San Francisco finds comedy in medicine

  • 2023-07-10
A comedian who is — of all things — a nurse is coming to San Francisco.

Blake Lynch, who goes by the stage name Nurse Blake, is bringing his “Shock Advised!” tour to the City by the Bay. He comes by the moniker honestly, as he is in fact a nurse who has worked in trauma centers throughout the nation before beginning his comedic career. He is also a keynote speaker, healthcare advocate, creator, and a comedian who tours internationally.

His career as a comedian is his answer to the stress of nursing. He began by making original comedy videos about the healthcare profession and posting them on social media. His cheerful skits connected with nursing students, nurses, and healthcare professionals everywhere, bringing Blake more than 300 million views and 3.5 million followers.

Nurse Blake now tours regularly, to growing acclaim. In 2022, his PTO Comedy Tour sold out. Originally scheduled to make 14 stops, it eventually played in 55 venues due to the huge demand. The current tour is now scheduled to make 100 stops in North America.

The New York Times has called Blake a “genuine phenomenon,” and a review of one of his shows says:

“He is the ultimate solo performer using visuals, crowd participation and live sketches that have audiences engaged and laughing from start to finish.”

Nurse Blake appears at the Warfield on Market Street on August 19, where organizers of events like this can use poster printing to create advertising for the performance.