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'''JP Sears''', known online as '''AwakenWithJP''', is an American conservative [[YouTuber]] and [[comedian]]. Sears is known for his satirical YouTube videos in which he promotes conservative political views and advocates against [[Face masks during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States|COVID-19 face mask]] and [[COVID-19 vaccination mandates in the United States|vaccine mandates]]. He previously parodied [[Lifestyle guru|lifestyle gurus]] and [[Wellness (alternative medicine)|wellness coaches]] and offered comedic life advice.
'''JP Sears''', known blog handle AwakenWithJP, is an American [[YouTuber]] and [[comedian]]. Sears is known for his satirical YouTube videos in which he parodies [[Lifestyle guru|lifestyle gurus]] and [[Wellness (alternative medicine)|wellness coaches]], and offers comedic life advice. During the [[COVID-19 pandemic]], Sears advocated against mask and [[COVID-19 vaccination mandates in the United States|vaccine mandates]].


⚫
==Early life and education==
== Biography ==

⚫
=== Early life and education ===
JP Sears was born in [[Toledo, Ohio]], and raised in [[Bowling Green, Ohio]].<ref name="ccp">{{cite news |last1=Ellison |first1=Heath |title=Local viral video star JP Sears finds success in comedy and sincerity |url=https://charlestoncitypaper.com/local-viral-video-star-jp-sears-finds-success-in-comedy-and-sincerity/ |access-date=April 14, 2022 |work=Charleston City Paper |date=January 24, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220414164339/https://charlestoncitypaper.com/local-viral-video-star-jp-sears-finds-success-in-comedy-and-sincerity/ |archive-date=April 14, 2022}}</ref> According to Sears, he was a class clown in his youth.<ref name="ndn">{{cite news |last1=Grzeszczak |first1=Jocelyn |title=Naples only "non-redneck" part of Florida, says YouTube comedian |url=https://eu.naplesnews.com/story/news/local/2019/06/12/youtube-personality-jp-sears-perform-standup-off-hook-naples/1358412001/ |access-date=May 17, 2021 |work=[[Naples Daily News]] |date=June 12, 2019 }}</ref> He attended [[Bowling Green State University]], but withdrew after several months to begin studying [[holistic]] culture at the Ohio life coaching school Journeys of Wisdom.<ref name="ccp"/>
JP Sears was born in [[Toledo, Ohio]], and raised in [[Bowling Green, Ohio]].<ref name="ccp">{{cite news |last1=Ellison |first1=Heath |title=Local viral video star JP Sears finds success in comedy and sincerity |url=https://charlestoncitypaper.com/local-viral-video-star-jp-sears-finds-success-in-comedy-and-sincerity/ |access-date=April 14, 2022 |work=Charleston City Paper |date=January 24, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220414164339/https://charlestoncitypaper.com/local-viral-video-star-jp-sears-finds-success-in-comedy-and-sincerity/ |archive-date=April 14, 2022}}</ref> According to Sears, he was a class clown in his youth.<ref name="ndn">{{cite news |last1=Grzeszczak |first1=Jocelyn |title=Naples only "non-redneck" part of Florida, says YouTube comedian |url=https://eu.naplesnews.com/story/news/local/2019/06/12/youtube-personality-jp-sears-perform-standup-off-hook-naples/1358412001/ |access-date=May 17, 2021 |work=[[Naples Daily News]] |date=June 12, 2019 }}</ref> He attended [[Bowling Green State University]], but withdrew after several months to begin studying [[holistic]] culture at the Ohio life coaching school Journeys of Wisdom.<ref name="ccp"/>


