What IS Nathan Fielder?

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Sources:
New York Times Interview:
www.nytimes.com/2014/06/15/ma...
Grantlands Interview:
grantland.com/features/nathan-...
Reddit Thread with Nathan for you guest, from S04E08: Hero-
/ cxz88nt
Interview with “Robbin Stone” from The Rehearsal
www.vice.com/en/article/pkgpn...
• Nathan Fielder Brought...
www.interviewmagazine.com/cul...
www.throughtheclutter.com/nat...

[@WayneRosePeachMilk]

I can't believe you didn't mention how after Nathan goes back to the gas station to talk about how the rebate hike went, the owner casually mentions that he drinks his grandson's urine when he feels scared and it catches Nathan so off guard that he actually drops character for just a second.

[@jackeychapman7501]

Thanks for sending me down this rabbit hole.

[@TomBombadil1350]

I remember watching this when it came out fucking hilarious

[@danculbert6349]

The funniest moment in the whole show. Aside from that part where he gets the funeral director lady to gift him a pair of scissors then acts weirded out that she gave him scissors.

[@ChemistryLemur]

Scissors bit, is hands down the best moment. She just keeps rolling with it xD

[@danculbert6349]

@@ChemistryLemur 😂😂😂

[@A-Dino-Named-Mennany]

Maybe the _real_ Nathan Fielder was the friends we made along the way.

[@overthehedge7591]

Or your friends seemed real to you, but either you, the friends, or both, were acting out the reality they/you wanted to see.

[@raymondclifford6742]

GODAMNIT

[@SickegalAlien]

Yes, I genuinely believe that... 😢

[@lydiasteinebendiksen4269]

Oh god I hope not

[@dmaa88]

This is one of the very few times where this meme legit hits the mark.

[@oposdeo]

Nathan gave a zoom talk for my University during the pandemic. It was not clear if it was meant to be a comedy event, or a talk on business, or what. Someone from the school of business was giving a normal interview with Nathan, but it often went in strange directions. It was incredibly surreal and unusual, though there were definitely intentional jokes sprinkled throughout, such as recurring jokes about him accidentally revealing that he has hemorrhoids, either through his webcam, browsing history, browser tabs he forgot to close, etc.. He's a real funny guy.

[@RandomDude647]

theres some clips of that talk on youtube: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iISnk5yEetlliac kzbin.info/www/bejne/g3mvmJSYeZZlebM

[@timothysheridan8134]

But is he a “real” funny guy?

[@stratospheric37]

@@timothysheridan8134 He's a "real funny" guy for sure

[@Dong_Harvey]

For real tho, a "funny" guy

[@jasonrhodes5034]

NO no no no….this is aspie comedy……look at bullshit the tv show….it’s the same idea….the fact something is bullshit anD callled out but we accept it and move on regardless because we had a plan……. The doco on getting a job is satiRe because he got a job wiThout trying which meant that two other people lost a job and it’s a documentAry on how aspies treat humans and adventures as quests… Either he turns around and does the doco on the now fired crew getting a jOb by hiring a new doco crew to monitor the same doco crew…..and insight on swapping directors when you have shit stories in Hollywood or the fact thAt just because you are not doing the job and they are willing to replace on a bliNd phone call just means nothing matters and it’s all chances…..there’s no stacking the decks yourself

[@nickpolatas8433]

I always thought that what made Nathan For You so surreal was not that the Nathan was a real person, but someone who was sociopathic commitment to the bit.

[@ScorpionXXXVII]

Yes, exactly how I feel. It wasn't that it was funny (it was funny), the best part of the show was how comfortable he is doing these things.

[@NightRogue77]

Dude is a non-maliciously-intented sociopath, and even still, wrecks the lives/emotions of others. It’s fascinating, but it’s also maddening because I truly and deeply believe that gaslighting another human being is one of the most evil things a person can do… And doing it INTENTIONALLY, is on some other kind of level approaching psychopathy as far as I’m concerned.

[@cassieroo17]

God I appreciate a sociopathic commitment to the bit

[@KaiLucasZachary]

@@NightRogue77 By definition, gaslighting can only be done intentionally.

[@NightRogue77]

@@KaiLucasZachary suppose you have an individual severely lacking in self-awareness. Suppose this individual is pathological in their behavior. Suppose that this individuals automatic behavior includes compulsive/pathological lying in order to maintain advantageous positions in all interactions. While admittedly being done without CONSCIOUS knowledge, what would you call their attempts to get you to believe a false reality so that they can get away with their lies, in this instance? I call it gaslighting. Ultimately, we are all responsible for being aware of our actions.

[@LonkinPork]

"I invite everyone to come inside me" is one of the funniest things I've ever heard a human being say with a completely deadpan expression and tone, I cannot fathom how strong his commitment to staying in character is

[@DoomRater]

I think at this point we need to consider the fact he could be autistic, or rather likely is autistic

[@bryson0206]

lmaaaao!!!

[@Admmkh]

@@SnailHatan Lol

[@jacksonmurphy8169]

He can say ‘its just a prank bro’ and no one will get mad

[@jacobleukus6930]

But that joke was filmed and curated. How many times did he rehearse that joke? How many times did he crack up laughing at it just to use that one take where he finally nails it to the point you compliment his ability to stay in character.

[@moonlight2870]

I remember when Nathan helped a liquor store by selling liquor to minors, but they were actually buying the rights to claim a liquor bottle when they were 21. They could show the permit to anyone, but not actually consume the alcohol. It was like a booze nft. That shit was hilarious.

[@KzudemRiM]

OMG you are right xD

[@Adam-yr2nq]

Hey, at least they could get a physical object at some point

[@Eric_I_Guess]

And then they brought the kid back on in the finale and were like "oh technically this expired" or something like that

[@aristotlesimone4773]

Booze nft lol

[@emmi2670]

more like booze social security or pension?

[@markstephenpelfrey]

A24 has a podcast episode with Nathan, where he reveals his character acting. He’s very sincere, and the most “himself” I’ve seen. The episode is called “Animal Instincts with Nathan Fielder & Alexa Demie” by The A24 Podcast.

[@sembi_]

Thank you for this!

[@sameerhasan7468]

but how much of that is actually real, or he trying to act normal and stuff.

[@diegomercado6586]

​@@sameerhasan7468exactly, the point of the video is that even if you had a way to surveillance Nathan 24/7, you could never really know who he is, only he can, probably he doesn't And the point is that it doesn't matter

[@N8Dulcimer]

We really have moved completely beyond the era of "video essayists" even doing the most basic research before blathering for an hour straight. I clicked on this video expecting some deeper topic than "is Nathan a character?" because I assumed anyone with a three digit IQ could easily tell that he is a character, albeit a character that only a really weird guy could actually embody.

[@BreathingStereotype]

@@N8Dulcimer Personally, I took it as more of an analysis into the concept of identity and what truly makes somebody "real" at the end of the day, especially with how it later shifts to the essayist branching into multiple examples of this idea: with Nickado Avocado, Andy Koffman, and even himself. It seems like Nathan Fielder was meant to be just an introductory concept into the core message of the video, though I do wish it'd focused less on him and shifted the focus earlier---rather than saving it for the last 20~ minutes!

[@cellodensetsu8778]

KZbin has messed up the idea of "actors" and "showbiz." Nathan's messing with the boundaries between real and scripted is so timely. We're all actors. The Rehearsal really made me feel.

[@micaylak1099]

one thing you missed in your research is where those old photos came from! those photos of him as a “teenager” are actually from a blog he ran in 2005 while in business school where he would post these awkward photos that he created. he has been building this character long before even going into comedy..

