Salma Hindy on being a comedian during a pandemic and finding her voice online
Salma Hindy is an Egyptian-Canadian comedian best known for her hilarious experiences as a child of immigrant parents, who defies cultural and comedic stereotypes one show at a time. She has opened for Maz Jobrani, Ken Jeong, Beth Stelling, performed at JFL NorthWest, the SF Sketchfest, the Halifax Comedy Festival, the Women in Comedy Festival in Boston, the Chicago Women Funny Fest and the Arab-American New York Comedy Festival.
Like many performers and artists in the creative industries, Salma found herself in a difficult position when the pandemic hit. With lockdowns and social distancing regulations in place, being on stage or traveling to comedy festivals abroad were not options on the table.
After being on a very hectic schedule the last couple of years, working as an engineer by day and doing comedy shows at night, traveling and networking, she embraced this moment of quietness as a much needed rest: ”I was actually relieved, because I was, like, it's finally getting to slow down and it's not at a cost of any opportunities for me because everybody's opportunities have halted ... those were my initial initial feelings ”.
We spoke to Salma about her creativity, her journey as a comedian suddenly making videos and comedy shows online, and the importance of not getting used to a virtual setting.
With the advent of COVID-19, most people turned to the internet and digital services to communicate with loved ones, find entertainment and, some of them, continue with their work responsibilities from home. For Salma, the lockdowns were an opportunity to grow her online presence by posting comedy videos and sharing her journey of going to therapy and learning how to be more vulnerable : “I don't just do comedy because it's something I have to do, it's a genuine outlet, I need it as much as it needs me”. Expanding on her talents by doing digital content was a challenge in and on itself, but also a rewarding practice that push her to keep thinking creatively.
“I had mistakenly thought that if I was able to do the scariest thing to me, which was getting up on stage and performing, then I am able to do anything. But actually, and I hadn't realized this until the pandemic, I was comfortable on the stage, but I was still afraid of the online world. I was afraid of videos I was afraid of you know, trying something new. So, I think for me, it was a humble reminder that you still have to actively practice courage and your fears can show up in other forms”
Salma on her TedTalk - 2019. "Salma Hindy" by TEDxUofT is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
It is clear that this digital migration was a good opportunity for many creators to shake things up and reset some aspects of their practice. Salma has been able to build a supportive audience on her Instagram and Tik-Tok where she amazingly combines comedy with important topics such as mental health and interpersonal relationships. However, she still wants to be careful about getting too comfortable online because, for her, embracing the social life, leaning on other artists and being outside in the world is key for any creative journey.
“I would I would definitely encourage creators to find their voice and express themselves more. But I would also, I guess, caution them to not get so used to just the online life. I mean, I would definitely advise once things are safe and and open for people, for creators, to go out and to network and to express their art in a more public setting, I would for sure encourage that”