=== Pre-2020 comedy career ===
==Pre-2020 comedy career==
[[File:JPSearsScreamTherapy 01.png|thumb|Sears screaming while demonstrating anger management scream therapy in 2013.]]
[[File:JPSearsScreamTherapy 01.png|thumb|Sears screaming while demonstrating anger management scream therapy in 2013.]]
In 2004, Sears moved from [[Ohio]] to [[San Diego, California]], to begin work as a professional life coach.<ref name="ccp"/> Prior to his appearance on YouTube, Sears operated the website holistichealthandfitness.com, which featured links to supplements and the website of [[alternative medicine]] proponent [[Joseph Mercola]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=Jarry|first=Jonathan|date=November 19, 2020|title=The Clown Prince of Wellness|url=https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/covid-19-critical-thinking-pseudoscience/clown-prince-wellness|access-date=January 18, 2021|website=[[Office for Science and Society]]|language=en}}</ref> In 2013, he began uploading YouTube videos providing advice on [[new age]] topics.<ref name="ccp"/>
In 2004, Sears moved from Ohio to [[San Diego, California]], to begin work as a professional life coach.<ref name="ccp"/> Prior to his appearance on YouTube, Sears operated the website holistichealthandfitness.com, which featured links to supplements and the website of [[alternative medicine]] proponent [[Joseph Mercola]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=Jarry|first=Jonathan|date=November 19, 2020|title=The Clown Prince of Wellness|url=https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/covid-19-critical-thinking-pseudoscience/clown-prince-wellness|access-date=January 18, 2021|website=[[Office for Science and Society]]|language=en}}</ref> In 2013, he began uploading YouTube videos providing advice on [[new age]] topics.<ref name="ccp"/>


[[File:JPSearw2016.png|thumb|Sears as a [[hippie]] in a 2016 video skit]]
[[File:JPSearw2016.png|thumb|Sears as a [[hippie]] in a 2016 video skit]]
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Sears has also produced satirical roasts of [[Spokane]], [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix]], [[Portland, Oregon|Portland]], and other locations; however, a 2017 satire of [[Costa Rica]] was less well-received by residents and Sears subsequently pulled the video from his channel and issued an apology after it was criticized by Costa Rican ambassador to India Mariela Cruz.<ref name="hoy">{{cite news |title=La Satira de JP Sears Que Deja Muy Mal a Costa Rica|url=https://www.crhoy.com/entretenimiento/la-satira-de-jp-sears-que-deja-muy-mal-a-costa-rica/ |language=Spanish|access-date=May 17, 2021 |work=Costa Rica Hoy |date=June 29, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Mitchell |first1=Garrett |title=YouTuber JP Sears explains 'Phoenix People': Locals either love it or feel totally burned |url=https://www.azcentral.com/story/entertainment/people/2018/03/29/jp-sears-youtube-phoenix-people-woke-af/470130002/ |access-date=May 17, 2021 |work=[[Arizona Republic]] |date=March 29, 2018}}</ref><ref name="crn"/><ref>{{cite news |last=Carroll|first=Megan|title=Internet comedian explains 'what Spokane people are like' in hilarious video |url=https://www.krem.com/article/entertainment/what-spokane-people-are-like-video/293-3c4e737b-61fc-4a34-8172-eb740514f465 |access-date=May 17, 2021 |work=[[KREM-TV]] |date=January 16, 2020}}</ref> News outlet ''Costa Rica Hoy'' observed that Costa Ricans familiar with Sears' satirical style would probably be amused by the video, while those who were unfamiliar with it would not.<ref name="hoy"/> The ''Costa Rica News'', an English-language newspaper in Costa Rica, observed that "this is a great lesson in cultural differences, what made JP's popularity in the States, the use of satire and parody is not going to be a successful tactic in Latin America&nbsp;... JP did realize that he had erred and sought to rectify his actions in a very public way&nbsp;... Needless to say, JP will not be doing any videos about Costa Rica, he will be sticking to subjects he knows well."<ref name="crn">{{cite news |title=Getting Real With JP Sears in Costa Rica |url=https://thecostaricanews.com/jp-sears-gets-serious-costa-rica/ |access-date=May 17, 2021 |work=Costa Rica News |date=July 11, 2017}}</ref>
Sears has also produced satirical roasts of [[Spokane]], [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix]], [[Portland, Oregon|Portland]], and other locations; however, a 2017 satire of [[Costa Rica]] was less well-received by residents and Sears subsequently pulled the video from his channel and issued an apology after it was criticized by Costa Rican ambassador to India Mariela Cruz.<ref name="hoy">{{cite news |title=La Satira de JP Sears Que Deja Muy Mal a Costa Rica|url=https://www.crhoy.com/entretenimiento/la-satira-de-jp-sears-que-deja-muy-mal-a-costa-rica/ |language=Spanish|access-date=May 17, 2021 |work=Costa Rica Hoy |date=June 29, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Mitchell |first1=Garrett |title=YouTuber JP Sears explains 'Phoenix People': Locals either love it or feel totally burned |url=https://www.azcentral.com/story/entertainment/people/2018/03/29/jp-sears-youtube-phoenix-people-woke-af/470130002/ |access-date=May 17, 2021 |work=[[Arizona Republic]] |date=March 29, 2018}}</ref><ref name="crn"/><ref>{{cite news |last=Carroll|first=Megan|title=Internet comedian explains 'what Spokane people are like' in hilarious video |url=https://www.krem.com/article/entertainment/what-spokane-people-are-like-video/293-3c4e737b-61fc-4a34-8172-eb740514f465 |access-date=May 17, 2021 |work=[[KREM-TV]] |date=January 16, 2020}}</ref> News outlet ''Costa Rica Hoy'' observed that Costa Ricans familiar with Sears' satirical style would probably be amused by the video, while those who were unfamiliar with it would not.<ref name="hoy"/> The ''Costa Rica News'', an English-language newspaper in Costa Rica, observed that "this is a great lesson in cultural differences, what made JP's popularity in the States, the use of satire and parody is not going to be a successful tactic in Latin America&nbsp;... JP did realize that he had erred and sought to rectify his actions in a very public way&nbsp;... Needless to say, JP will not be doing any videos about Costa Rica, he will be sticking to subjects he knows well."<ref name="crn">{{cite news |title=Getting Real With JP Sears in Costa Rica |url=https://thecostaricanews.com/jp-sears-gets-serious-costa-rica/ |access-date=May 17, 2021 |work=Costa Rica News |date=July 11, 2017}}</ref>