[@Canadian_Sapphire]

That would probably explain how physically distant he was in the photos. If it was an actual photo, he probably would have been cropped out

[@lloydirving6209]

He has been into comedy well before going into business school. He was in his high school's improv comedy club with Seth Rogen

[@tenta9876]

He's always 4 parallel universes ahead of us

[@wetterschneider]

@@Canadian_Sapphire Also that he was wearing the same pants!

[@Heizemann]

His whole career is just one of his awkward plans. I´m sure of it

[@purplehaze2358]

“Spirits communicate with me, and my body is just a vessel. So I invite everyone to come inside me” I laughed unreasonably hard at that.

[@Gxylord]

Me too LMAO it's the straight delivery for me

[@LPTheGas]

@@Gxylord phrasing!

[@misterkefir]

yes, it was very funny. especially the way he delivered it. laughed out loud.

[@youknow2145]

as someone on the autism spectrum, that description you did in the beginning about nathan feeling like an outsider an uncanny person trying really hard to be well human, and play a human correctly, really resonated with me, my autism has always made me feel that way and i could never put it into words ever

[@nadaespecial4198]

I cried

[@MoonbearStartiger]

Same. I can be really charming at times, I guess, and I definitely have a big personality but I've had to PRACTICE getting used to being casually extroverted despite a history of anxiety and awkwardness... there are still times I feel like a kid in an adult mech-suit trying to "act normal" - folks don't even realize you can be the most savvy-ass person and super intelligent and have all these hobbies and interests but be Autistic, and a lot of Autistic people aren't recognized as such, because they assimilate so well, and may not even know themselves... it's more common than is actually documented. So I DEFINITELY thought he'd be Autistic....

[@heyustabbedme]

Yea Nathan actually studied autistic traits when creating his character

[@dashiellgillingham4579]

I once told my Dad that the experience of autism is that of being a permanent foreigner.

[@ujustgotpwned2008]

Xzmd

[@justsomeguy7042]

Can’t believe you didn’t mention the AV Club interview. In 2015 Nathan was doing an interview, but he heard a podcast where the interviewer’s mom said she hated Nathan and his show, so he requested that instead of an interview he could just speak to her. He is WAY out of character, talking about his divorce, his process for the character he plays, the intentions of Nathan For You, and he says profound things about human connection. It honestly adds a new layer to his work. Check it out!

[@cadycutter]

Do you know where you can watch this ? Can’t seem to find it

[@Andrew-gi8qb]

Yes please tell us where we can find this, I’m very intrigued

[@pepperpattynaise]

My guy where or how can we find this?!

[@azureblizzard721]

I love how you're spiritually unable to make video essays below the 1 hour mark anymore

[@yemmohater2796]

I prefer his 30 minute ones

[@tselmegb7388]

God image writing a plus 1 hour video essay that must take alot of time

[@inray__]

@@yemmohater2796 nobody asked

[@wafflebroz]

@@tselmegb7388 He writes a 20 minute video and then speak slowly and rambles through it :-p

[@dinogt8477]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/bHPaiJmfgbSHe6s fate stay the night

[@th3-tr1ckster]

being a violinist, the stuff about nikocado avocado’s violin skills genuinely broke my heart. i would never forgive myself if i gave up the passion i have for my instrument in favor of the content i thought would make me money. the video of him playing is so haunting and melancholic… i hope he’s alright behind his online persona. he truly is incredibly talented.

[@UberNuber]

He's just s gross pig. No need to feel anything but disgust

[@theletterm8865]

Honestly, the vast majority of his "weird," less manipulative, behaviors didn't come across as weird to me because... I mean, that's kinda how I think of myself. Making jokes that never land, only for my younger brother to steal them and make everyone laugh. Interacting with people and being unable to understand them in their entirety, always wondering what I'm missing. I finally found a romantic interest who felt the same about me over time and yet, over 1.5 years later, I still don't know if we're actually dating! It all feels like a nightmare that I can't wake up from. A world that is asking far too much of me, yet far too little in the same exact instances; relationships I stumble blindly into that either work out, or fracture into shards that lacerate my being; losing my childhood to adults around me thinking I'm "mature," yet finding myself regressing into a child as a near adult. There's a fundamental sense of ... unbelonging, in a world and in a body that never wanted me to exist. I don't know how long I can keep trying to remain here. Anyway - good video, thanks. Sorry for that word salad.

[@elpendejo333]

Bro I felt the exact same away and it was undiagnosed autism, check with a neurologist!

[@theletterm8865]

@reznik3336 turns out, my mom began suspecting autism and let me know late last year, and i've been operating pretty much under the assumption that i'm autistic ever since - feeling better about myself! it still sucks a lot of the time, i know i'll never be considered "normal" or whatever and i can't regulate myself too well. but hey, small steps.

[@4nn4h]

I also recommend straight-up, plainly asking your romantic interest what the deal is between the two of you. I had a similar situation, and having that clarified helped a lot. Good luck with everything! It sucks to live in a belljar, but the walls can become more permeable :)

[@CALIBA88]

damn this is so describing how i feel since month

[@mattymerr701]

​@@theletterm8865 you missed out on early intervention, but any intervention is better than none

[@alexmccurter2885]

I think when people say you seem genuine, they mean you seem genuinely passionate. Not that your content seems uncurated or unrehearsed. But it's clearly from the heart. That's gonna resonate with a lot of people.

[@Ghi102]

That genuinely passionate appearance could also be an act though. He could be bored as shit about the subject, but cynically picking it because he knows it will get views. Acting in a way that makes it look like he cares about it That's his point. It seems genuine, he seems relatable, but there's no way for us to know if that's how he really is

[@trashman1605]

@@Ghi102 but if something fake done this masterfully is it really fake anymore?

[@1mclv]

@@Ghi102 I think there's something funny about that, because the dedication he puts into it is what for some of us makes it seem genuine, some of us like to create stuff and I think we can see a little bit of us reflected on him, that's what makes him relatable to me and even if it is an act I really appreciate it. Nobody (for certain) can tell if anything is real, you only choose to believe that or believe that implicitly, because the other option is just feeling miserable and trapped in a fabricated world where everything and everyone is observing or against you.

[@randomjunkohyeah1]

@@trashman1605 This is serious philosophy shit right here

[@perpetualgrimace]

@@Ghi102 there is no way he could possibly do such deep dives if he were bored as shit about the subject

[@TFrills]

The fact that Nathan actually attended parties in high school makes him more popular than I was. I just sat alone and played single player games.

[@conbon3564]

yo me too.

[@TheoRae8289]

I grew up socially isolated, so I tended to not know about the parties until someone broke out the stack of photos hey got developed from it. 😂

[@sourgreendolly7685]

Same. But parties a stressful anyways so 🤷🏻‍♀️

[@thoticcusprime9309]

you care about being popular with stupid sheep? I easily seen parties are stupid trash that was pointless and that could ruin your life if youre male and you interact with a drunk female

[@TheoRae8289]

@@thoticcusprime9309 chill out there incelimus prime

[@Chonkems]

Nathan is the most understandable Canadian. Dude just makes what are essentially mind-breaking shitposts.

[@Rogue_Fire-pb5cj]

This is unironically one of the best videos I've ever seen. The absolute emtional ride you take us on in this video is insane. I love when a video can make me feel something less superficial, something that lasts, and thats what you have done. A video with real emotion in it, a video that is distinctly human. Hats off to you, you've killed it ❤

[@SepherOfFire]

The absolute definition of "There is a point where we needed to stop and we have clearly passed it--but let's keep going and see what happens"

[@NickRaven]

Yeah, the video really feels like it could've stopped at the half-hour mark when it definitely didn't have much of anything to say. Loved the last video, but this was a thin premise to stretch an hour long video around. Better luck next time, SEW!

