At the core of Canadian comedian Nathan Fielder’s signature absurdist bits is a thoughtful examination of human behavior. Last year, the subject of pilot mental health challenges drove Season 2 of his HBO docu-comedy The Rehearsal, and his work may have had an indirect payoff. In September, months after the season aired, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Mental Health in Aviation Act, which requires the Federal Aviation Administration to enable pilots to seek mental health treatment without fear of professional repercussions. Fielder said on a panel that John Goglia, an aviation safety expert who advised him during filming, believes the show pushed the legislation forward. Lauren Feldman, a communications professor at Rutgers University, says that comedians are in a unique position to draw attention to important issues outside traditional channels. “What’s interesting and exciting about this example is [that it uses] different formats and genres of comedy to try to push social change,” she says.