=== Political activities ===
==Political activities==
During the [[COVID-19 pandemic]] in 2020, Sears' content shifted towards support of [[Conservatism|conservative]] political views. In an interview with the ''Spokesman-Review'', Sears remarked that he believed freedoms were threatened during the pandemic, which caused his political shift, though he was not political before. According to Sears, "During the spring of 2020, me being pro-freedom caused some backlash.", but said that becoming a conservative comic "turned out to be great for my career." Also according to Sears, there are fewer conservative comics, and therefore he has a "niche" audience.<ref name="SPOKESMAN-REVIEW">Condran, Ed. 2021. "[https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2021/nov/25/conservative-anti-vaccine-comic-jp-sears-to-crack-/ Conservative, anti-vaccine comic J.P. Sears to crack wise in Spokane for first time]". ''[[The Spokesman Review]]''. November 25, 2021.</ref>
During the [[COVID-19 pandemic]] in 2020, Sears' content shifted towards support of conservative political views. In an interview with the ''Spokesman-Review'', Sears remarked that he believed freedoms were threatened during the pandemic, which caused his political shift, though he was not political before. According to Sears, there are fewer conservative comics, and therefore he has a "niche" audience.<ref name="SPOKESMAN-REVIEW">Condran, Ed. 2021. "[https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2021/nov/25/conservative-anti-vaccine-comic-jp-sears-to-crack-/ Conservative, anti-vaccine comic J.P. Sears to crack wise in Spokane for first time]". ''[[The Spokesman Review]]''. November 25, 2021.</ref>


Sears began to attempt to discredit some of the public health measures taken against [[COVID-19]] and promote [[COVID-19 misinformation|COVID-19 conspiracy theories]]. Science communicator Jonathan Jarry of the [[Office for Science and Society]], [[McGill University]] described Sears as part of the [[Conspirituality|conspirituality trend]], combining conspiracy theories and New Age spirituality. He notes that Sears has promoted claims about COVID-19 such as that [[COVID-19 drug repurposing research#Vitamin D|Vitamin D provides protection against the disease]], has referred to masks as "face suffocators", and had a video removed by YouTube "for spreading unfounded conspiracy theories".<ref name="MCGILL">{{Cite web|last=Jarry|first=Jonathan|date=November 19, 2020|title=The Clown Prince of Wellness|url=https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/covid-19-critical-thinking-pseudoscience/clown-prince-wellness|access-date=January 18, 2021|website=[[Office for Science and Society]]}}</ref>
Sears began to attempt to discredit some of the public health actions taken against COVID-19 and promote COVID-19 conspiracy theories. Science communicator Jonathan Jarry of the [[Office for Science and Society]], [[McGill University]] described Sears as part of the [[Conspirituality|conspirituality trend]], combining conspiracy theories and New Age spirituality. He notes that Sears has promoted claims about COVID-19 such as that [[COVID-19 drug repurposing research#Vitamin D|Vitamin D provides protection against the disease]], has referred to masks as "face suffocators", and had a video removed by YouTube for "for spreading unfounded conspiracy theories".<ref name=MCGILL>{{Cite web|last=Jarry|first=Jonathan|date=November 19, 2020|title=The Clown Prince of Wellness|url=https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/covid-19-critical-thinking-pseudoscience/clown-prince-wellness|access-date=January 18, 2021|website=[[Office for Science and Society]]}}</ref>


