Nicole Arbour is a Canadian actress, comedian, choreographer, singer and YouTuber. She is known for her work in acting on television and film, as well as her YouTube content.
As an actress, Arbour appeared in Howie Do It, and Silent But Deadly. Arbour's single "Bang Bang" was released on April 30, 2013. On June 18, 2015, her single and music video to "Fun Revolution" was released and was the first Periscope music video to debut. In April 2015, Arbour was nominated as a finalist for "Best Comedian" for the Shorty Awards, however she ultimately lost to Hannibal Buress. Arbour released a single and self-directed music video to “Show Me How You Werk” on December 4, 2017.
Choreographer and hosting work
She has worked as a choreographer for professional cheerleading teams, award shows, and recording artists including Omi's "Cheerleader" performance in 2015 Much Music Video Awards, 2013 Much Music Video Awards and CFL Argos Cheerleaders. Arbour has been the host of a number of major events and tours including Style New York Fashion Week at Madison Square Garden, Virgin Mobile "National Fearless Day" with Richard Branson, City Fest Toronto and LG National Texting Championships 2008–2009. She also worked for brands on their marketing campaigns including Virgin Mobile, Axe and Molson Canadian's "Guy Code Campaign". Arbour was featured in Adweek magazine in April 2017 for her work in an advertisement of PMD's Lip Plumping Device.
In September 2015, Arbour became the subject of controversy when she posted a viral video on her YouTube channel titled "Dear Fat People". Critics argued that the video endorses fat shaming. The video was temporarily unavailable on YouTube, over claims that it violated the YouTube terms of service, but was later restored. Arbour was the subject of both public and celebrity criticism, with model Ashley Graham labelling her comments as "disgusting". Director Pat Mills fired Arbour from an upcoming movie after seeing the video and was quoted via several sources, "I'm gay. I was bullied a lot as a kid. I am no stranger to ridicule and loneliness... It's fat-phobic and awful. It went on for over six minutes. I felt like I had been punched in the gut. I was so upset I was shaking like Shelley Duvall in The Shining". On September 10, 2015, Arbour, via Twitter denied ever having any form of involvement in the film. Soon after the video, Arbour was fired from her job where she was a choreographer for an anti-bullying video for kids. The director of the film she was hired to work on said it "made me never want to see her again". On September 16, 2015, Arbour appeared on The View to defend her actions in the "Dear Fat People" video, stating while on the show "that video was made to offend people...it's just satire," that she wasn’t targeting those with medical conditions, and that the video wasn't supposed to be taken seriously. Time cited an interview stating, "Arbour doesn't see her comments as bullying, but rather an intense form of truth-telling". Arbour was quoted in the Time article, defending her actions:
I find seeing someone's head being blown off offensive... I find children starving in a country with more than enough food offensive. I find women's bodies being mutilated for religious purposes, that is offensive to me. But words and satire I don't find offensive.