[@theirishpotato6588]

@@NickRaven I personally disagree

[@gloop7458]

@@NickRaven I very much disagree and I thought that the original comment was talking about Nathan, and not the video, but I may be off on that Regardless, after that mark, is when the video shifted from one topic to another, to be less about Nathan and more about the human condition, how perception battles against reality and how everyone kind of manipulates everyone's perception of them even if not intentionally. That no one will ever truly know you, arguably not even yourself (that's my point not theirs. They actually state quite the opposite but yeah) Despite how obvious a conclusion this may be for some, it really isn't for the majority of people and so it's something to make videos about and discuss

[@SadToffee]

Nathan's miraculous ability to channel substantial feelings of awkwardness into comedic moments is genuinely one of the most hilarious bits I've ever seen and it is genuinely amazing how good of an actor Nathan is, and Nathan's style is about as close as you can get to a "comedy actor"

[@dinogt8477]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/bHPaiJmfgbSHe6s THIS VIDEO EXPLAINS WHO NATHAN IS

[@commonviewer2488]

I read "malicious" instead of miraculous, which I think fits better

[@wjjhanky]

You kinda described why I enjoy watching Jerma

[@merovech7]

@just i c e FAKE LINK

[@NotSomeJustinWithoutAMoustache]

@@wjjhanky Also somewhat applicable to Dad and Vsauce imo

[@GideonBotes]

Finally made end and...STANDING OVATION. This mystified, intrigued,scared and resonated with me on so many levels. Probably the most meta thing I've seen. Amazing to hear about Nathan Fielder, Andy Kauffman, the Avocado guy, but seriously, it got pretty meta to the end when you started speaking about yourself. The line where you said, ’Every person is their own internal universe’ is something that I've tried to illustrate to so many people, worded in that exact way, but never had the storytelling finesse to explain what it means. Like when you stand on a bridge overlooking a highway of bumper to bumper traffic, and you realise every car is a capsule containing a human with decades of moments and memories, possibilities and dreams, and oodles of experiences and wants and desires. Somehow all of this made me think of that line - "Artists use lies to tell the truth". Amazing content. Thank you, and well done.

[@Andrew-gi8qb]

Completely agree

[@KeKe-bv8qv]

This becomes most obvious to me when I catch myself imagining what other people are thinking or seeing, which is necessary to try and understand other people's perspectives, putting yourself in other peoples shoes, only to have a surreal realisation that that's not reality. They are things that I have inferred from my personal experiences and knowledge. I have absolutely no idea what other people are thinking or feeling. The closest I can possibly come to understanding is if they tell me and/or I have some personal experience that allows me to relate in some way. I am an enclosed being and my ability to take in information from outside of my self is incredibly limited.

[@basicbean4997]

I want you to know that this is now my favorite video on the internet. I’ve been thinking a lot recently about how other people perceive each other, and how none of it is truly reflective of how a person thinks of themself. Media like this that delves into perception vs. reality, and the blurring between fact and fiction is my favorite, as I find myself being both confused and awestruck by the layers of well-crafted storytelling. So yeah, thank you for making this video.

[@PacopicooftheDuty]

A major problem I have with watching SEW videos as of late is that I can't quite tell whether he's the one slipping down into insanity or I am.

[@erubin100]

this is a problem?

[@HelloHuman1]

@@erubin100 Yes, losing ones sense of self is horrifying.

[@shytendeakatamanoir9740]

Porque no los dos?

[@youtubesucks1821]

It's the accent that makes it appear that way

[@BrainLapseFilms]

Did you not get to the part where he tells you everything you see of him is a carefully curated performance?

[@malna6220]

Oh boy, time to watch my favourite KZbinr make an hour long video about an obscure topic that will definitely not emotionally confuse me in the last 5 to 10 minutes.

[@GabrielGarcia-qr5wm]

oh yeah, video about the guy that has a second hit show in hbo, really obscure

[@MrAlien23]

🤓

[@MortalGlare]

@@GabrielGarcia-qr5wm to be fair, we don't have HBO in europe so it's much harder to watch that stuff. I've only heard the show mentioned on a podcast I listen to

[@malna6220]

@@GabrielGarcia-qr5wm Name me 2 other videos that question the genuineness of a the host of two HBO Shows, while slowly drifting into the topic of human realism and the Impossibility of ever breaching the void between yourself and every other person you will meet in your lifetime. If you can do that, I will delete my comment asap.

[@NarakunoHana100]

@@GabrielGarcia-qr5wm still never heard of him

[@dianeturner9060]

When you consider the breath of material that Nathan has written, edited, acted in, directed going back to his days in improve in Canada, it is obvious that this is an artist with true depth of thinking that allows him to explore absurdity. He often stays in his character but I think The Rehearsal's point was to let him move away from specific character of Nathan Fielder to allow him to spread his creative wings. He is started producing shows for HBO in addition to creating his own content. He has shown new ideas of a Nathan Fielder character. And now he is showing himself to be an astute writer, director and actor of Fictional work where he plays a character in The Curse. This is a great video here but would love to see a part two exploring his continued evolution on his artistic/comedic path. I think someday Nathan will win an academy award for writer, actor, directors. He is just getting started. A brillian man.

[@BoobsIndeed]

In a reddit AMA years ago Nathan addresses this question by saying that the character Nathan is him playing up the more awkward parts of his real personality. Which is why I think it's so hard to tell where the real person and the character begin and end. Because there's truth to every part of the "fictional" version of Nathan.

[@MephiticMiasma]

Reminds me of a comment by one person who worked with Don Knotts, and remarked that "in real life, he's about sixty percent Barney Fife"

[@breemee1234]

Sooo he's basically the most convincing reality star ever

[@chasebliss5045]

or he just wants you to believe that that's the fact to set up his next show.

[@AutumnOnFire]

But then where does Fictional Nathan come in when he is actually being "Real" Nathan? Is it a binary act or is it on scale of 0-100% of him being his "real" self and him playing up his character.

[@irenic_raccoon]

He's playing himself up. Like an exaggeration of his personality he plays for TV like a KZbinr does for videos I get it.

[@camplesco2708]

As someone with an eating disorder, that video of Nick playing the violin made me cry. I'm not claiming that he has an ED but that is definitely a good visual representation of what its like. The way food surrounds you and becomes one of the top things you think about, the way these habits create a distance between you and the rest of the world, the way you can only claw away from complete oblivion, and the way anybody (including yourself) can only watch helplessly. That video hurt 😅

[@lifeiscomplikated]

The most terrifying part was the explanation. The fact that too many people really think that creators aren't characters and that ANYTHING filmed isn't curated, edited and manipulated is so so so very scary. If we ever get to a place where the whole world needs to be convinced of a lie - it's going to be unbelievably easy.

