Bill Hader thinks social media has made life harder for live entertainers.
The 39-year-old comedian – who is, perhaps, best known for his work on ‘Saturday Night Live’ – has admitted that the ever increasing influence of platforms like Facebook and Twitter mean he now feels under more pressure than ever to not make mistake on stage or TV and go viral.
Bill shared: "Once you’re on the air, you have a great time. Always. But I’m not going to lie, once a show has finished, I’m filled with relief. I would start hugging people, whispering ‘thank God’ under my breath.
"The thing is, the nature of live TV has changed with social media. You get one chance to nail it, and if you don’t, that could be the clip that goes viral that week.
"Even if it doesn’t and you break character on stage, it’s immortalised online. It used to be that you f***ed up and you could move on. Now all your mess-ups are documented."
Bill likened the situation to boarding an plane, and then spending the flight contemplating all of the things that could conceivably go wrong.
He told ShortList magazine: "It’s like being on an aeroplane, and all you’re doing is thinking about how the aeroplane is working, and all the things that could go wrong.
"A lot of people can do that show and not panic, just like how a lot of people can enjoy a flight, spend it talking to a friend or enjoy a cocktail. My nervous brain thinks about how we’re up in the air, and how many things could go wrong."
Despite this, Bill has found some techniques to combat his anxieties.
He said: "When your mind messes you around, you develop ways to cope. Like nearly everyone in LA, I do transcendental meditation and yoga, which calms my brain down."
Bill Hader: Social media is tough on live performers
