{"id":115750,"date":"2025-07-04T15:09:04","date_gmt":"2025-07-04T19:09:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/?p=115750"},"modified":"2025-07-07T08:00:01","modified_gmt":"2025-07-07T12:00:01","slug":"interview-pretty-blind-jennie-bovard-takes-partial-sight-albinism-creates-comedy-gold","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2025\/07\/04\/interview-pretty-blind-jennie-bovard-takes-partial-sight-albinism-creates-comedy-gold\/","title":{"rendered":"INTERVIEW | Pretty Blind: Jennie Bovard Takes Partial Sight And Albinism And Creates Comedy Gold"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure id=\"attachment_115753\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-115753\" style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-115753\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/07\/Copy-of-INTERVIEW-16.jpg\" alt=\"Actress and writer Jennie Bovard and the crew in in AMI\u2019s new series, Pretty Blind (Photo courtesy of Torrential Pictures\/Club Red Productions (2025))\" width=\"1200\" height=\"628\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/07\/Copy-of-INTERVIEW-16.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/07\/Copy-of-INTERVIEW-16-300x157.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/07\/Copy-of-INTERVIEW-16-1024x536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/07\/Copy-of-INTERVIEW-16-768x402.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-115753\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jennie Bovard (R) and the crew in in AMI\u2019s new series, Pretty Blind (Photo courtesy of Torrential Pictures\/Club Red Productions (2025))<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Living in the world with low vision and albinism comes with a set of difficulties and frustrations the sighted majority never has to think about. Jennie Bovard, a legally blind podcaster and soon to be TV star, looks at the situation with laughs in mind.<\/p>\n<p>Pretty Blind is a new TV show debuting on July 8 on AMItv. It\u2019s based on the true to life experiences of <strong>Jennie Bovard<\/strong>, and created with Canadian comedy veteran <strong>Jonathan Torrens<\/strong> and writer-showrunner <strong>Mark Forward<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"jetpack-video-wrapper\"><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/xKOozxFv9-w?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/div>\n<h2>The Interview<\/h2>\n<p>It all began with a podcast.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFor the podcast, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@LowVisionMoments\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Low Vision Moments<\/a>, the top priority for me was to have fun, and to make people laugh,\u201d Bovard explains. \u201cI reached a point [where I thought], I better start laughing at these things that are happening to me.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>As she explains it, to be partially sighted, and live with albinism, life, among other things, is a stream of embarrassing incidents \u2014 like walking up to the wrong vehicle when a friend is picking you up, or even mistaking someone else for your date.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI started telling these stories and people were laughing,\u201d she says. \u201cWe were all laughing, and I thought, this would make a great podcast,\u201d she adds. \u201cPodcasts are inherently accessible.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ami.ca\/tv\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">AMI<\/a> became a natural host for the Low Vision Moments podcast. AMI, according to its website, is \u201cthe world&#8217;s first television network to broadcast all programs with open format described video for Canadians who are blind or partially sighted\u201d. Most cable TV providers in the country provide it at no additional cost to their basic digital cable package.<\/p>\n<p>It was AMI that connected Bovard with Torrens, and suggested a TV version of the kind of stories she was telling on her successful podcast.<\/p>\n<p>On the TV show, Jennie becomes Jennie Bonang, a heroine with a side of sarcasm who is at a crossroads. She\u2019s just broken up with her boyfriend, is getting into conflicts with her boss at the library, and is coping with a new, well meaning but overbearing, roommate.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMany of the stories and experiences that people will enjoy in the Pretty Blind comedy series come [&#8230;] directly from the podcast.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt was cathartic. I want to make content that I want to listen to,\u201d Jennie says. \u201cThere wasn&#8217;t enough pale person and blind content,\u201d she adds.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBeing part of the fun and being part of the satire is inclusion.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Pretty Blind is pretty unique on the North American TV landscape. \u201cThere really isn&#8217;t anything like it out there.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_115754\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-115754\" style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-115754\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/07\/Pretty-Blind-2.jpg\" alt=\"Jennie Bovard and cast member in Pretty Blind (Photo courtesy of Torrential Pictures\/Club Red Productions (2025))\" width=\"1200\" height=\"802\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/07\/Pretty-Blind-2.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/07\/Pretty-Blind-2-300x201.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/07\/Pretty-Blind-2-1024x684.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/07\/Pretty-Blind-2-768x513.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-115754\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jennie Bovard and cast member in Pretty Blind (Photo courtesy of Torrential Pictures\/Club Red Productions (2025))<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3>Living With Partial Sight<\/h3>\n<p>Having fun and representing a poorly understood perspective are the basis; raising general awareness is an overarching concern.