[@davidm9799]

So ... we're not there yet? whew that's a relief

[@natevans8024]

well it's happened already w fossil fuels

[@MrAlquimista666]

"If we ever get to a place where the whole world needs to be convinced of a lie" My brother in Christ we are way past that. Just ask Big Oil, Big Pharma and Google

[@josephzelinka414]

i have bad news for you

[@Gustyguy]

Ha ha like it’s ISNT happend Look at pipca for example she was slandered by turkey tom and Made a little world that beviled a lie of pipca docx ing Someone becuase she rightfully called the fbi at her harraser cyberstalking her

[@alexandraw6264]

The part with the little boy who gets attached to Nathan during the rehearsal was really sad. I was raised by a single-parent and that hit way too close to home for me. Honestly, it feels kind of messed up that the little boy, Remy, was put into that situation in the first place. Kids are so emotionally vulnerable about stuff like that, it was heartbreaking to watch the adults put Remy into the exact same position as Nathan, not being able to tell truth from fiction, except in his case it’s completely out of his control.

[@coldravioli7839]

Reason 1 billion why child labor, even acting, is fucked up.

[@caitlinmccloud7431]

@@coldravioli7839 it would be funnier if adults played children. 26 year old mom character yells at her 7 year old character played by a 22 year old actor.

[@whatsursource]

@@caitlinmccloud7431 yeah I bet he can take vape breaks between takes

[@DoomRater]

One good thing about this piece is it emphasizes just how hard and painful things are for child actors, and it should really force us to question whether the practice should even be allowed. Same thing about child prodigies. Hell I'm following an AB/DL comic where one of the characters is a child prodigy and has been caught in a regressive state and it ripped open trauma about their actual childhood, like how the hell do you go from funny interesting "Gosh I wish that were me" fantasy to "oh shit is this actually me" reflection of reality? Whatever happened there, it's probably good that it did. Because it can serve as a warning to society if it's abused in the same way the horrific acts in many religious stories play out as warnings to society if we don't act right.

[@anthonyortiz350]

@@DoomRater Could you please give a link to that comic you mention?

[@MuntInACup]

I enjoyed the duality of Nathan not being like anyone else and then ending it with how we are all just like Nathan. That kind of clever writing is why I love this channel, well done.

[@zerareota1560]

It’s feels crazy that some people don’t like the way he talks, I feel like I could listen to him talk for hours

[@SuperNuclearUnicorn]

Man, Macie is a great escort if she's able to connect with someone like Nathan almost immediately to the point of breaking down his character. That's an underrated skill for someone in her line of work, to make even the weirdest, most awkward, most shy people feel comfortable and like they can be vulnerable. What a legend

[@zennim125]

beat me to it, she is actually unironically really talented

[@dacedebeer2697]

Oldest profession in the world, the original psicologists.

[@jack_barr]

I think that was someone planned on Fielder's part, like him and the writers knew ahead of time the special might be a final episode, so when they met Macie they found the perfect person for Nathan to bounce off of and unpeel his layers to

[@bioticjedi3864]

She could start a cult with that charisma

[@AStrangeTrap]

Kinda weird how her career mirrors his in a way. Like both are trying to make you feel something by pretending to be something they're not. (Eye patch wolf might have said that, but I watched this hours apart lol)

[@Albinojackrussel]

I'm surprised that lucille ball didn't come up in this video. She was the creator of I Love Lucy, where she played Lucy, her husband played her fictional husband and she actually have birth as Lucy. The line between Lucille and Lucy was incredibly fuzzy and most of her fans generally saw her as Lucy, even though Lucy was explicitly a fictional character

[@BoringTroublemaker]

Why are you explaining I Love Lucy as if it’s an obscure show that no one has ever heard of before?

[@Albinojackrussel]

@@BoringTroublemaker because outside of America it is an obscure show nobody has heard of. I found it out from a podcast that does autobiographies of historical women and they did one on her. Everyone else I've ever spoken to has never heard of it. See also Julia Child.

[@budakbaongsiah]

@@BoringTroublemaker Probably because a person like me exist, one that has never seen that show and came from a place that I Love Lucy is not known by almost everyone.

[@d.j.rproductions]

you can also see the same with jacksepticeye and sean both of them are separate entities but often seen as same by the audience, but still, sean controls jack and sean makes jack show us what sean wants us to see, i suppose

[@Matheus-ql7mn]

@@Albinojackrussel I'm from Brazil and can confirm that. Even though it's kinda mildy known by name by some people, even I (who watch a bunch of USA shows) don't know more than the title.

[@eveghost]

This video was a masterpiece. Possibly the best piece of media analysis I've seen on KZbin. As a creator myself, it hit so close to home that I cried at the end. Bravo!

[@broxrosenfeld8418]

This is profound. I dont think anyone else has this exquisite combination of style and substance. Had no idea this show existed, but you seem like an expert and a very passionate one. End made me tear up. I think youve mastered the long-form analysis video as an art. Kudos.

[@TickleMeSenpai]

Even despite his awkwardness and his (probable) isolation growing up, his TV show and his ideas prove he has a firm grasp of human social convention/psychology and knows how to exploit those things to achieve either comedy or a concrete aim

[@nicanornunez9787]

I hope that is not real... Other wise he is a sociopath. I mean I have not watched the last child episode, but there are genuine parts in the rehearsal. The numbers guy looks like a real human not acting.

[@inyrui]

@@nicanornunez9787 Nathan is just playing a character. He is definitely an awkward guy with some weird mannerisms, but he is playing them up a ton for his shows

[@superioropinion7116]

@@inyrui Yeah,he was probably an awkward guy in the past but he also went great lengths to overcome.Only someone who knows how it feels to be awkward can create a show like this

[@inyrui]

@@superioropinion7116 yeah some of the ideas and skits he comes up with are so self aware and laced with irony that they're definitely manufactured for a purpose. I feel like he knows exactly what he's doing and that's why his shows work so well. The levels of irony and lengths he goes to for the bit are proof enough for me that he's fully aware of what makes his act so funny and appealing. Another giveaway to me is when he breaks character and laughs, like in the gas-rebate episode. He was so shocked by the crazy awkward thing the cashier said that he smiled and laughed. It's honestly one of the funniest parts of Nathan for You lol

[@yusefabuissa6685]

It's possible to be aware that awkwardness can be entertaining to watch while still genuinely being awkward

[@Gamechamp3000]

I have never heard of Nathan Fielder and this video made a part of me question if Nathan Fielder is a fictional character made for this video starring in multiple fictional TV shows that exist only in the narrative of this video

[@WhiteKnuckleRide512]

Oh shit it’s Gamechamp. KZbin give this woman a checkmark already.

[@sakuranovaryan9261]

He's been on conan. And he had shows of himself on comedy central. A kind of comedian.

[@SchmidtsLadle]

what kinda House of Leaves ass stuff would that be???

[@wielderofthetriforce1934]

Do yourself a favor and go watch Nathan for You. NOW

[@pakiprime9158]

Is this the one and only Champion of games 3k?

[@poemsofplupp]

For some reason, this video brought my mind to Jim Carrey and now I can't get over the idea of Super Eyepatch Wolf making a video on him too. There's a documentary called "Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond" and it's one of the most fascinating things I have ever watched in my entire life, having lingered with me for days, even weeks afterwards and I still think about it. The film is basically about Jim Carrey sustaining the identity of American entertainer and performance artist Andy Kaufman and remaining in character 24/7, his performance becoming so real that people who had known Andy, even family and others close to him, felt like they had him with them again. It's bizarre in the most genius of ways. Highly recommend it!

[@TicklishWombat]

I binged all of Nathan for You and The Rehearsal this week, and This video was exactly what I needed.

[@TehRealWeegee]

As someone with autism I spent the entire video seeing myself. I saw a show about someone like me who was parodying his own difficulty to understand people, making fun of its absurdity but also missing that connection. About people calling him weird or crazy, the only real compliment he gets is that... hes funny, and thats sometimes what I thought of myself. That the best trait I could put out to my friends was being the wildcard that would lean into my quirks for comedy to make people laugh. When I got to the end and I never saw that revelation, its making me ask myself what that means for my own self perception and persona, the way I approach interacting with other human beings. I still have no conclusion here. Props to eyepatch wolf for his amazing videos. Keep up the good work.

