Comedy and the COVID era: Newcomer Rachael Bowser struggles to build a career in a virtual world
The standup artist, who doubles as an event coordinator and blogger, talks about the perils of performing at home
Bowser performing her first time. Photo courtesy Laugh Wild Comedy
UP-AND-COMING comic Rachael Bowser took her first step toward comedy performance in early March just last year. The timing, she says, couldn’t have been more ironic; just days after her second gig, Vancouver’s first COVID-19 lockdown banned the live performances she had just been given a taste of.
Now, Bowser finds herself watching from the sidelines, craving that euphoric rush of adrenaline that standing on stage with a microphone provides.
“It’s been hard for the industry as a whole,” she says. “But, it’s been almost impossible as a newcomer. I always joke that COVID-19 has made my career a bit of a hot mess, but it really has!”
Bowser, who doubles as an event coordinator and blogger content curator for Laugh Wild Comedy, says that her background in storytelling and content creation has given her the ability to write her own set with ease—something that not all comedians are able to achieve. With only two live shows under her belt, Bowser is eager to return to the stage to continue honing in on her craft.
“I had a show the weekend prior to the lockdown, and then everything shut down,” she adds. “I went from performing at the Rio and the Cultch to nothing at all. Being new to comedy, that put me in a bit of a rut.
“I can’t get much practice in,” the comedian explains, which she says has left her career in limbo. “Online shows are difficult for me because I need the feedback from the audience, and that doesn’t happen as easily online.”
Bowser adds that she also misses the excitement of getting gussied up to perform. During her first two shows, she loved the anticipation she felt while doing her hair and makeup backstage. That feeling, she says, doesn’t happen to the same extent while preparing to speak to a laptop screen.
“When I did the one online comedy show, I just had to clean my room. I was more concerned with making a nice background than making myself look nice,” Bowser explains. “But, when you do a live show, you get dressed as if you’re going for a night out. That part of the experience—of getting dressed up, doing your makeup and hair, and picking an outfit—is so important, and I really miss it!”
She adds, “Performing at home feels a bit invasive too. Inviting people into my personal space is so unfamiliar.”
Despite her frustration with virtual shows, Bowser says that she thoroughly enjoys attending them as an audience member, because it brings comedy to her front door.
“I live on a very rural reserve in the middle of nowhere. I don’t have access to comedy shows, even if I could go to local live ones,” the comedian explains. “The nice thing about online shows is I’ve been able to support my friends, and watch them perform from the safety of my own home. It’s comedy I can watch in my underwear!”
Like many other comedians, she says comedy, in any sense, has truly pushed her through the pandemic isolation.
“If I wasn’t laughing, I’d be crying!” she jokes. “But really, it helped me through the feeling of never-ending doom. Being able to joke about it has been good. I definitely would have spent more time being depressed and sad if I couldn’t lean into humour.”
Post-pandemic, Bowser hopes to see more kindness in the industry. She explains that, among all the chaos and uncertainty of the last year, she wants to see more inclusive and supportive material on stage.
“I always say: if you have to belittle someone else and make them feel bad in order to make a joke, you’re not funny, you’re just a bad person!” Bowser jokes. “In all seriousness, though, I hope this brings a wave of empathy and kindness to the industry. We’re all going through the same thing— COVID has been hard on all of us, so there’s no need to make it harder.”
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