I am in love with Nathan Fielder. I have never met him, I probably never will meet him, but I am in love with him nonetheless. When his show, Nathan For You, was first described, I thought I would find it, at best, mildly amusing. After watching nearly an hour of clips I ran into my housemate’s room to proclaim my love for this infinitely endearing comedian.
Nathan Fielder is the star of the comedy central show Nathan For You. Fielder has a business degree from The University of Victoria and embarks on a quest to help struggling small businesses with some truly bizarre strategies. Every episode features a new small business, perhaps most notably, Dumb Starbucks. What was once a local coffee shop gets turned into a national phenomenon when it is rebranded as Dumb Starbucks.
By utilizing a loophole in what is commonly called parody law, Fielder discovered that if they were poking fun at the brand, they could use the logo, effectively drawing in customers who thought it was a real Starbucks. He was eventually shut down, but not before gaining national attention that solidified Dumb Starbucks as an exemplar in the category of pranks gone too far.
So why are his antics so entertaining? In short, Fielder appeals to your inner sixth grader. He taps into that little part of you that really wants to see the teacher sit on a thumb tack. That mischievous part who wants to see the little guy win at the expense of the presiding authority figure, and between Fielder’s awkward demeanor, juvenile absurdity, and penguin-like appearance, he always manages to come out the little guy and always manages to wreak havoc for the established.
While watching him hold a Dumb Starbucks press conference is wildly entertaining, imagining the real Starbucks executives steaming in some bleak conference room, desperately trying to figure out how to solve the problem is even more entertaining. Yet at the same time Fielder meanders through all of his escapades with a sort of childlike bemusement that always comes off as good-natured. His shenanigans manage to be the right amount of rebellious and endearing. Watching Nathan For You is like giggling behind your binder when the teacher misspells her own name.
So why is this kind of comedy so important right now? Well I don’t know about you, but I’m about to enter a war zone of competing opinions and harsh critiques that my family calls The Holidays. Watching Nathan Fielder turn an awkward, uncomfortable, or hostile moment into something palatable by mixing it with humor is simply training for the coming months. Remembering how to laugh your way out of an uncomfortable moment without irrevocably offending the teacher, or grandparent, and somehow still come out looking endearing, is a skill I hope to mimic.
Maybe you were a fan of this show when it originally aired, maybe you are just now discovering it, or maybe it was relentlessly recommended and after finally watching it you fell in love with the protagonist and are now a Nathan For You fanatic. Whatever your motivation, I highly suggest watching the show on the way to your next family function.