If you’ve spent any time on Instagram lately odds are you’ve come across Nathan Gomes’ content. He’s been racking up those likes and follows on the back of his hilarious reels. He’s analysing Bandra boys, breaking down his Catholic upbringing and trying to answer how God made the different parts of Mumbai. But Gomes isn’t just an Instagram creator. He’s also a standup comic who has been a part of the scene since 2018. And to remind people about his true calling and fix the narrative, Gomes is performing his first-ever solo hour titled The Nathan Wants To Know.
Before his show in Mumbai tomorrow, we caught up with Gomes to know more about his debut hour, his standup comedy journey and who his comedy inspirations are. Read on!
Quick! What’s this show about?
The show is all about me. Where I’m from, my community, what I studied, where I studied, past relationships. There are some anecdotes in there. There are one-liners. It’s also my first hour that I’m working on.
Will you be adding more shows in the coming months?
Yes, I will be adding more shows in the coming months. I’m working on this. I still need to tighten the material and then I want to record the show to push some videos out maybe next year. So yeah, I will be doing shows across Mumbai as of now.
How long did you spend writing this show?
I actually started performing standup in late 2018. After the pandemic I wasn’t too regular on the scene. So overall I think I’ve been doing it for three years. This particular show I started performing early last year. So I would say it’s taken me 1.5-2 years to write the current hour.
Tell us a little about how you started doing standup comedy.
Childhood trauma. [Laughs] No. I actually used to dance initially. That’s when I started loving being on stage. That sparked everything. And in 2015-16, AIB, EIC and a bunch of other guys were all over the internet. I would say they inspired me in a way. And in late 2017 I did an open mic for the first time which went very well. That gave me some confidence. And 2018 onwards I started doing open mics. I was still in college, I didn’t really know what I was doing. But I had the drive and passion to be on stage.
What’s your elevator pitch for people to come watch it live?
It’s got everything. One-liners, anecdotes, self-deprecating humour, act outs. And it’s packed with a whole lot of energy. I’m making it as lively as I can.
According to you, who would be the ideal plus-one to bring to the live show?
Bring a date. It’s always interesting to see how it goes.
Why are you calling the show ‘The Nathan Wants To Know’?
The initial name was just Nathan Gomes: Live. I did a poll on my Instagram stories for more suggestions. One of them was What Gomes Around Comes Around. Another one was Nathan Else Matters. Somehow Nathan Gomes: Live got the most votes. But I wasn’t convinced. It wasn’t cool enough. And literally out of nowhere I thought of The Nathan Wants To Know. I’m actually still trying to figure out the answer to why I’m calling it this. It’s a catchy name for now. As I do more shows I might arrive at a definitive answer.
On a scale of 1 – WTFAMIDOING, how nervous are you?
I don’t think I’m too nervous to be very honest. I’m taking each day as it comes. One gig at a time. I’m going with the flow. I do post quite a bit on Instagram too. And people have started thinking of me as a content creator as opposed to a comic. I need to change that narrative. But it’s helping me sell tickets too. But overall, I don’t think I’m nervous. I’m just enjoying the process.
Who are some of your standup comedy inspirations?
I really love Jim Gaffigan. I don’t even mind just listening to him. I love how he writes his jokes. I still like Jimmy Carr. Mark Normand and Sam Morril too.
Name five Bandra places EVERY person should definitely visit.
Up first, Yacht or Janta. Old Street is also nice. Totos and Soul Fry. Some cafes might include Andoras, The Family Table and Hearsch Bakery.
Get your tickets for The Nathan Wants To Know here.
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