Sheena Snively takes to the streets for comedy
Comedian and TV host Sheena Snively credits Hamilton with helping her develop her sense of humour and comedic tastes.
“I love how Hamiltonians can take a jab at themselves,” said Snively, whose web series “That’s What Sheena Said” premièred earlier this month on CBC Comedy.
“I’m a big fan of female comedy and the direction it’s going in,” she says, citing Melissa McCarthy, Kirsten Wiig and Canadian series “The Baroness Von Sketch Show” and “Newborn Moms” as examples.
Snively moved to Hamilton from Port Dover more than 15 years ago to study at Mohawk College. She went on to work at MTV in Toronto — commuting from Hamilton rather than moving cities — and gaining popularity as a co-host of MTV Live.
After years on MTV, she felt ready for a “more mature route,” Snively says, and with CBC investing heavily in comedy, and particularly female comedy, she wanted to be a part of that.
“That’s What Sheena Said” features short video clips, usually no longer than two minutes, in which Snively interviews Canadian personalities at events such as the recent Canadian Screen Awards and the Winnipeg Comedy Festival in humorous segments with titles like “Spanx or no Spanx” or “Show me your socks.”
“I always wanted to do street comedy,” says Snively, who lived for years in Hess Village and has recently moved to Ancaster.
And in a quirky full-circle kind of way, the production team on “That’s What Sheena Said” is made up of Mohawk grads, and Snively also teaches part time in the college’s digital media program.
Aside from the comedy, the web series is also a way for Snively to showcase her style sense — she’s also an advocate for plus-sized women in fashion.
“I want to make sure I’m represented properly and appropriately,” she says, adding she’s lately been working with Torontobased plus-size boutique Your Big Sister’s Closet on her outfits.
“I wear what I want and nobody tells me what I can and cannot wear.”
Snively’s next stop for taping is Montreal’s Just for Laughs comedy festival. To see the first batch of episodes of “That’s What Sheena Said” visit www.youtube.com/user/ CBCPunchline/videos.