[@Gravastars1]

I'm exactly the same, and I read Nathan Fielder as autistic. This feels especially true in the one where he tries to fake a 'normal', likeable persona, which comes across to me as very obviously a joke about masking (which, funnily enough, also looks like a satire of neurotypical behaviour and social codes)

[@Aaaaaaaaaaaaaahhh]

It feels like Nathan being on the spectrum and self aware isn't an option considered in this vid. Either it's a character and he's not genuinely awkward (ie even the photos of him as a teenager are fake??) Or he's unaware he's funny and all the comedy comes from that. I get what you say as a fellow autistic person that he's seemingly parodying his own experience of socially struggling . big relate. Liked this vid but felt icky abt the avoidance of the idea he's on the spectrum like it's a bad dirty thing not to be mentioned

[@soupthought]

Exactly my thoughts!

[@edgarallenhoe3518]

Yup. Made another comment that was basically this, but everything I've seen of Nathan Fielder leads me to believe that he's playing an exaggerated version of himself, who was already socially awkward and/or ND, in order to make the audience think about where the boundaries of socially acceptable behavior lie.

[@UberPlaysGames]

yeah kinda sucks to hear he made up the bit about being called a robot growing up (although such situations are really painful, so good for him I guess). it felt like I was getting some decent representation of the autistic experience and then the rug got pulled

[@MegaRay220]

There are at least 2 moments in Nathan For You where Nathan breaks character. One while talking with the gas station owner in the rebate store and one while listening to the two Ohio guys in the Souvenir shop episode. It’s honestly a little wholesome to see him poke out from beneath the character of it

[@bascal133]

The one other I remember is in the finding Sophia? Episode when the guy says something really raunchy and he goes “Jesus bill”

[@rans0927]

I think another time about ghost free house

[@rheegret8405]

@@bascal133that scene in the video itself yeah

[@indigoautumn2827]

he breaks character when they find Frances and becomes incredibly worried about allowing Bill to interact with her

[@legoghostyoda]

you drink your grandson’s pee?? what???

[@Zombie_Wombie]

Genuinely one of the best video essays I’ve ever seen

[@Andrew-gi8qb]

That was one of most brilliant, insightful, mind boggling videos I’ve ever seen. I laughed, I cried, I’m at a loss for words… honestly incredible work.

[@dade1603]

Man, when Remy started sobbing I genuinely broke down. I just couldn't stand how this artifice had hurt him, how confusing all of that was and how real that pain and yearning for a parent he knows he wants but can't have :(

[@alexandraw6264]

Same. As someone who was raised by a single parent, that part really hurt.

[@najadamu2724]

I still can't tell if he's actually that good of a child actor or really crying. Like, there's no way that can be real... right?

[@DrPav]

If it's real, that kid is going to carry that pain for the rest of his life.

[@ednoisedem]

I start unconditionally crying just watching that part.

[@otto_jk]

@@DrPav that's kinda what happens when one's parent dies.

[@nikobutterbar928]

Watching the Rehearsal every Saturday with my roommates was so surreal. Every episode had each one of us, all with different levels of Fielder Exposure™️, asking “what the fuck? Was that real?” He’s an incredible entertainer and a terrifying entity.

[@RabidDogma]

I've been putting off watching The Rehearsal for a long time and now I have to watch the entire show, before watching a Super Eyepatch Wolf video, because I really don't want spoilers on the show. So I'm glad that John motivated me to do that at least.

[@RabidDogma]

Just finished it about an hour ago. Thanks for that, Wolf/John.

[@nikobutterbar928]

@@RabidDogmaI know it’s a year later, but I hope you enjoyed it. Those feelings in the last few episodes… is this real? This can’t be ethical… it’s surreal

[@wrios64]

Its funny how a single comedian can be this thought provoking and deep. I mean comedy is usually somewhat built on the personality of the comedian, therefore, it would make sense for Nathan Fielder's character to be an interpretation on himself.

[@AlexThatOneGuy]

This whole video is really well done, and has given me a lot to think about, but GOD DAMN the bit at the end where you're showing off the teleprompter in a sort of "this is a break in character" moment WHILE the words you were saying were on the teleprompter gave me chills.

[@covereye5731]

This is a good narrative. The experiences of this Wolf character that always grows sentimental in over-analyzing is really believable.

[@VisualEnjoyer9756]

So believable that you actually get sentimental about the topics as well. The Garfield episode was my first video of his and by the end I was like "I just spent nearly 90 minutes getting emotionally invested on Garfield shitposting and memes" SEW is truly a master at story telling and creating a connection between his audience and the topic at hand that just hooks and reals you in.

[@riiriluvz]

it’s so crazy to me how you described nathan at the beginning with not fitting and seeming like someone trying to be human because as an autistic person, that’s what it feels like all the time. the jokes never land no matter how much you study the jokes others make, people find you ‘uncanny’ or uncomfortable to be around. it really sucks actually

[@ariannabevier]

Yeah as a fellow autistic that’s exactly what I was thinking for the first five minutes. Like he’s not a weird character, he just sounds like me 😂

[@sardonikai]

yeah, when i watched the rehearsal, it really hit me how autistic he is. like it's a little easier to look past in nathan for you because of the way it's shot and the fact it's a comedy central show, but the rehearsal feels sooooo much more genuine, i literally relate to him the whole time.

[@ilovebillandcleve]

i was literally going to say… some of the things he was describing as “weird” i didn’t even realize are weird because i actually act like that 💀

[@Slanse]

Same, I was like "That's not strange that's just one of the form autism takes" having lived with it and kind of sorta sometime managed to play human good.

[@MaxEverywhereSystem]

hes just like me fr

[@prissynikki3]

This has to be one of the best introspective breakdowns I have seen on youtube. You did amazing!

[@user-pr3yp1wj1f]

I’m absolutely floored. Yours is by far my favorite channel on KZbin. I love your insight and how well you communicate that. Ugh. Thank you.

[@snoopsq.527]

One of the things that I experienced growing up autistic was that I often made people laugh not by being intentionally funny but simply through my lack of social understanding/awkwardness. I liked to make other people laugh so I didn’t really mind it. I have a feeling Nathan had a similar experience to that growing up (assuming he’s on the spectrum).

[@sabrinatheninja9678]

I had, and have a similar experience. I was recently diagnosed with autism. And I was kind of curious as to how this video would go in terms of how this idea of a social void and how we try to perform to seem normal, and how some people just can't

[@SDBaeson]

Yeah for the entire intro of the video I was like, “Okay so this is someone who has studied autistic people and made our lived experiences marketable.” 😂😭

[@greentaigo2552]

@@SDBaeson Im pretty sure he's genuinely like this. In interviews he said he emphasizes certain parts of his personality for his 'character' so its pretty much a caricature of himself. He's not an actor pretending to be socially awkward, just a socially awkward guy who managed to use that to his benefit.

[@amestarson]

Have you ever been told that you come off as fake or sarcastic even when that's not your intention? This has been a struggle of mine trying to find who I am as a person on the spectrum as well.

[@mari98_]

I’m only halfway through but I automatically thought of this. In the initial description I thought maybe him being an autistic person who uses the way ppl laugh bc of his “quirks” (hate that word) as a theme for a comedic career

[@cloudshad0ws]

The blurring of the lines between what's real about Nathan and what isn't, is EXACTLY what makes it all so good.

