The first video Jacob Balshin ever posted was a love letter to Bathurst Station, a frequent transit destination for the comedian, as he bussed into the city from his parents’ place in Thornhill. He’s been making videos for just over a year; each one is an ode to the struggle he faced as a broke comedian trying to make ends meet in Toronto. His popularity on social spiked, however, when he debuted his apartment tours of places like, as he puts it, “the windowless, rat-infested basement I once called home.”
His sweet spot is the sides of Toronto that people don’t typically highlight, he says: “From resilient family businesses that don’t have advertising budgets to broken-down apartments where people are struggling to make ends meet, it’s my goal to highlight the experience I’ve had living in Toronto, instead of a glamourized version.”
Thanks to his social-media stardom, he’s doing a little better these days: Once he had to beg people to come to his standup sets; now, his shows regularly sell out. His influence grows daily, too; one day he walked past an Ali Baba’s location that had started selling spaghetti, so he made a video saying, “They should call themselves Al Babino’s.” A few days later when he walked past, the sign for Ali Baba’s had been taken down — replaced with a sign that said Al Babino’s.
We asked Jacob about his favourite spots and hidden gems in the city
What is your favourite Toronto restaurant?
The club sandwich from George’s Deli (795 Bathurst St.). It’s at Bathurst Station and it rips. The owner Agatha is the nicest lady. I like it on vibes alone
What’s your favourite neighbourhood?
The Annex, you can tell it’s a rich people area, but also there’s broke people like me who are living with seven roommates in a converted house and everyone on the block hates that we’re there and we’re all a community together.
What’s your favourite touristy thing to do?
Casa Loma. There’s a wax museum, but it’s mainly escape rooms at this point.
Where do you find inspiration?
I like to sit in the park and stare at people.
Watch the video: We asked all the influencers, what’s the comment that lives rent-free in your head?
