Some have connected Neema Naz’s brand of comedy to Toronto-based comedian Russell Peters. Both poke fun at Canada’s varying and sometimes clashing cultures and make light of people’s differences while ultimately bringing people together for a good laugh. But one place where Naz differs is his audience, as he’s catching fire on social media with an entirely new generation of comedy enthusiasts with his TikTok and Instagram video sketches that draw in millions of views. Naz backs his social media following up with some serious stand-up chops, which he’s honed over nine years. He’ll be in Edmonton, headlining Grindstone Theatre’s Comedy Festival this week.
Just like many professionals in the entertainment industry, comedians have been expected to keep up with social media trends in order to maintain relevancy and gain attention, with many comedians with sketches and videos of crowd work going viral overnight. “That’s just the trajectory of where social media is going for comedians,” says Naz. “Especially, you know, because you can build your own audience, and the best way to do that is to show the highlights of the sets that you’re doing on stage.”
Naz maintains a consistently viral social media presence that has been crucial to his success in comedy. Still, surprisingly, he keeps a lean schedule for screen time with a hard limit of only four hours per day.
“I’m at a point now where I barely even hit the limits anymore because I understand, more than ever, what I have to do every day. And I know how to prioritize everything now, so I’m barely actually on my phone anymore, which is so nice,” says Naz, who still posts on multiple social media accounts every single day. During that time, he also manages to engage with fans, keep up to date on trends, and network with other creatives.
But this hasn’t always been the case. Mastering social media was something that required discipline for Naz, and he says he couldn’t have done it without his older brother. “He’s been a prime, important part of my life — keeps me off of the apps as much as possible while still efficiently posting stuff.” His brother was the one who began putting time limits on all of his apps which completely blocked access until the next day. Naz says it forced him to be more efficient with his time and more disciplined in how he utilized social media.
But other than staying focused and disciplined, Naz’s other secret for obtaining any success is simple: do the thing and do it often.
“The important thing is to stay consistent throughout the months and the years because that’s what eventually will bring the rewards. If you’re not being consistent, then you know, you’re not really going to truly find out who you are and what your voice is — and you’ll never really grow to your full potential.”
Go viral with Naz Neema at Grindstone Comedy Festival July 7 and 8.