[@apertureinfog]

Great video. It says a lot that I kept watching for the whole hour. Love the direction you took it in the last third

[@lukefifield4041]

Man this one was really good. It can be treacherous making meta content, but this video was very thought provoking. Especially ending the video on that abrupt note really just lets your mind think about it. Thanks Wolf.

[@jamesonsaleta41]

Your video on Perfect Blue was the first I ever watched. You talked about identity and how other people perceive you, how it's hand crafted and then manipulated by others. Now this video five years later wraps that all around for me. Absolutely incredible work as always. Thank you John.

[@daeins]

8

[@VultureSkins]

That was my first video of his too!

[@ErinSmith-jo8td]

Mine too!

[@alembicsystem]

wasn't expecting the "special interest became nathan fielder" video essay to turn into a genuinely mindblowing work of art but here we are

[@mewxtwo]

This is easily one of my favorite channels. Every time I watch a video I'm reminded of why I subbed. Top quality thought provoking videos always.

[@lll-bm1cp]

It's a character but there's some "truth" to him. As someone with Autism, I truly feel seen by Nathan Fielder. And it's not just that I see myself in the character, I relate to the kind of person who would come up with such shows and characters. He perfectly captures my experience as an overly self aware autistic person with anxiety. Always making people uncomfortable, being perceived as weird, robotic, uncanny, awkward, trying to be normal but others can tell I'm faking it, and the painful hyper awareness, knowing exactly how you are perceived by others and trying to mask ,to rehearse, control and plan every social interaction to influence their perception, but they can always tell somethings off. Those are themes that come up in his entire oeuvre. And I think that someone who can capture these experiences so accurately must have a personal understanding of it, at least on some level.

[@casnovak5532]

In highschool a kid wrote and preformed a play that he started with a monologue telling everyone that the play was in honor of his recently deceased uncle; uncle Slunk. The play continued with the audience osilating between laughing hysterically and bone chilling silence where the audience reeled at laughing at a dead man's final wish, all while he flipped between bits that were so obviously part of an act back to complete serious devotion to his dead uncle without ever breaking character. he even had ppl come up afterwards and console him for his loss anyway, I think the guiding question (and length) reflects on the way you view yourself and other people and it's something I can very much relate to, your methodology and thought process definitely contributed to a this being an interesting video

[@dorothea.a]

slunkle unc

[@RemoWilliams1227]

@@dorothea.a S'luncle?

[@wahwahwah6690]

I like how Nathan (the character) is kind of psychopathtic. He goes to any length to achieve his goal, from rebranding smoke alarms as a musical instrument to get around shipping costs to tricking a lawyer into signing contracts under false pretenses to make him share liability. He hardly ever shows emotion, and while being aware of other people's feelings, Nathan often just disregards them. I love his character. One of the best shows I've seen in the last decade.

[@vis8259]

Psychopathic, not psychotic

[@AzhreiVep]

@@vis8259 Beat me to it.

[@VultureSkins]

@@vis8259 thanks ^

[@sleepyheadlbp55]

honestly, this just feels offensive.

[@wahwahwah6690]

@@sleepyheadlbp55 to psychopaths? Because I don't think it shows psychopathy in a negative light at all.

[@evora4944]

This video was insanely cool to watch. Never expected it to go the way it went. Well done.

[@pollol95]

Boy, I really can't wait to hear your thoughts on The Curse if you've watched it

[@Alucard-A-La-Carte]

I'm very much reminded of the intentionally strange and complex short movie "This House Has People In It" and how it feels like that combined with a very Andy Kaufman mentality. This whole thing very much puts me in mind of the pro-wrestling phrase: "You have to be careful to never work yourself into a shoot." Which, for those who think that's just gibberish, means: "don't trick yourself into thinking the bullshit is real."

[@omnicowdemon]

Alan Resnick. Yeah, all his work is like that. 😊

[@tappajavittu]

This house has people in it is a true underrated gem.

[@ashikjaman1940]

That bit where the dad talks about the bootleg Sonic would fit on Nathan's show I feel

[@ErikaCartet]

oh yeah, huge this house has people in it vibes

[@a.j.animations2235]

What's cool about Nathan is he so determined. He always pushes forward past the point where other people would stop. There were multiple times during the rehearsal where I was thinking to myself "This is too far, we need to stop." But for Nathan, that's not enough.

[@josephsherby]

That’s both an admirable quality of Nathan and one of his biggest flaws. Sometimes he really doesn’t know when to stop and people get hurt in the process. I think he realized he went too far with the last episode of the Rehearsal and that’s why the series ended there.

[@Linkdouble0zero]

I've never watched any of his stuff but watching this video, character or not, I related a lot to this guy. I'm not nearly so desperate to do manipulative tactics or anything but the separateness, the awkwardness, even when you're "fitting in" you don't really "get it" and any second even that small sliver is going to be shattered. It hits close. Even stranger is how the people you know don't believe you, or don't understand why you could feel that way

[@Grayves_X]

This is the second video I've seen of yours and the last section of this has made me subscribe, absolutely brilliant. It's so real.

[@sigridiot7103]

Gotta say, I'm only a few minutes in, but the way you're describing Nathan has an uncanny resemblance to my relationship with my autism. The "trying to act like a person, while being unsure what a person is" line really hit home

[@imogenmangle]

Having a great time scrolling through the comments and picking out the other autistic people who had the same "huh? well, I guess I relate" reaction to the video as me. Hi!

[@Homodemon]

SEW looks like the kind of guy to still thinks that the word "autism" is a highly offensive word to say outright or acknowledge as a thing...

[@guitarmonkeyj]

Lol right? At the start of the video when he describes the mystery of Nathan I’m just like “oh, cool he’s autistic, neat”

[@marnenotmarnie259]

i was thinking the same thing the whole time. i had to stop and look up whether nathan is on the spectrum or not partway through cause it just felt so familiar

[@CreoTan]

Honestly for a lot of the video I was thinking “he can be autistic and be doing a bit. Like he’s hyper exaggerating his most difficult struggles and flaws with autism or social anxiety for the character

[@AusSP]

I can't wait for the episode of Super Eyepatch Wolf where he watches old Super Eyepatch Wolf videos, and tries to work out who the hell Super Eyepatch Wolf is, before zooming out to his "real world", and zooming out to his "realer" world, and revealing that it's actually a video to use as a time capsule to give to his children, before revealing that he's going to be a dad, and then zooming out to "the realest" world where he's showing the video to his 16 year old daughter.

[@tangentfox4677]

That's horrifying and exciting.

[@someones_daughter_]

I was actually thinking the same. He seems like an interesting guy, but it's obvious most of his judgement's been clouded by mainstream reality tv. There's an entire history of multilayered experimental film culture that have touched on the playful and dangerous side of IRONY, pushing boundaries way further than this. That is what writers do, and it gets kinda annoying seeing Super hung up on this mainstream 'reality' genre. I mean it literally says "written/directed by Nathan Fielder", come on

[@jakebrown2235]

This is the best video essay I’ve ever watched. Amazing work

[@filipeamorim5846]

This video was good by itself. but your ending beat... that made it all so worthy. Congrats on this piece

[@Eddyoshi]

That clip of Nathan staring into camera at the end of the music "skit" is legit one the scariest things I have ever seen. Horror/fear in situations where you least expect it and feel the most comfortable always hit me the hardest. Like if you're watching you're favourite sitcom's 43rd episode when suddenly one of the cast members has a heart attack and dies and the camera just keeps rolling...

