Elliot Larky
Jake Shane performs "Live With Jake Shane" to a record-breaking audience at the Indiana University Auditorium.
From TikTok skits to a hit podcast, Jake Shane has become a viral sensation. Due to his popularity from his podcast “Therapuss with Jake Shane,” he decided to hit the road and perform live on tour.
I luckily got the opportunity to see one of his shows in Bloomington, Indiana March 28. This was his largest show in viewership to date, making it special for those of us at the show and for him as the performer.
The show was divided into multiple segments, engaging the audience with each piece. The first portion was multiple stories leading up to the idea of why he needs therapy, relating to the title of his podcast. Hearing his backstory was very funny and informative at the same time, as it combined his traumatic past with many witty jokes.
The second section was what he is most known for, the “Tell Me What’s Wrong” segment. This was where most audience engagement happened: before the show, there was a QR code posted for people to scan and write their issues that they want Shane to help them with. The experience was one of a kind to hear the situations some viewers may have encountered.
On the podcast and during the live show, he commonly prescribed advice, TV shows, movies or songs that will help the crowd member cope with their situation. In my opinion, this was the best part of the show as he paired his typical content with building connections with the fans.
Throughout the show, many moments were “no phones allowed” to protect the integrity of the show, the audience member sharing their story or simply to save Shane the embarrassments of his hilarious stories. This aspect makes his performance feel as if you’re just listening to your friend tell a crazy story. I think he does an amazing job at making his show feel personable through his segments, rules and audience engagement.
While there are many moments with no phones allowed, there are also moments where phones are required. Shane has a bit called “Paparazzi,” forcing the audience to take photos of him with flash in the dark auditorium. This engagement allowed the crowd to get their photo of the star without disrupting the show, and I thought it was a clever way of pairing modern media throughout the program.
Although Shane is known as a comedian, he also possesses a musical side as he has an album titled “Puss and Poems.” Shane performed three songs on the album for the viewers to wrap up the show. I think his decision to end with sing-along songs was a great way to conclude his performance due to its fun nature. However, out of all his segments, this was my least favorite due to his heavily Auto-Tuned voice and simplistic lyrics. I did not attend the show for a musical performance but a comedic one.
Throughout the 90 minute show, there were many more segments within the act. I would attend this show again as he changes his content based on the city, but to witness his captivating and entertaining personality.