It’s not always easy to find humor in dark situations. But Jacob Sharpe has not only turned it into a comedy art form but he is giving back as well.
“People might think it’s a bit strange you can make a joke out of finding you should be dead,” he says. “But I think it’s important to take the stigma out of death and disease.”
Jacob was diagnosed with a brain tumor the size of a grape when he was 25, which was causing him to have a series of mini-strokes.
It took four rounds of inpatient chemotherapy and 35 radiation treatment to get his condition under control.
“Making jokes about cancer really ended up helping me deal with it,” says Jacob “And the first time I talked about it on stage, it went so well I decided it was going to be a big part of my routine.”
Understandably, his decision to make his cancer a joke was one that those closest to him found difficult to wrap their heads around: “The day I was diagnosed I was sitting on my couch, waiting for the call from my neurologist,” recalls Jacob.
“My mom was staying with us at the time. I was sitting there with my partner Eilish on one side of me and my mom on the other.”
He adds: “My neurologist tells me, ‘you have brain cancer.’ My mom and Eilish are just bawling. I said to the neurologist, ‘Okay, great. Thank you. This is gonna be fun, I’ve never had cancer before. So this is a new experience and it’s gonna be great!’
Jacob says his family and his doctor couldn’t believe his reaction: “The neurologist had to stop me in mid-sentence and say, ‘Jacob, this is a serious thing. Do you understand that you have cancer?’
“I said, ‘Yeah I get it. I’m just going to be a little sick for a while. Right?’ I’m sure he was rolling his eyes with worry and exasperation. It came naturally to me to have that ‘jokey’ reaction.”
Now looking back, Jacob believes his response was more fight or flight: “I just thought it was easier to joke about my cancer than be sad and scared. But it worked to protect me from any more upsetting feelings.”
Jacob’s material talks about the treatment he went through and how he coped with the difficulties of cancer. He is candid and honest, making jokes about dealing with the disease, and his dark take has gained him loyal fans.
Jacob has sold out shows at Yuk Yuks and The Comedy Bar in his native Toronto, Canada. And he has played to full houses at Zanies in Nashville, The Chicago Theatre, and The Wilbur Theatre in Boston
Meanwhile online, his YouTube skits are regularly viewed by hundreds of thousands.
He says: “After my shows, so many people share with me that have been affected by the disease. It’s just shocking to me that we don’t talk about it, and in North America, it’s really not talked about at all. It’s not a part of our culture.
However the comedian does acknowledge despite making a joke out of his cancer, he is well aware of how serious the disease is.
This was brought home to him when another patient who he got to know while having treatment died.
The man was the same age, and even went into remission a month after him: “That was a big moment. It made me realize there could still be complications,” says Jacob.
He adds: “Ultimately, we never know when it’s over. It’s a good reality check for a lot of people and they comment on it when they come to see my shows.”
Jacob says this is really one of the only aspects of cancer that he struggles with: “My biggest qualm is when people die of cancer. Were they not brave? Were they not strong enough I always find it so contradicting to build people up so much. I just want to normalize cancer a little bit and not make it such an untouchable thing.”
Jacob’s sets have enabled his audience to talk about how they have been impacted by cancer themselves: “They could have just been diagnosed, or their mom has it, or they had cancer and survived and they have never spoken about it, until at that moment,” says Jacob.
“But because I joked about it, they felt comfortable discussing it. They want to start opening up. Cancer shouldn’t be stigmatised as it does nothing to serve those who are being touched by it on whatever level.”
As part of bringing attention to the disease, Jacob mentored others who have suffered similar cancer experiences, and sat on panels with aspiring comedians.
Broadcaster Bryan Bishop has worked with Jacob on his upcoming documentary exploring comedy and the impact of cancer on young adults: “Not just anyone can take chemotherapy, losing your hair and make that into a comedic observation,” he says.
“It’s a very devastating thing for a lot of people. But Jacob not only has the ability to laugh about it, but he also has the ability to use his experience to benefit others through laughter. It is a very unique skill.”
Bryan adds: “When people are going through something like this, they need an outlet By doing stand up and talking about his experiences, he is inspiring and helping people who are going through something similar who have nowhere else to turn.
“So just by doing what he does, having fun doing it, and being a positive beacon of light he’s really doing a lot of good for people.”
Comedian Dean Hebscher has toured with Jacob, and has seen the impact he has on others first hand: ““Jacob is one of the most supportive people I’ve ever met because he always wants to help.”
Dean adds: “He loves to try to find solutions to problems. will wedge himself into a situation where he doesn’t even need to be because he just wants everyone to be content and stress-free.”
The pair have known each other since going to college together to learn comedic art. Dean says Jacob has an incredibly diligent approach to the craft: “Just before a show, Jacob will be pacing up and down, running through his lines and making sure he gives the best performance possible.
“He takes risks comedically, but he always wants to make sure that everyone who sees him feels involved and everyone understands what his purpose is. Jacob takes his comedy very seriously and doesn’t ever wing it, he’s very meticulous in that way. It is incredibly important to him that everyone has the best experience possible when they come to see his show.”
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