“Most social interactions are very uncomfortable for me"- When Nathan Fielder made his feelings clear about awkwardness in comedy

In a 2020 Interview Magazine conversation in Los Angeles, Louis Theroux interviewed Nathan Fielder for a feature on his comedic career and upcoming projects. They discussed Fielder’s Comedy Central series Nathan for You, his early work in Canada, and his approach to blending humor with real-world interactions.

Theroux, known for documentaries like Louis Theroux’s Weird Weekends, compared their styles. During the interview, Theroux asked how Fielder handles awkwardness in daily life.

“Most social interactions are very uncomfortable for me,” he replied.

The conversation covered Fielder’s business school background, his start in comedy, and new shows like How To with John Wilson and The Curse. They explored how discomfort shapes their work.

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Nathan Fielder's early career and comedy development

Fielder is famous for his Comedy Central series Nathan for You (Image via Getty)

Theroux asked Fielder to describe his work for those unfamiliar with it. Fielder admitted struggling with this.

“I will admit that one of the things I’m worst at is describing what I do,” he answered.

He shared that he earned a Bachelor of Commerce degree before joining This Hour Has 22 Minutes, where he did correspondent pieces with real people. This experience led to Nathan for You, where he offered absurd business ideas, like a poo flavored yogurt.

Theroux inquired about early pieces that Nathan Fielder was proud of. Fielder recalled performing for older audiences in Halifax.

“I noticed that people would laugh at things when the camera was on me that I didn’t intend to be a joke,” Fielder added.

Theroux mentioned his own early career under Michael Moore’s influence, discussing how unintended humor shaped their approaches. They talked about how Fielder’s business school experience felt absurd, which he satirized in Nathan for You. Fielder described learning to weave accidental humor into his comedy after audiences laughed at unscripted moments.

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Nathan Fielder's new projects and creative challenges

Fielder co-created The Curse with the Safdie brothers (Image via Getty)

Theroux asked about Nathan Fielder’s new projects and the evolution of his comedy. Fielder discussed executive producing How To with John Wilson for HBO, featuring episodes like How to Make Small Talk and How to Put Up Scaffolding. He also mentioned co-creating The Curse with the Safdie brothers for Showtime, centered on a fictional HGTV show disrupted by a mysterious curse.

Theroux then brought up the viral Dumb Starbucks stunt from Nathan for You.

“We handed out copies and people would list the cups on eBay for $500,” Fielder said.

“I’ve always liked the experience, as a viewer, of being like, ‘Should I feel good? Should I feel bad about this? How should I feel?’” Fielder answered when Theroux referenced Errol Morris’s observation about Fielder’s work.

They discussed the challenge of keeping long-running shows fresh, with Nathan Fielder comparing Nathan for You to Roseanne, which became cartoonish over time. Fielder explained that he aimed to avoid repetition in his series, wanting each project to surprise audiences.

Theroux shared that he finds Fielder’s work charming and compared it to his own documentaries, which also balance humor and awkwardness.

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