[@kprocess9058]

was that a reference to something or just a random exemple???

[@cameronwong1091]

I think the first episode of wandsvision has something similar

[@chadstanton2489]

That's a specific kind of comedy, much like the Andy Kaufman style that was referenced in the video. It's funny... from a certain perspective. There will be a bunch of people who are offended by the camera rolling for 15 minutes, with some of those minutes in silence, then the paramedics doing CPR and loading them into the ambulance. It's hard to state why it's funny, because I honestly don't want anyone to go through that in real life and die. On the other hand, the entire thing being a skit (I'm specifically not using the prank word because those youtube videos are people being assholes on camera to real people who don't know it's on camera) turns the humor around to the cameraman not reacting. It's dark humor, but still humor, and also turns the joke right back onto the viewer. We didn't do or react to it... we just watched. And that's funny, from a very specific perspective.

[@CNMashin]

Which show are you talking about?

[@tots1393]

I met him once when he came into a juice bar I worked in. I was genuinely terrified of him as I wasn't sure if I was going to be pranked somehow. He was taking SO LONG to decide on a smoothie I was POSITIVE he was messing with me. But he wasn't. He just wasn't sure. But I can't imagine that's not what his life is to some degree. Walking around with people not knowing who you are BECAUSE they know who you are.

[@Senchi3]

What juice did he get

[@tots1393]

@@Senchi3 He ultimately went with a Mango Tango smoothie

[@TrittbrettCourt]

That's on of the best KZbin Videos I've ever seen! Thank you for your great work 🤩

[@alishpeach8]

This video made me feel something that I haven't felt in quite some time. Thank you.

[@TehFhqwghad]

I'm from Atlantic Canada, and he first started with his character on our local sketch comedy show, This hour has 22 minutes. It was immediately obvious to my family and I, that he was something different altogether. Been following him since a teenager and it's incredible to see his output now.

[@cmmosher8035]

I had heard of Fielder before but I wasn't aware he was on 22 minutes. I haven't it in years.

[@ladyvanda]

Did the show exist before it was picked up by the CBC? I’ve only known about it as a coast-to-coast show (from my barn here in BC).

[@sparklinglys]

eyyy atlantic canada solidarity

[@HankFacepunch]

@@ladyvanda It's been Canada-wide since it started being shown on CBC.

[@hectorg5809]

I mean it's in this video, right before the 22 minute mark

[@ScheffCity]

Regardless, Fielder is unquestionably a genius and a truly artistic mother trucker. Well done, Nathan.

[@gon6152]

I would have lliked this if you hadn't said mothertrucker

[@evanlaux3623]

I think this is the best KZbin video I’ve ever watched. Just subscribed man, I appreciate your dedication to researching something so misunderstood

[@KendyJ929]

My brother and my dad are both on the autism spectrum and it’s it’s odd how many similarities there are between then, others I’ve observed and been close to over the years who are also autistic,and this Nathan guy. I’m utterly enthralled by this subject. I’ve seen a number of comments that say something similar. I’m extremely curious,confused, and uncomfortable lol. Thanks for the deep drive 🤘🏾

[@randomjunk1977]

My wife and I discovered Nathan For You in 2020 during lockdown and I believe we ended up binging the entire run in one day. It's some of the most brilliant stuff I've ever seen. I was slightly hesitant to watch The Rehearsal because I couldn't imagine how he could follow up NFY. But he did. I laughed so hard during that show and his clear deliberate wasting of the HBO budget on ridiculous shit was gold.

[@jackrylebonclaw7270]

The last 7-ish minutes of this video should be required watching for each and every person before they're allowed to go online. I've not seen anyone highlight the artificiality of online content so succinctly and effectively before. Even though I'm a massive sceptic and question pretty much everything, the part about how you'd read that line five or six times, and then the recordings of such, was a smack in the face as it made me realise that even the things I considered unscripted and natural are likely not. Thank you for the enlightenment man 👍

[@NishantGogna]

This is one of the best videos I’ve watched in a very long time. Well done.

[@imbatteries]

What a genuinely insightful and thought provoking video

[@aquamidget1131]

This actually explains an existential crisis I've been having for years now. It's gotten to the point with me when I think about what I'm doing I can't even tell if I'm being genuine or not, because every time I think about it there's a hole for me to poke and use to accuse myself of being fake. I've only been able to combat this by trying to tell the truth at all times and just not thinking about what I'm saying The problem is that I might simply be typing this out for attention and to look unique and interesting and just be lying about my attempts to combat anything at all. It's become a genuine issue for me, because I can't even prove to myself when I am and when I am not being genuine, and if I am putting on a persona to get optimal results or not

[@papaphoenix7533]

I’ve had this feeling before so I feel you, the only way I really stopped thinking like this is I realized that in the end of the day, no one will ever really know who you think are, and you will never know how people think of you in their head. but thats fine. Who you are is what people say about you and what you put out there. the only things that exists in this world are actions. There isn’t anyway to open your brain and have every single thought you’ve had in the air. The only thing you can do to get people to understand bits of you is doing actions that you feel are right and eventually, you’ll make friends that way because people vibe with the actions that you do

[@eggman6605]

The you that puts on a mask and the you that questions that mask are the same genuine person, no? Both are the same insecure person looking for a way to connect. "The mask" isn't the genuine you, but the act of putting on the mask? That is the genuine you. The you that is suspicious of you subconsciously putting on a mask to manipulate a situation? Also the genuine you. You can't be anyone but you.

[@normalrachael]

i relate to how fucky this question gets to try and solve. i think that we are both internally and externally defined-we are our inner thoughts, but we are also the people that others perceive us as, and it’s the external that i think counts for more. living in an age of mass unreality is really complicated. we have all new, accessible ways to create simulacra of ourselves that other people actually view as us-every time you post anything online, you’re creating a new sculpted digital entity that MIGHT reflect aspects of who you are in real life, but will never be a substitute for the real you. and yet, other people will interact with it as if it IS you. we grew up doing this, so it’s no real surprise others do it. we grew up learning a lot of lessons not from actual experience, but from watching actors on television mimic those experiences and also mimicking people learning those lessons, with us viewing them as real people and learning those lessons vicariously. we grew up reflecting mimicries of mimicries of mimicries, and, like it or not, we are forever inseparable from that unreality. what the fuck does this all mean for how we should live and how we should understand ourselves? the best answer i’ve got right now is that we need to understand that actions speak louder than thoughts-whatever we choose present to others (online or in real life) will be all that they have to go off of in determining how they see us. so make a good impression! there’s nothing wrong with unreality; unreality is a part of us. whatever you do, that is who you are.

[@johnathanmcdoe]

@@eggman6605 This is very close to what I said to a friend when the topic came up. You cannot be anything but yourself. Chasing your "authentic self" is futile, you can neither catch up to nor run away from it. I think many people falling for this idea are really longing for change in their life and latch on to the idea that there's this other self already in them, just waiting to be freed from whatever forcing them to hide it. But you're already you, all the time, with all of your problems. And you can change, but only as a whole.

[@benjimoss]

I’m so glad someone else feels like this. I feel like I micromanage all my mannerisms and words to ensure I get the reactions I need or give the impression I want so much that I don’t actually know what my unfiltered personality is anymore.

[@Mexiturtle345]

The Rehearsal is one of the most surreal things I've seen in a while. I have sincerely never seen a show that tackles social anxiety and public insecurity in such a engaging, bizarre, and heartfelt way.

