"My purpose is to comedically inspire people to walk in purpose," says Michael Jr. who mixes his comedy routine with his Christian faith.

He mixes his faith in with his comedy routine and has said that when people laugh is often when they are most responsive to a life-changing message.

"Tension and stress is actually comedy's best friend because it needs so desperately to be released. Whether it's in somebody's heart or something they've never even noticed before."

Jr. acknowledges that many people have been facing stress and tension since the pandemic started back in March. 

"I constantly look for the light in these scenarios. Because of all the tension, because of all that's going on, there a lot of opportunities to bring some laughter, which is what people need right now."

Earlier this year in June, the movie Selfie Dad was released. It's a movie about a former stand-up comic in a mid-life crisis. The main character tries to become a social-media star until he and his family are radically changed by the Bible.

Michael plays the lead actor Ben Marcus. In real life, he and his wife have five children, allowing him to have much of the same life experience as the character he portrayed.  

As the movie was released mid-pandemic when theatres were closed, it was a different type of launch. 

"It feels like a little bit of a setback. It can feel that way but I always look at setbacks as kind of like a bow and arrow. The further you've been set back, the further you can reach. You just have to know what to aim for," says the comedian. 

As far as continuing his comedy routine, he and his team have found another way of doing things. 

"In my comedy, I'm aiming not just to bring laughter to people, but also bring some sort of hope and light."

Michael Jr. is doing a virtual comedy tour that brings him and his joy right into people's homes.

"With my comedy tour, we're going to be laughing in people's households. It's a digital tour via zoom and you can watch with your whole family."

The tour is called Laugh Your Mask Off and he will be connecting with homes all across Canada in his Canadian lag of the tour.

"It's comedy re-imagined. Everything is new and fresh, we don't know what to expect, it's cool and fun."

Michael Jr.'s style of comedy is often quite off the cuff as he asks the audiences, now people in their homes, questions that he doesn't know the answer to. 

"When I was a kid I used to struggle with my reading so I always had to look at different things. I couldn't read it the regular way. Now I read just fine but I still have an ability to look at words, people, and situations seven different ways almost instantly."

This quick thinking is what he applies to his live comedy routine, coming up with jokes on the fly.

Throughout the pandemic, dealing with issues of racism, and the upcoming election, Michael Jr. is still able to find and focus on the joy as well.

"There's a lot going on but there's also a lot to laugh about too," says Michael Jr.

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