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt&#8217;s easy as a person living with a disability to get frustrated,\u201d Bovard says. \u201cThe built in environment is not where we&#8217;d like it to be.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The show, like the podcast takes that frustration and turns it into punch lines. \u201cBringing it back to laughter, and enjoying life.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>She notes that it can be easy to blame everyone and everything for the incessant inequities \u2014 and ignorance \u2014 faced by those who are partially sighted, and many other people who live with disabilities of various kinds.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAt the end of the day, it&#8217;s partly my responsibility as someone with a disability to educate the people around me,\u201d she says. \u201cSome days are more difficult than others.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Educating through humour makes the lesson more palatable. \u201cIt&#8217;s really serving me and my community,\u201d she says of her efforts. \u201cHow can I expect anybody else to understand my disability when they don&#8217;t have a personal connection to it?\u201d she asks. \u201cAwareness is a massive component.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_115755\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-115755\" style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-115755\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/07\/Copy-of-DSC03213.jpg\" alt=\"Cast in Pretty Blind (Photo courtesy of Torrential Pictures\/Club Red Productions (2025))\" width=\"1200\" height=\"802\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/07\/Copy-of-DSC03213.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/07\/Copy-of-DSC03213-300x201.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/07\/Copy-of-DSC03213-1024x684.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/07\/Copy-of-DSC03213-768x513.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-115755\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Cast in Pretty Blind (Photo courtesy of Torrential Pictures\/Club Red Productions (2025))<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3>Awareness: The Production<\/h3>\n<p>That sense of awareness extends to the production itself, which Bovard says has been written and planned, down to the logistics of putting the sets together, to facilitate not only for her needs, but those of actors with different types of blindness.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt&#8217;s throughout the whole fabric of the show.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>When it comes to the audience, the goal is to introduce a perspective listeners and viewers may have never considered.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe never want to make people feel bad,\u201d she explains. \u201cI want to invite them in, and have a laugh,\u201d she adds. \u201cIf you are able to enjoy these stories and learn a little from them \u2014 if someone comes away with an aha moment, that&#8217;s fantastic.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Comedy is a storytelling mode with a built in appeal.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cComedy is such a nice \u2014 not just nice, it&#8217;s effective, because everybody loves to laugh.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3>A Shift In Thinking<\/h3>\n<p>Working on a series with low vision artists at its centre is a gift. \u201cWhat a privilege to be able to be part of this shift we see in entertainment,\u201d Bovard says.<\/p>\n<p>She appreciates the boost from Jonathan Torrens and Mark Forward. Some of the guests on the show are people she\u2019s admired in various ways. \u201cIt&#8217;s huge for me,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOne thing that is really incredible \u2014 we&#8217;re using integrated described video.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Integrated described video takes the concept from the usual described video track right back to the production phase, and follows the principles of Universal Design. Key visual elements of the series are identified throughout the production by various means, and it eliminates the need for conventional described video.<\/p>\n<p>For example, the dialogue of the show incorporates descriptive language, and mentions proper names where they might otherwise be left out.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFor example, my character, Jennie, I&#8217;m always wearing red,\u201d Jennie says. It allows viewers with low vision to easily follow the action. \u201cThat mimics real life,\u201d she notes. \u201cI think that&#8217;s really unique to this project.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>As she explains, in real life, people with low vision will take note of broad details like the colour and shape of someone\u2019s coat, their distinctive way of walking, or audible cues, in order to recognize and identify people.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI don&#8217;t think that&#8217;s ever been done before. I am, I think, in Canadian television, this is the first time we&#8217;ve had the lead in a scripted TV comedy who is blind and who has albinism.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s no small triumph. The real world of broadcasting and media is not what she thought she\u2019d found in college.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI went to college for film and TV production. In school, I could pick and choose my roles,\u201d she explains. When she graduated and tried going to auditions, she found the reality was drastically different. \u201cIt was a slap in the face. You&#8217;re tripping on things, you&#8217;re spilling things. You had had to be visually adept.