[@NothingRandom]

damn bro. this is the best piece of media i’ve ever seen. i find myself saying that a lot at the end of your videos. no hollywood produced movie, television show, book, song any form of entertainment has captivated me like your videos. excellent work.

[@millax-ev6yz]

You made a terrific piece of art with this video

[@patrickzingler4372]

And as usual, you've managed to find some obscure topic, that I've never heard about in my life, turned it into an insane emotional rollercoaster and left me with a feeling of existential dread which I might never recover from. 10/10, would watch again.

[@obsessivefanboy]

I definitely felt that existential crisis lol man these videos are wild

[@moonlightwite]

It makes so much sense to find out that Nathan is a trained magician. His shows are all illusions and mind games on people who both are and are not actors. I guess only Nathan will ever know who he really is. However, I believe that if you play a character for long enough and spend a lot of time messing with people as that mask, that character or mask will eventually incorporate itself into your real personality, becoming a part of you. Nikocado learned that the hard way. He is both the sad fat man on the floor playing the violin and the apathetic fat man sitting at a table with another fat man eating vast quantities of fast food while a woman screams because she is being murdered next door. (That is not a joke)

[@JackgarPrime]

Hold up, what's that last part about? That happened?

[@damien678]

WHAT WAS THAT LAST BIT?????

[@kostyasaushkin2450]

Le dot - waiting to know more

[@courage_the_cowardly_cam]

.

[@addie1080]

please explain the last part

[@ScottsStockDueDiligence]

First time viewing your channel. Great stuff!

[@erinkathleen8192]

I was enjoying this video a lot...and then I got to the last ten minutes, and it became one of my favorite videos i've ever watched

[@sachitechless]

Super Eyepatch Wolf is slowly delving into a very surreal version of like, digital psychological horror in his videos and I love it. I can't quite explain it any better what this content has become lately and I love it.

[@Iman626625]

Honestly I watch his videos whenever I'm high and its great content

[@BolverkAtlasia]

@@Iman626625 Same. It makes for some really intense trips.

[@killabkillled348]

its comma like comma

[@TheyCallMeContra]

he doesn't like bleach but he's clearly just doing an aizen, taking off glasses included 😤

[@sageinit]

@@BolverkAtlasia I hope Super Eyepatch Wolf at some point (dis)covers Max Headroom

[@endymallorn]

Exploring human liminality is such an odd experience. It’s hard to say whether a person is who they say they are, or if that’s the way that they want you to see them. When I say that your videos feel ‘genuine’, I know about the scriptwriting and the practice. I was a public speaker for a short time, and I run a lot of tabletop RPGs. I get that piece, so what I guess makes it genuine to me is that you have the passion to write the script and perform it. That I genuinely believe you did the research, personally. What’s genuine isn’t the finished product, it’s how the finished product reveals the passion and process behind itself. And I think that’s what happens with Nathan too. I think it happens with everyone. The ability to cross that infinite void into being another person is helpful. It’s why role playing is so useful in therapy, it’s why RPGs are so impactful. It is, as I said, the exploration of human liminality. And some times in life, we get to recognize the artifice that is social interaction. I would suspect that the majority of people are so deeply invested in the character of themselves that they created that they believe it’s genuine. They don’t take the moment to step back. Most people never stop and reinvent themselves. And I’m not sure if I’m sad for them.

[@popeofmope777]

Beautifully said. Thank you.

[@2ms2]

When I'm with my friends I want to have fun and get to know them better, when I'm at work I want to be proffesional and reliable, and when I'm at university I want to be seen as curious and intelligent. You can call them masks, but they are all part of me. There is not a "real me" to hide. Sure, there are codes and tricks you need to be aware of when it comes to social interaction, but that doesn't make it fake.

[@ekki1993]

I feel like the discussion has been muddied by the obsession with an "ideal self", as if there was only one way in which a person is "oneself". Same obsession extends to pointless discussions on whether humans are "fundamentally" good or evil. We aren't pills of consciousness embedded in pieces of meat. There isn't a fundamental self because we are, in part, made by our surroundings. There's a reason consciousness can be shattered in solitary confinement or other types of sensory deprivation. This whole "problem" of "not being genuine" is created by that same obsession of not changing yourself, done on a more fundamental, day to day basis. Acting for a camera, using personality A with one group of friends and B for other, not showing some sides of your personality to some people, are all still genuine expressions of one's self. We shouldn't get lost, there's nothing to lose.

[@jimminykricket4067]

Comments section gem right here. Needed this. This video was really getting to me.

[@novum2915]

I enjoy these ideas in this thread and I wanted to throw out another one. The idea of, we don't really know the other person and that there is a void between us, is definitely true in my mind, yet where does this void stem from? I believe this void stems from the fact that we don't truly know ourselves either. Just for an example, studies have been done where people truly believe that they would do a certain thing in a certain situation and then when put in that situation they do something completely different. Let's just say they'd be willing to pull someone back from getting hit by a car. They could hold the belief that they would easily reach out and save the person for their whole life but the truth is they don't really know how they will react. One step even further than that, it's possible how we react to that situation could vary day by day, maybe some days they would hold true to that belief they held for 50 years, maybe if it happened a different day, even a different moment they would freeze or not react quickly enough because they weren't aware enough to notice nor in the right headspace to take action in that moment. People surprise themselves constantly My point here is that it takes a ton of effort, self reflection, meditating on yourself, your actions and the world around you, and therapy or at least having people in your life you can talk and reflect with in order to begin to truly understand who you are. I say another person is necessary because if we leave it to ourself we will tend to either see or be drawn to an idealized version of ourself or a negative version that we push ourselves towards and we aren't either, similar to the mask discussion can be and are many things as we are humans. To tie this all back to the video itself, I don't believe anyone expects for John here to be a genuine person and this is just how it is always take 1 being perfect, we just tend to enjoy things that are relatable to us. I mean I likely wouldn't have watched an hour long video about Nathan Fielder who I've never heard of if John hadn't already gained my respect over years, taking this topic I had no interest in into a video I wanted to watch day 1 We don't need to fill that void between us because we already have that void within us, and sometimes the only thing that will snap us out of that void is watching something like this, some sort of entertainment that can help us relate to someone else or understand something and thus helps us relate to our humanity as a whole, that's a big part of what's impactful to me about John's videos.

[@_-_-_-_-_]

really liked this video man keep it up

[@ShamBard1878]

Just fantastic content, mate. Wonderful video

[@pineandmaples]

I was also called a robot during school. There was a time a girl stepped on my foot really hard and asked if i felt it. I told her no and she kept pressing harder and harder til it actually hurt. She actually thought i couldnt feel pain bc she legit thought i was a robot. Kids are cruel

[@andromedasgarden]

I mean, you could have told her it hurt o_o

[@kneau]

@@andromedasgarden Seems like they did? Eventually, she stopped pressing.

[@DoNotFuss]

If you were the writer of Chainsaw Man you would've loved that memory and included it into your future story

[@pineandmaples]

@@DoNotFuss ????

[@lionfolk101]

@@pineandmaples look up tatsuki fujimoto and his weird crazy back story before he became a mangaka. What a weird lad that guy was, as he slowly becoming one of the goats in manga

[@MrCanadianAviator]

You reading the lines of the teleprompter while filming it was so good. It gave such an uncanny feeling. That destruction of the parasocial boundaries while showing that those boundaries are still up.

[@TurtleBazooka]

Came back after watching The Rehearsal. It is amazing, can't wait to here your perspective on my favorite comedian.

[@KonwTheTrut]

This is probably one of the best docs I’ve watched in awhile.