Talking with Brittlestar: How the internet's favourite dad found humour in tragedy
As Canada enters the fourth wave of the pandemic, it’s hard not to focus on what was lost. For many, the last year and a half can only be described as a tragedy.
But for others, a little bit of comedy helped them get through those hard times.
Cue Stewart Reynolds—a.k.a. Brittlestar or “social media darling” as he describes himself—who is known for his comedic and family-friendly social media videos.
With more than 380,000 followers and subscribers across his social media channels, the topics for Reynolds’ videos vary greatly—one day he will post something political while another day he will focus on fatherhood or an ode to Zellers.
Over the last 17 months, Reynolds has pivoted slightly, offering videos with serious messages about mask wearing and lockdowns, while still maintaining the satirical comedy he is known for. He even did a short video calling for an end to the lockdown in Toronto specifically so that Mayor John Tory could get a haircut.
And people tuned in.
His video entitled “reasons to not wear a face mask,” posted on July 10 has been viewed more than 1.5 million times.
On Episode 7 of Life Unmasked, Reynolds speaks with the team about how his comedy transformed during the pandemic, how he became “arm's-length chummy” with Ryan Reynolds, and what’s next for him.
Life Unmasked airs first on the iHeart app every Thursday morning before becoming available on other streaming platforms. If you have questions for the podcast team, or an idea for an episode, please email lifeunmasked@bellmedia.ca.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.