Influencer
The One Up guy Connor Bergersen On his TikTok Comedy Career And How It All Started
From blue collar hard-work labor to becoming one of the funniest skit creators on TikTok, Connor Bergersen, who many may know as “The One Up guy,” sat down with us for an insider look at how to become a successful comedian on social media.
Who is Connor Bergersen?
Connor is a stand-up comedian, content creator, Twitch streamer, and podcaster from Toronto, Canada. According to Connor, he does everything possible to stay unemployed and work on his own terms.
Connor is a lighthearted easy-going creator that does everything he can to stay laughing throughout it all.
Connor’s ultimate objective is to live a life full of laughs and pass on positive energy to his followers and viewers. He says, “I am a dude who wants to make funny shit; my whole goal in life is to crack jokes and laugh; I’m not really taking anything seriously.”
Before comedy, Connor was an aspiring football athlete and even worked in construction and car dealerships after losing interest in becoming the next NHL star.
Connor claims that he always knew that comedy was what he wanted to do, but the transition from what he was pursuing shaped a challenge for him due to the lack of support.
When Did You Start, and Why Content Creation?
The moment of realization that comedy was what Conner’s calling was wasn’t until he attempted a few small stand-up shows in Toronto and realized that this was what he wanted to be doing all day long.
“During covid, it all went away, there was no more stand-up, and I completely gave up on my dream to pursue entertainment.”
He adds, “I was making a few videos on social media, but things weren’t really going my way; I had like 400 followers, maybe!”
After almost a year and a half at his 9-5 job, Connor felt he’d been there too long and hadn’t thought of even one comedic skit, so he walked up to his boss and quit.
After pushing his comedy career aside, Connor started a career selling cars and managed to save up and visit Europe, and that’s when things began to take off.
“I was very depressed and having an identity crisis and needed some time to regroup my thoughts and figure out what I was going to do moving forward, so I took my bag and went flew out to Amsterdam, intending to stay two weeks and ended up staying almost three months backpacking across Europe.”
He elaborates, ” After quitting my job, I started making at least one video every single day, and that’s when I started to get inspiration on how to make this social media thing work.”
During his trip across Europe, Connor met someone who inspired one of his biggest hits on social media: “The one-up guy.”
Who is the One-Up Guy?
“I met The one-up guy on one of the last three days before returning to Canada, and it was a game changer.”
“The real one-up guy is a friend of a friend we met up with in a restaurant and anything we’d say this guy would add to it. I was like, WTF is up with this guy? When my buddy was talking about doing his training to get his license, this dude was like, Oh, it took you two months. I got mine in less than three weeks.”
Conner adds, “My buddy was talking about hooking up with a girl the night before, and the real one-up guy told him “Oh, just one! I’d usually get two on a bad day,” and he was saying it with all confidence like it was real.”
A few days after meeting the real one-up guy Connor flew home to Toronto, made a few skits, and his notifications blew up, launching his career as a social-media comedian.
What Are Your Best Moments As a Creator?
The two most memorable moments in Connor’s comedy career were when he discovered that his favorite athletes follow and support him.
“The first is when George Kittle, the tight end for the San Francisco 49ers, was wearing my merch, and I had no idea that he bought any of my merch or even followed me. People started sending DMs and blowing up my line, saying that Kittle wore your merch in a press conference.”
Connor adds, “I was running around the house showing the picture to everyone, and then he brought a friend and me to a Niners game; he’s a very cool dude.”
“But the second one is probably just as equal as I got to Interview Richard Jefferson, an NBA star that played with Lebron James. He wanted to make some content, and I got him onto my podcast “The Big Brain Boys,” and we just vibed.”
What Is Your Creative Process
Connor seeks inspiration from the world around him and refuses to sit in front of a computer and try to come up with ideas.
Connor tells us, “I don’t really sit in front of a computer and write; you have to go out and what you create in real life, allow yourself to be inspired by everyday things that happen around you.”
“Go out to coffee shops, take the subway, go watch people. I live in Toronto, and it’s very much like a New York type of city with a lot going on, so as soon as you’re out of the door, hella ideas will come to mind,” he explains.
Conner suggests, “Stay off social media if you want to get ideas, watch the homeless guy singing on the subway, and observe the passive-aggressive cashier at Starbucks, then come back with a duffle bag of ideas and piece together something epic.”
What Are your Favorite Skits to make?
Connor’s favorite skits are those where he is truly being his genuine self and not trying to play a character just to make people laugh.
Connor excels in his creativity when making something he can relate to, whether in the past or at his current age.
Connor says, “The one-up guy isn’t really my favorite to make, but hey, they do well, and I’m going to keep making them.”
He adds, “I did a few named 13-year-old playing X-box, and that’s my favorite because I’m a grown-ass man, and that character is exactly how I am when gaming.”
Brand Deals and Collaboration
When it comes to brand deals, Connor looks for authenticity and companies that understand inbound marketing strategies.
He only signs with brands looking to collaborate on an ongoing basis and those that fully allow him to be his authentic self on Camera.
Connor says, “I don’t even like the term influencer; if brands are cool with maintaining my comedic personality, I’m down to collaborate; I won’t sacrifice who I am on camera to promote a product.”
Tip For Aspiring Comedians
“Don’t look at the numbers; the algorithm does not reflect the amount of heart a comedian puts into their work,” he explains.
Connor has come a long way from where he was, and he explains that being a comedian on TikTok or Youtube is different from all other niches.
He adds, “It’s tough for us comedians to get put off by followers and viewers, as we put so much effort in the creative process; it isn’t just a TikTok dance or trend; we actually do this with passion. My best tip for any aspiring creator on social media is to post, post, post, and do not look at the number of views.”
