Comedian and actress Julie Nolke announced her pregnancy in the only way she could, with a hilarious YouTube sketch. Nolke, 32, shared the exciting news last month in an exchange with another version of herself. The YouTuber is a three-time Webby Award winner and has scored roles in What We Do in the Shadows, Murdoch Mysteries, and The Boys. She now stars in the CBC comedy Run the Burbs.
In the appropriately titled “I’m Pregnant,” Nolke’s alter-ego showed up at her apartment in Los Angeles drunk and was surprised to see her baby bump. “So ok, you’re like a Russian doll?” her mirror self asked. “If I were to cut you open, there’d be a smaller one of you inside?” Nolke nodded, “A little graphic, but yes.”
The mirror Nolke reminded her of all the reasons she would be afraid to bring a baby into the world today before telling her that it was actually a brave thing to do. “It’s kind of admirable… I mean, there are people way less qualified than you who pull it off,” Nolke’s alter ego said. “The bar is low… but it’s not going to help your non-existent ass.” She reluctantly admitted that having a baby is “one of the most important things you could do with your life.” The short ended with Nolke ignoring her mirror self’s request to name the baby.
Since publishing the sketch on Feb. 23, Nolke has posted several photos showing off her baby bump on Instagram with her trademark sense of humor. On March 22, she posted a video of herself taking golf swings. “It’s never too early to get this kid into golf,” she wrote.
Nolke is one of the most popular Canadian YouTubers, with over 1.07 million subscribers. In 2020, she was even named one of YouTube’s Top Canadian Breakout Creators. In 2021, she won three Webby Awards for her work. Her April 2020 sketch, “Explaining the Pandemic to My Past Self,” became a viral phenomenon. It now has over 21.2 million views. “Explaining the Pandemic to My Past Self Part 2” has over 9.1 million views.
She is a member of the sketch comedy group Pulp Comedy, alongside five other popular Canadian comics. The group launched a YouTube show of the same name to highlight their skills. “It’s a sketch and panel show that combines the best of both worlds in terms of internet entertainment: a short digestible sketch plus a hilarious panel chat where you get to know the cast,” she recently told the Toronto Guardian of the Pulp Comedy project. “It’s always been my dream to create a show that highlights talented Canadian comedians. With a global platform like YouTube, we’re able to easily share our talent and creativity with the world.”