In February 2021, Sears appeared as a speaker at the Health Freedom Summit, an online event featuring speakers.<ref name="HEALTH-FREEDOM-SUMMIT-RD">Crockford, Susannah. 2021. "[https://religiondispatches.org/the-health-freedom-movement-enters-the-covid-era-by-disseminating-medical-disinformation/ The 'Health Freedom Movement' Enters the Covid Era by Disseminating Medical Disinformation"]. ''[[Religion Dispatches]]''. May 13, 2021.</ref>
In February 2021, Sears appeared as a speaker at the Health Freedom Summit, an online event featuring speakers.<ref name="HEALTH-FREEDOM-SUMMIT-RD">Crockford, Susannah. 2021. "[https://religiondispatches.org/the-health-freedom-movement-enters-the-covid-era-by-disseminating-medical-disinformation/ The 'Health Freedom Movement' Enters the Covid Era by Disseminating Medical Disinformation"]. ''[[Religion Dispatches]]''. May 13, 2021.</ref>
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Sears performed at Republican politician [[Dan Crenshaw]]'s Crenshaw Youth Summit in September 2021.<ref name="CRENSHAW">Terris, Ben. 2021. "[https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/post-trump-republican-party-dan-crenshaw/2021/09/13/cca47a78-14c6-11ec-b976-f4a43b740aeb_story.html What if Republicans had a party and Trump wasn't there?]". ''The Washington Post''. September 14, 2021.</ref>
Sears performed at Republican politician [[Dan Crenshaw]]'s Crenshaw Youth Summit in September 2021.<ref name="CRENSHAW">Terris, Ben. 2021. "[https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/post-trump-republican-party-dan-crenshaw/2021/09/13/cca47a78-14c6-11ec-b976-f4a43b740aeb_story.html What if Republicans had a party and Trump wasn't there?]". ''The Washington Post''. September 14, 2021.</ref>


