Comedy and the COVID era: Standup Jessica Pigeau talks toilet-paper-joke fatigue and the Zoom effect
Vancouver-based comedian says the silver lining of lockdown is the chance to get laughs globally—virtually, at least
Jessica Pigeau
“RIGHT NOW, there’s an odd destruction of the local and a revitalization of a more global experience.”
That’s the positive outlook that has carried Vancouver-based comedian and entertainer Jessica Pigeau through the COVID-19 pandemic.
Pigeau has performed across Vancouver, Edmonton, and Seattle, headlining in shows such as the 2019 Seattle International Comedy Competition and the All Jane Festival in Portland. With three years of experience in the industry, the comedian also pulls from an extensive background in public speaking and intercollegiate debate.
Pigeau, like many other artists, has felt the effects of the pandemic. But, unlike others in the industry, Pigeau still has the opportunity to perform two to three shows each week, ranging from local to more international shows. The comedian says that’s the silver lining of the lockdown: the chance to work globally.
“I’ve met so many people from Seattle, Louisiana, and Georgia, and it’s been a really fascinating networking opportunity to see comedy outside of Vancouver,” Pigeau explains. “That’s where the switch from local to global comes in.”
Despite the new opportunity to work in different cities, Pigeau says many comics have dropped off the scene because global comedy requires virtuality.
“It’s great because it’s more acceptable to do sets without pants now!” The comedian jokes. “But in all honesty, it’s hard because I haven’t seen a lot of my comedy peers in so long. Some people tried it, and they found it unsatisfying or disorienting.”
“For a web-based comedy show, that lack of feedback is a killer. Standup comedians thrive on that immediate audience reaction,” Pigeau continues. “That’s the difference between doing an online video essay, and being in the throng of rowdy people. A lot of comedians need that response.”
The comedian adds that some artists choosing to avoid comedy for the time being may actually be a good thing.
“I used to see the same people week after week after week. Some of them, I haven’t seen in over a year,” Pigeau says. “I have mixed feelings about it. For some, you could tell that they were just going through the motions, or that they had lost the passion they once had. I hope they’re doing something now that really ignites them. But others, it’s been really sad to see them go.”
Pigeau explains that for her, unlike many other Vancouverites, the pandemic lockdown didn’t have much of an effect on regular daily life—at first. The comedian, who worked as a personal secretary, was still heading into the office as usual, just now with an added fear of getting her elderly boss sick.
“For the first several months of the pandemic, I was so anxious. The relief from that was comedy twice a week— Wednesday and Sunday,” says Pigeau, who is also one half of the podcast duo behind Histories and Mysteries with Jessica and Janel. “It gave me this emotional release that I really needed in those early days. It was something that gave me a sense of structure regardless of what was happening day to day.”
Even with jokes about toilet paper and the great yeast shortage, Pigeau has noticed that comedy patrons aren’t necessarily interested in talking about the pandemic anymore. The lack of new and interesting events on a daily basis has posed a challenge, because that avenue would normally be where comedy writers pull inspiration from.
“It’s like, ‘What’s happening with you lately?’ It’s the same thing that’s been happening every day since last March!” Pigeau says. “It can be understimulating, because so much of comedy comes out of making jokes about the hyper-specific and the odd.”
The comedian comments that while relatability and accessibility is helpful in the industry, too much of it can make a set boring. This, Pigeau says, is where the creative blocks come from.
“There’s only so many toilet paper bits you can make, even though I’ve heard them on every Zoom call I’ve ever been on in the last year,” Pigeau jokes. “We don’t have anything super exciting going on in our personal lives to comment on, so we all end up pulling from the same cycle of news.”
As for the future of the industry, Pigeau predicts that online comedy will still live post-pandemic.
“I do think we’ll keep seeing internet-based comedy. I think you’ll see professionals who have been resistant to technology, like Youtube, making more accessible online content,” Pigeau says. “But, like I said before, I see a lot of people not coming back. That’s both good and terrible.”
Pigeau explains that the Vancouver comedy and entertainment scene could benefit from a shakeup. In particular, the comedian would like to see a bit of a switch in terms of who has the power, who pulls the reins, and who is considered a gatekeeper to the industry.
“The comedy scene right now is like a forest after a fire,” the comedian explains. “People think fires are purely destructive, but it’s quite natural. Trees build their life cycles around forest fires eventually happening. Some trees have pinecones that only open under extreme heat.
“After a forest fire is the best time to grow. Even if all we see is devastation, almost immediately, we see shoots and new growths popping right up. It depends on how much work you put in, but there will always be regrowth,” Pigeau adds. “That’s how I see industry right now.”
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