Oh, I get to go first. Thanks so much.
Hi, everyone. Thank you to the MPs and the committee for taking the time to hear me today.
My name is Darcy Michael. For 16 years, I've been a proud Canadian comedian and actor. Prior to the pandemic, I had many traditional successes as an artist in Canada, with 10 televised galas at Just for Laughs. I also starred on CTV's sitcom Spun Out opposite Dave Foley, and I have my own one-hour stand-up special streaming on Crave, Darcy Michael Goes to Church—highly recommended viewing.
After Spun Out wrapped, I had a development deal with Bell Media for my own sitcom. I spent four years writing the show, only to be told they didn't think there was an appetite for it.
In Canada, when one network says no, there are only two other gatekeepers left to talk to. After all three networks declined to make the show, I was told to try getting it made in the United States first and then come back. Something we love to do with artists in this country is to send them elsewhere to find success first so we can lay claim to them later.
Then, COVID hit. Filming and stand-up industries rightfully shut down. Some of you might not be aware of this, but for some reason that no one has ever been able to explain to me, comedy is not a recognized art form in Canada. As comedy is not recognized as an art form, unlike musicians, actors, dancers and writers, comedians are not eligible for grants in Canada, which meant that the pandemic left no options to help me or my family.
So I pivoted. I decided to take the concept of my sitcom to digital platforms like TikTok and Instagram, partially to entertain myself during those early dark days of the pandemic, but also because I wanted to prove the concept of the show—not in hopes of networks changing their minds, but because I'm bitter and I wanted to prove them wrong. I did.
Fast-forward to today. Eighteen months after first joining TikTok, across all social media platforms, I have three million followers. Our TikTok channel alone averages 40 million to 60 million views a month. For the first time in my career, I'm reaching Canadian households that I could have only dreamed about before. Not only that, I own 100% of my content. I'm 100% in creative control, and I keep 100% of my profits.
With platforms like YouTube, TikTok and Instagram, artists can be in control of their creations, their content and their businesses. Of course, networks and record labels are crying foul, because they can no longer take advantage of the starving artist. Being a content creator online has single-handedly been the best decision I've ever made.
Listen, I can sit here and wax poetic about my creative successes all day long. I'm a big fan of myself. I'm very good. But let's talk business.
Before pivoting to being a digital creator, I was making ends meet as an artist, but just barely. I was lucky that my husband had a good corporate job and our daughter was able to get student loans for university. However, today, because of our success online, my husband now works with me full time and our daughter's student loans are completely paid off.
Not only has our success benefited us financially, but by my working directly with Canadian brands across our social media platforms, in just the last 12 months, we've helped put over $500,000 in sales back into the Canadian economy. That's from one channel on TikTok.
I'm speaking to you as a proud queer digital creator with content that celebrates conversations around mental health, body positivity and human rights. These are all the things I tried to do with traditional networks, but three gatekeepers didn't think there was an appetite for it. There are three million people who disagreed with them.
I have a career today in spite of the industry. I'm here in front of you as an artist, as a Canadian, and as a marginalized voice asking all of you not to omit us from this conversation any longer. See the positive changes we digital creators have been able to make globally but, more importantly, the changes we've been able to make in our Canadian communities from coast to coast to coast.
Thank you for your time.