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Those were also aspects that were planned for in the production of Pretty Blind. The sets are laid out so as to be easily navigable. Strong, bright lights disrupt vision for the partially sighed, so the windows are covered, and the show uses cameras that require a minimal amount of light in order to shoot.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt was those real barriers that we were able to remove.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_115756\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-115756\" style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-115756\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/07\/Copy-of-DSC03152.jpg\" alt=\"Actress\/writer Jennie Bovard in Pretty Blind (Photo courtesy of Torrential Pictures\/Club Red Productions (2025))\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/07\/Copy-of-DSC03152.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/07\/Copy-of-DSC03152-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/07\/Copy-of-DSC03152-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/07\/Copy-of-DSC03152-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-115756\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jennie Bovard in Pretty Blind (Photo courtesy of Torrential Pictures\/Club Red Productions (2025))<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3>A Message<\/h3>\n<p>Jennie is hoping the message will come across clearly.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOther people who are blind and who have albinism, they can participate in this industry too.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Pretty Blind has designed a kind of production template on how to remove those everyday barriers to participation by low vision and blind people. Hopefully, it will spark a larger trend.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt&#8217;s much bigger than that,\u201d she says. \u201cI&#8217;m so excited.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>The Show<\/h2>\n<p>The cast includes Jacob Hemphill (Roll With It) as Yves; Jessica Barry (FROM) as Veronica; Dan Barra-Berger (All Access Comedy) as Steve; and MJ \u2018Joanne\u2019 Miller (Diggstown) as Sandy, alongside a cameo appearance from Jonathan Torrens, who also directs a few episodes throughout the season.<\/p>\n<p>The Pretty Blind writers\u2019 room includes showrunner Mark Forward, producer and director Jonathan Torrens, story editors Bovard and Barra-Berger, writing room coordinator Brad Rivers, and writing room assistant Maddie Leigh Murray. Bovard and Rivers are associate producers.<\/p>\n<p>AMI, in partnership with Torrential Pictures, Club Red Productions, and Flow Video Inc., launches Pretty Blind on Tuesday, July 8, at 9 p.m. ET on AMI-tv and streams free anytime on AMI+ across Canada.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>You can check it out online [<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amiplus.ca\/Pretty\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">HERE<\/a><\/strong>].<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong><em>Are you looking to promote an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/advertising\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"color: #0e101a\"><u>event<\/u><\/span><\/a>? Have a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/masthead\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>news tip<\/u><\/a>? Need to know the best\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/events\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>events<\/u><\/a>\u00a0happening this weekend? Send us a\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><a href=\"mailto:anya@ludwig-van.com?subject=Let's%20chat\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong><em><u>note<\/u>.<\/em><\/strong><br \/>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"western\"><em><b>#LUDWIGVAN<\/b><\/em><\/h3>\n<p class=\"western\"><em>Get the daily arts news straight to your inbox.<\/em><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"western\"><em>Sign up for the Ludwig Van Toronto e-Blast! \u2014 local classical music and opera news straight to your inbox <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/583e6ce0-dfd0-48be-8a33-61256b3c58e3.mlbtlr.com\/p2\/Fbd8jWoWQQ6CdBcLIvut3Q\/02E3cYaETqaj4Xm087cpSg?contactid=S3HHYfHY5rZv5f94S15MnA\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/583e6ce0-dfd0-48be-8a33-61256b3c58e3.mlbtlr.com\/p2\/Fbd8jWoWQQ6CdBcLIvut3Q\/02E3cYaETqaj4Xm087cpSg?contactid%3DS3HHYfHY5rZv5f94S15MnA&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1695737525351000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0QTqKRwRJQFGK3KoJYigxX\">HERE.<\/a><\/h3>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Jennie Bovard, a legally blind podcaster and soon to be TV star living with albinism, looks at life with laughs in mind in her new series Pretty Blind.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":64,"featured_media":115753,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[41660,13,22,29,42085,63],"tags":[42086,42087],"yst_prominent_words":[],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/07\/Copy-of-INTERVIEW-16.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p9bakr-u6W","amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/115750"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/64"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=115750"}],"version-history":[{"count":25,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/115750\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":115783,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/115750\/revisions\/115783"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/115753"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=115750"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=115750"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=115750"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=115750"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}