Sears was the [[master of ceremonies]] at the Defeat the Mandates rally in [[Washington, D.C.|Washington D.C.]] on January 23, 2022.<ref name="Reason">{{cite web |last1=Britschgi |first1=Christian |title=D.C.'s Anti-Mandate Rally Devolves Into an Anti-Vaccine Rally |url=https://reason.com/2022/01/24/d-c-s-anti-mandate-rally-devolves-into-an-anti-vaccine-rally/ |website=Reason |access-date=April 4, 2022 |date=January 24, 2022}}</ref> He spoke against vaccine mandates to around 10,000 protesters alongside anti-vaccine activist [[Robert F. Kennedy Jr.]] and mRNA vaccine skeptic and physician [[Robert W. Malone]].<ref name="NEWYORKTIMES">{{cite news |last1=Chang |first1=Kenneth |title=Fauci cautions against overconfidence but says the U.S. wave looks like it's 'going in the right direction |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/23/health/fauci-omicron-peak.html |access-date=April 3, 2022 |work=[[The New York Times]]|date=January 23, 2022}}</ref><ref name="Reason" /> ''[[The New York Times]]'' characterized him as a "conservative conspiracy theorist"<ref>{{cite news |last1=Chang |first1=Kenneth |title=Fauci cautions against overconfidence but says the U.S. wave looks like it's 'going in the right direction.' |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/23/health/fauci-omicron-peak.html |access-date=April 15, 2022 |work=The New York Times |date=January 23, 2022}}</ref> and ''[[Vice News]]'' described him as an "anti-vaccine comedian".<ref name-"Vice-Jan-20-2022">{{cite news |last1=Merlan |first1=Anna |title=Joe Rogan's Friends Assemble in D.C. to Do Something They Say Isn't an Anti-Vax Rally |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/88g5bk/joe-rogans-friends-assemble-in-dc-to-do-something-they-say-isnt-an-anti-vax-rally |access-date=January 20, 2022 |work=Vice |date=January 20, 2022}}</ref>
Sears was the [[master of ceremonies]] at the Defeat the Mandates rally in [[Washington, D.C.|Washington D.C.]] on January 23, 2022.<ref name="Reason">{{cite web |last1=Britschgi |first1=Christian |title=D.C.'s Anti-Mandate Rally Devolves Into an Anti-Vaccine Rally |url=https://reason.com/2022/01/24/d-c-s-anti-mandate-rally-devolves-into-an-anti-vaccine-rally/ |website=Reason |access-date=April 4, 2022 |date=January 24, 2022}}</ref> He spoke against vaccine mandates to around 10,000 protesters alongside anti-vaccine activist [[Robert F. Kennedy Jr.]] and mRNA vaccine skeptic [[Robert W. Malone]].<ref name="NEWYORKTIMES">{{cite news |last1=Chang |first1=Kenneth |title=Fauci cautions against overconfidence but says the U.S. wave looks like it's 'going in the right direction |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/23/health/fauci-omicron-peak.html |access-date=April 3, 2022 |work=[[The New York Times]]|date=January 23, 2022}}</ref><ref name="Reason" /> ''The New York Times'' characterized him as a "conservative conspiracy theorist"<ref>{{cite news |last1=Chang |first1=Kenneth |title=Fauci cautions against overconfidence but says the U.S. wave looks like it's 'going in the right direction.' |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/23/health/fauci-omicron-peak.html |access-date=April 15, 2022 |work=The New York Times |date=January 23, 2022}}</ref> and ''Vice'' describes him as an "anti-vaccine comedian".<ref name-"Vice-Jan-20-2022">{{cite news |last1=Merlan |first1=Anna |title=Joe Rogan's Friends Assemble in D.C. to Do Something They Say Isn't an Anti-Vax Rally |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/88g5bk/joe-rogans-friends-assemble-in-dc-to-do-something-they-say-isnt-an-anti-vax-rally |access-date=January 20, 2022 |work=Vice |date=January 20, 2022}}</ref>

⚫
=== Personal life ===
⚫
In September 2020, Sears announced that he and his wife were expecting a child.<ref name="katu">{{cite news |title=Comedian JP Sears |url=https://katu.com/amnw/am-northwest-special-guests/comedian-jp-sears-09-01-2020 |access-date=May 19, 2021 |work=[[KATU-TV]] |date=September 1, 2020}}</ref> As of 2021, he resides in [[Austin, Texas|Austin]], [[Texas]].<ref name="SPOKESMAN-REVIEW" />


⚫
==Personal life==
In 2021, Sears stated that "[[Spirituality]] is super-important to me."<ref name="SPOKESMAN-REVIEW" /> He has not been [[COVID-19 vaccine|vaccinated against COVID-19]], saying "I don't feel that I'm at risk due to my age. To be quite frank, this is the most rushed vaccine in medical history."<ref name="SPOKESMAN-REVIEW" />
⚫
In September 2020, Sears announced he and his wife were expecting a child.<ref name="katu">{{cite news |title=Comedian JP Sears |url=https://katu.com/amnw/am-northwest-special-guests/comedian-jp-sears-09-01-2020 |access-date=May 19, 2021 |work=[[KATU-TV]] |date=September 1, 2020}}</ref>


==References==
==References==
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[[Category:21st-century American comedians]]
[[Category:21st-century American comedians]]
[[Category:American male comedians]]
[[Category:American male comedians]]
[[Category:American political activists]]
[[Category:Spirituality]]

Revision as of 02:35, 6 June 2022

For the baseball player, see JP Sears (baseball).

JP Sears
Sears in 2020
Born
Jonathan Patrick[1]Sears

Toledo, Ohio, U.S.
OccupationInternet personality
Years active2012–present
YouTube information
Channel
Subscribers2.44 million[2]
Total views304 million[2]
Last updated: April 4, 2022

JP Sears, known blog handle AwakenWithJP, is an American YouTuber and comedian. Sears is known for his satirical YouTube videos in which he parodies lifestyle gurus and wellness coaches, and offers comedic life advice. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Sears advocated against mask and vaccine mandates.

