During dark times, sometimes a hero rises up.
In 2024, that hero is a talented young actor/comedian, writer/director and dancer/content creator named Brian Jordan Alvarez.
Do you remember the anti-drug PSA campaign from 2000 that asked the question, “What’s your Anti-Drug?” It was meant to get kids and young people to focus on the good things in their lives rather than turning to substance abuse.
For whatever reason, the expression stuck with me and is one I still use today. Anytime something is inspiring, moving or fills me with joy, I am inclined to call it my “anti-drug.”
And my latest favorite anti-drug in these turbulent times with political uncertainty in the U.S., a planet in climate crisis, women’s rights on the verge of extinction and a teenage daughter about to start driving? You guessed it, it’s Brian Jordan Alvarez and his video creations.
It’s not just me who is inspired, entertained and enthralled by Brian (or “BJA” to those in the know) and his endearing little dancey-dance videos. He has spawned a massive following of girls, gays and theys who adore him as much as I do. How do I know? Because we all congregate in his videos’ comments section to share the love.
BJA is the mastermind behind the wonderful series English Teacher on Hulu (originally on FX). He stars in it and also wrote and directed most of the show – and unofficially spearheads its marketing through his one-man dance videos. English Teacher is funny, touching, clever, fresh and queer – instantly one of my all-time favorite shows. It’s not just a vehicle for BJA’s talents, but also introduced me to a host of other amazing and hilarious actors.
I didn’t start watching English Teacher until BJA’s adorable dance videos began showing up in my TikTok and Instagram feeds in mid-October. Like clockwork, every day the algorithm gods fed me a new, cutely alluring dance video from BJA. The videos are usually him dancing to the “I love your daughter” sound, but he sometimes mixes things up a bit with Gracie Abrams or another song.
By the end of October, I was hooked. Every song he dances to instantly makes it onto my Spotify favorite songs list – did I mention BJA has great taste in music? Plus, there’s something about seeing someone put themselves out there so earnestly and joyfully that I find irresistable. It’s not that he’s the world’s best dancer – it’s just the guileless, boyish and charming way that he throws himself into each performance. He’s a one-man dance party and it’s pure magic.
BJA saw that his dance videos were becoming popular and began to use them to encourage viewership of English Teacher on Hulu. His strategy is working – the show is shooting up in popularity – and he’s also gotten the attention of both niche and mainstream media. It’s a fun return to form for him, since BJA originally made a name for himself creating content for the Internet.
If you’re new to BJA, I recommend starting with his most recent fare: English Teacher on Hulu and his short dance videos on either Instagram or TikTok.
If you’re already a BJA fan, might I suggest a deep dive into his older content via his YouTube channel? That’s where I fell in love with his hilariously on-trend video shorts like “When Your Gender-Fluid Friend Gets More Attention From Straight Guys Than You” and “What Actually Happens When Gay Guys See Other Gay Guys Without Any Straight People Around.”
His YouTube channel is also where I found BJA’s critically acclaimed short series, The Gay and Wondrous Life of Caleb Gallo, which I loved almost as much as the English Teacher and his dance videos. It’s THAT good – and fans of English Teacher will be pleased to see BJA’s longtime friend and collaborator Stephanie Koenig stars in this series, too.
Dig deep enough into BJA’s YouTube archive and you’ll stumble upon a playlist of him dancing around his apartment to full-length songs. It’s an embarrassment of riches for the diehard BJA fan, so enjoy yourself and pay it forward.
Now that you’ve met BJA, my anti-drug, I’d love to hear what yours is. Drop me a note in the comments below or over on Instagram or Facebook!
