn't even know I thought.

[@Kayla-ly8rm]

I love how you describe Nathan For You wanting to explore the quality of humans to wear a sense of artifice. The show really is more about what people are willing to do and discomfort they're willing to hide in front of the camera than funny business ideas. You're so good at analyzing media, it's unreal.

[@GlobusTheGreat]

Exactly, some people sell their souls hard and suck up to try and get as much as they can out of Nathan's team and resources, some play along just enough to avoid any conflict, and some people actually speak up about their worry for Nathan or his ideas. It's also interesting because we're not seeing traditional "character development", but we're learning about the choices of real people in absurd scenarios.

[@5easy]

tremendous, eager to see new videos bro! keep it up

[@BigJoel]

Thanks so much!

[@helen8602]

Love it man keep it up

[@mickyhall5408]

great observation of a great show!!

[@ScabiousGarde]

Hey, 100 subs, nice going!

[@jimpeb7186]

Great video. Expected 40000 subs, so keep it up.

[@lainalien]

Congrats on 100 subs

[@whirlwind872]

Legitimately my favorite outro out of all your videos LOL

[@theibis6025]

weird but fantastically done

[@BigJoel]

Thank you so much!

[@Khandrake]

i feel like persona 4 did this also, masks are a tool we use to talk to eachother

[@JOCAWWE9]

Loved this. Thank you

[@napoleonsittingonvegemite6234]

really good observation, thank you

[@robmckennie4203]

I think, to a certain extent, this theme is definitely there. Again and again you see Nathan challenging people to say things they don't agree with, then confronting them with their decision. Just look at the episode with the mock trial.

[@joshuaolian1245]

this was awesome would love to see an analysis of finding frances!

[@plugshirt1762]

That episode is easily my favorite and really feels like an even deeper version of this same theme. We get to see some of the most genuine looks at Nathan and the old man he is helping shedding the facade of the Nathan Fielder persona or the Bill Gates impersonator for the most part only for the old man to resign himself to wearing a mask at the end when he realizes Frances moved on without him long ago. He ends up putting on a mask of pretending to have just decided to check in on an old friend to hide his pain upon realizing how hopeless the situation is. Nathan's entire segment with the escort is such a great way to end the series with her questioning where the line is drawn between his persona and his true self and if anything recorded can be genuine.

[@RossStern]

Nathan for you isn't entirely a spoof. Most of the episodes are non-scripted with actual people Nathan's working with.

[@TrashTheory]

Great video again Big Joel! I never got the connection between American Psycho and Nathan but it makes so much sense in hindsight. Keep up the good work!

[@BigJoel]

Thanks so much!

[@Ottrond]

Yet another great video, you go Big Joel!

[@mercy57]

This really helped me to begin to know how to even watch this show…I wouldn’t have divined these things on my own, so thank you!

[@caitie226]

I totally dig the fact that you make connections where very likely none are intended. Unintended readings are still totally valid and interesting and I love seeing where you go with them.

[@JoeServo]

0:24 nice to see Big Joel himself making an appearance in the show!

[@PeterBSon]

Great video. Thank you for the content, I enjoyed it very much.

[@lordgigapiller]

100 subscribers, how times have changed

[@edwardhelms]

The camera and social forces move us away from humanity. The people were people, but when they're in front of the camera, the attention forces them to become "human adjacents" as Big Joel says. Great video

[@thecatlurking]

"Nathan For You" gives me heavy Wham City Comedy vibes

[@sydisawesome1]

god damn i love alan resnick

[@Zentagon]

Great job on this video! Grats on hitting 100 and nearly 200 subs. Keep it up

[@BigJoel]

Thanks Zentagon, you're pretty close to 300 there, so that's cool.

[@robmckennie4203]

Lol nek minnit

[@juliandukes7102]

Congrats on the 400 hundred

[@emilydagna6793]

Congrats on 75K :P

[@Drippyteeth]

“Thanks for 100 subs” now look where you are big Joel

[@danielvictor3262]

fucking genius

[@DerDoenerInMir]

Nathan is in touch with humanity

[@normanbates2486]

Great work

[@celinak5062]

Evangelion - the hedgehog dilemma and less depression

[@LogicGated]

Aww younger, 100 subs big joel.

[@EpicChocolateSauce]

Nice video! Loved the argument

[@tomwoolsey1089]

The Joel of Legend

[@Pinko_Jess]

"By the way, I saw that I hit 100 subscribers and that's pretty cool" 😳

[@TheBlarggle]

"Freakin' me out, you wear a mask called counterfeit , You're freakin' me out, you wear a mask"

[@user-fm6jw2md3h]

Yeah, well done.. and I think it was helpful to point out even though your content is really good you're still working your way up. So maybe do that again? Brovo

[@BigJoel]

I'll do my best to make you proud, Toby.

[@RayFaye]

are you proud Toby

[@bertfromseasamestreet]

The late great Herby Joel kills it a gain

[@tos100returns]

At times he's got a Joe Pera vibe.

[@EnidFPatternson]

This is quite brilliant. I can't wait to refer to it in one of the videos on my own channel. I don't agree with your whole thesis, but the connections you're making are inspired. Thank you! (I burst out laughing at, "But we're not. I mean, . . . we're just not." :-D)

[@BigJoel]

haha thank you!

[@sashabrice5927]

That's an interesting point, but I think the link is as close as alienation caused by both autism and sociopathy. Two different disorders, not without similarities of course

[@razzle8140]

Jesus Christ, Big Joel, this incredible!

[@Rubbly]

100 subscribers wowee

[@itsbeebaby]

I would love an update on this talking about the rehearsal and the prevalence of Willy Wonka

[@nth460]

But what about the Oompa-Loompas?

[@khodges72]

Big Joel is just a mask, and behind that mask there is a smaller Joel, a little Joel perhaps

[@518-grind6]

good ending tag lol

[@BigJoel]

Thanks, I recorded it before I knew what video I was gonna use for it, but I think it worked out pretty well