Early life and education

JP Sears was born in Toledo, Ohio, and raised in Bowling Green, Ohio.[3] According to Sears, he was a class clown in his youth.[4] He attended Bowling Green State University, but withdrew after several months to begin studying holistic culture at the Ohio life coaching school Journeys of Wisdom.[3]

Pre-2020 comedy career

Sears screaming while demonstrating anger management scream therapy in 2013.

In 2004, Sears moved from Ohio to San Diego, California, to begin work as a professional life coach.[3] Prior to his appearance on YouTube, Sears operated the website holistichealthandfitness.com, which featured links to supplements and the website of alternative medicine proponent Joseph Mercola.[5] In 2013, he began uploading YouTube videos providing advice on new age topics.[3]

Sears as a hippie in a 2016 video skit

In 2014, Sears relocated to Charleston, South Carolina, after which he changed the tone of his videos from serious life coaching to satirical life coaching.[3] He received notable attention in 2015 for his YouTube video titled "How to Become Gluten Intolerant". In the video, Sears delivers lines such as "If you're ready to have a ravenous appetite for impossible standards and dogmatic feelings of victimization, then let's get started on what you need to do to become gluten intolerant" in a deadpan and sarcastic manner typical of his YouTube content's approach to satire.[5]

Sears primarily performs as a satirist. In an interview with the Naples Daily News, Sears said he uses comedy to share "sincere life advice" and balances "the sincere and the satirical" while eschewing the idea that "you're either serious, like Deepak Chopra, or you're only joking around like a comedian".[4] Sears has rejected being categorized as either "sincere" or "humorous", explaining that he is both and the premise of the question is like asking "do you have a right hand or do you have a left hand?" According to Sears, all of his parody is drawn from aspects of his own life.[6]

Sears was cited by Australia's ABC News as one of "a growing number of comedians satirising fad gluten-free and grain elimination diets".[7]

In March 2017, Sears recorded a segment with CBC Radio's "Early Edition" in which host Samantha Garvey joined him in a tour of Vancouver's "most spiritually trendy spots".[8]

In 2018, Sears recorded a video roast about New Jersey[9] and then a similar roast filmed the same year about Boulder, described by Westword as "hilarious". Sears speculated "about running his own dog, Zephyr, for mayor", though, columnist Michael Roberts ultimately concluded he "could always run for mayor in Zephyr's place, especially given his high public profile".[10]

Sears has also produced satirical roasts of Spokane, Phoenix, Portland, and other locations; however, a 2017 satire of Costa Rica was less well-received by residents and Sears subsequently pulled the video from his channel and issued an apology after it was criticized by Costa Rican ambassador to India Mariela Cruz.[11][12][13][14] News outlet Costa Rica Hoy observed that Costa Ricans familiar with Sears' satirical style would probably be amused by the video, while those who were unfamiliar with it would not.[11] The Costa Rica News, an English-language newspaper in Costa Rica, observed that "this is a great lesson in cultural differences, what made JP's popularity in the States, the use of satire and parody is not going to be a successful tactic in Latin America ... JP did realize that he had erred and sought to rectify his actions in a very public way ... Needless to say, JP will not be doing any videos about Costa Rica, he will be sticking to subjects he knows well."[13]

Political activities

During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Sears' content shifted towards support of conservative political views. In an interview with the Spokesman-Review, Sears remarked that he believed freedoms were threatened during the pandemic, which caused his political shift, though he was not political before. According to Sears, there are fewer conservative comics, and therefore he has a "niche" audience.[15]

Sears began to attempt to discredit some of the public health actions taken against COVID-19 and promote COVID-19 conspiracy theories. Science communicator Jonathan Jarry of the Office for Science and Society, McGill University described Sears as part of the conspirituality trend, combining conspiracy theories and New Age spirituality. He notes that Sears has promoted claims about COVID-19 such as that Vitamin D provides protection against the disease, has referred to masks as "face suffocators", and had a video removed by YouTube for "for spreading unfounded conspiracy theories".[16]

In February 2021, Sears appeared as a speaker at the Health Freedom Summit, an online event featuring speakers.[17]

Sears performed at Republican politician Dan Crenshaw's Crenshaw Youth Summit in September 2021.[18]

