Cape Breton man gives chuckle to large audience after sudden rise to TikTok fame

BJ Brophy, 42, is a father and works a regular day job, but his pandemic pastime has led to him adding "TikTok sensation" to his list of titles.

"I work at the Cove Guest Home. I'm a CCA where I worked 18 years in the Alzheimer's and dementia unit," says Brophy.

He says when the pandemic first hit, he found himself with little to do -- until his partner, Chantal Leblanc, introduced him to the app.

"Wasn't much to do, we were locked down. Chantal showed me the app, and I thought, 'Oh great, another app I'm going to get addicted to,'" says Brophy.

Now, the Cape Bretoner has a TikTok following of nearly 120,000.

"It's pretty insane. In just a year, it's insane. It's mind blowing," says Brophy.

With videos filled with him poking fun at his partner, he says his videos work to shine a light on everyday moments any couple can relate to.

"But it's true, that's the best part. We all go through that in our homes. No one talks about it though, but ours are on video," says Leblanc.

While he dishes out some good-natured jabs towards those in his life, Brophy says he can make himself look fairly silly as well.

"I definitely don't mind being the brunt of my own jokes, no," says Brophy.

"We're out in public and people are coming up and saying, 'Are you BJ Brophy?' It's pretty funny, and overwhelming sometimes," Leblanc says.

Still unsure of how to explain the rapid rise to online fame, the couple says they tell others they simply produce videos to give others a laugh -- and they enjoy creating them.

As for Leblanc, she has a good idea as to why many people tend to enjoy her partner's particular sense of humour.

"Just that it's nice to see some positive energy in a world full of a negative," says Leblanc.