If there’s a new pipeline—influencer comedian to celebrity interviewer—Jake Shane is its construction superintendent. His podcast, Therapuss, is a staple of the modern press tour, and this spring saw him slide into the talent chair himself with back-to-back Broadway and film debuts. Oh, and he’s set to play a version of himself in a still-cooking Hulu show. He’s keeping busy.
What keeps you up at night?
The idea that everything could go away tomorrow.
What are you looking forward to this year?
I’m really looking forward to putting myself out there creatively more this year. I want to push myself to try new things, explore different formats, and flex creative muscles that I haven’t fully tapped into before. I’m excited to experiment, take a few risks, and see where that can take me. I’m also looking forward to gaining more confidence in myself and intentionally working through my OCD.
What do you want to see more of in your industry? Less of?
More of me. Less of the word “bestie.”
When’s the last time you laughed hysterically?
My latest Meg Stalter interview. She has such a unique point of view and is completely herself in everything she does, which is inspiring and endlessly entertaining. She’s genuinely one of the funniest people I know and the future of comedy. If you get it, you get it, and when you get it, it’s the hardest you will ever laugh in your life.
What’s been the hardest part of your career so far?
Reading negative things about myself.
What would you be doing if you weren’t working in your field?
I’d probably still be working in music. That’s what I was doing before all of this and I just remember finally feeling a sense of purpose I hadn’t felt in a while. Going to work every day and feeding off the energy of my coworkers was always so much fun. I’m grateful that I’m still close with many of them today. Music has always been a huge passion of mine, so in a way it feels full circle that my current work is still connected to the music industry, just in a different capacity. It’s such a universal language.
What’s one work of art that got you through an important moment in your life?
“The Archer” by Taylor Swift and “Sable Fable” by Bon Iver.
What question do you ask yourself most when making work?
Is this going to make my friends laugh?
What is your biggest vice? Your greatest virtue?
Weed is my biggest vice and my self awareness is my greatest virtue. Or self deprecation.
What grounds you, and what invigorates you?
I have Confession OCD, which I learned today, which is when you feel like you have to tell everyone everything. Having my friends around me, the ones who’ve been there since the beginning, has always been really grounding because I know they love me for me. They’ve seen all sides of me, and knowing they have my back keeps me centered and reminds me why I do what I do. Being told “no” pushes me to work harder and not get too comfortable.
in your life?