Sears was the master of ceremonies at the Defeat the Mandates rally in Washington D.C. on January 23, 2022.[19] He spoke against vaccine mandates to around 10,000 protesters alongside anti-vaccine activist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and mRNA vaccine skeptic Robert W. Malone.[20][19] The New York Times characterized him as a "conservative conspiracy theorist"[21] and Vice describes him as an "anti-vaccine comedian".[22]

Personal life

In September 2020, Sears announced he and his wife were expecting a child.[23]

References

  1. ^ "Tuttle Twins Episode 7 - Premiere Livestream (Feat. JP Sears)". YouTube.
  2. ^ a b "About AwakenWithJP". YouTube.
  3. ^ a b c d e Ellison, Heath (January 24, 2018). "Local viral video star JP Sears finds success in comedy and sincerity". Charleston City Paper. Archived from the original on April 14, 2022. Retrieved April 14, 2022.
  4. ^ a b Grzeszczak, Jocelyn (June 12, 2019). "Naples only "non-redneck" part of Florida, says YouTube comedian". Naples Daily News. Retrieved May 17, 2021.
  5. ^ a b Jarry, Jonathan (November 19, 2020). "The Clown Prince of Wellness". Office for Science and Society. Retrieved January 18, 2021.
  6. ^ Ham, Larissa (August 11, 2016). "YouTube comedian or real life coach: who is the real JP Sears?". The Sydney Morning Herald.
  7. ^ Locke, Sarina (April 30, 2015). "Lower grain consumption has not stopped obesity in Australia". ABC News (Australia). Retrieved May 17, 2021.
  8. ^ Dimoff, Anna (March 31, 2017). "JP Sears visits Vancouver, finds his spiritual home in a Lululemon store". CBC. Retrieved May 17, 2021.
  9. ^ Deminski, Jeff (June 25, 2018). "Watch New Jersey Get Brutally Roasted". WKXW. Retrieved May 17, 2021.
  10. ^ Roberts, Michael (January 6, 2018). "JP Sears on His Hilarious Boulder Tribute Video and the Town's Ultra-Spirituality". Westword. Retrieved May 17, 2021.
  11. ^ a b "La Satira de JP Sears Que Deja Muy Mal a Costa Rica". Costa Rica Hoy (in Spanish). June 29, 2017. Retrieved May 17, 2021.
  12. ^ Mitchell, Garrett (March 29, 2018). "YouTuber JP Sears explains 'Phoenix People': Locals either love it or feel totally burned". Arizona Republic. Retrieved May 17, 2021.
  13. ^ a b "Getting Real With JP Sears in Costa Rica". Costa Rica News. July 11, 2017. Retrieved May 17, 2021.
  14. ^ Carroll, Megan (January 16, 2020). "Internet comedian explains 'what Spokane people are like' in hilarious video". KREM-TV. Retrieved May 17, 2021.
  15. ^ Condran, Ed. 2021. "Conservative, anti-vaccine comic J.P. Sears to crack wise in Spokane for first time". The Spokesman Review. November 25, 2021.
  16. ^ Jarry, Jonathan (November 19, 2020). "The Clown Prince of Wellness". Office for Science and Society. Retrieved January 18, 2021.
  17. ^ Crockford, Susannah. 2021. "The 'Health Freedom Movement' Enters the Covid Era by Disseminating Medical Disinformation". Religion Dispatches. May 13, 2021.
  18. ^ Terris, Ben. 2021. "What if Republicans had a party and Trump wasn't there?". The Washington Post. September 14, 2021.
  19. ^ a b Britschgi, Christian (January 24, 2022). "D.C.'s Anti-Mandate Rally Devolves Into an Anti-Vaccine Rally". Reason. Retrieved April 4, 2022.
  20. ^ Chang, Kenneth (January 23, 2022). "Fauci cautions against overconfidence but says the U.S. wave looks like it's 'going in the right direction". The New York Times. Retrieved April 3, 2022.
  21. ^ Chang, Kenneth (January 23, 2022). "Fauci cautions against overconfidence but says the U.S. wave looks like it's 'going in the right direction.'". The New York Times. Retrieved April 15, 2022.
  22. ^ Merlan, Anna (January 20, 2022). "Joe Rogan's Friends Assemble in D.C. to Do Something They Say Isn't an Anti-Vax Rally". Vice. Retrieved January 20, 2022.
  23. ^ "Comedian JP Sears". KATU-TV. September 1, 2020. Retrieved May 19, 2021.

Further reading

External links

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