Tomorrow night, at the Supper Club, the "Original Kims of Comedy" will be performing. Rebecca Louie of the Daily News tries to explain: "The show's title melds a common Korean surname with the name of the hit African-American comedian tour "The Original Kings of Comedy," which grossed $39 million in venues around the country and an additional $38 million as a film." Common Korean surname, eh? The article is rich with information about that elusive group of funny Asians. More tidbits:
"I think [we'll be] a welcome change from most [standup] shows in this city, which usually have a Jewish or black guy cracking jokes," says Steve Byrne, a New York-based Irish-Korean comic who will join California's "Dr. Ken" Jeong and Harlem's Eliot Chang on stage. -- Irish-Korean? No way!
"People who hire me ask if all I tell is Asian jokes and if [the audience] will understand," says Chang. "It's not like I'm not talking in Chinese or anything! Only about 10% of my set is ethnically oriented. I cover politics, the church and dating. I actually think [relying on all-Asian material] is a crutch." -- Tell that to Jake.
No piece about Asian American comics would be complete without mention of Margaret Cho.
