A few years ago, George Lewis, a British comedian, realized he needed to change his life after performing at a comedy club. As a parent, he needed a more stable income and his material felt tired. However, older comedians advised him not to mention that he had kids because it would pigeonhole him. Now, Mr. Lewis, who is 37, is a successful parenting comedian with a sold-out tour. He became popular by posting videos online that mocked and commiserated with fellow British millennial parents. In some videos, he acts the harried grown-up trying to adhere to a nap schedule while driving, while in others, he pretends to be a child talking with other children. He films his videos in his kitchen and edits them between school pickups and bath time.

The success of the parenting comedy genre may be due to the ability of parents to empathize, the influence of technology, and the shift in men’s roles at home. The increasing success of the genre may also be because specificity sells online, and algorithms sort users by interests. The content is a function of the technology itself, and specificity sells. Mr. Lewis tracks his ideas through disordered lists on the Notes app. He writes when his kids are at school or asleep. He records and often stands in the kitchen. His family partially understands what he does for work, and his children inspire his comedy. His job is to make grown-ups laugh, and his family acts as his research.

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/20/world/europe/george-lewis-comedy-uk-dad.html