![]() In your comedy, you talk a lot about Filipino identity and your family. on the West Coast, and it's Hardee's in the East. People were like, "What's Safeway?" You got to know your grocery stores when you go to different cities for sure. I did the same thing with the Safeway one time. But I tried it in Jonesboro, Ark., and the people in the audience were like, "What the f**k is a Whole Foods?" It worked really well in Boston and New York. I have this joke I tell at my book readings about Whole Foods cereal and how it gets soggy the second that the milk hits it. The only thing that I always stress the most is seeing the town, and seeing how they live, and pick up on their cultures and their little quirks that they do, and talk about that on stage just to make it feel more personal. Then when you go, it's that built-in fan base. I think now, with Netflix getting out as far as Australia, all the way to Singapore, and to the Philippines, you get this core audience that falls in love with you. It's so funny, you don't really have to change anything. ![]() "Now you can't fall on that excuse of 'Middle America won't get it.'" You can watch my "Salon Talks" episode with Jo Koy here or read a Q&A of our conversation below to learn more about his take on Asian representation in comedy, the power that friendship plays in co-parenting after his divorce and how Steven Spielberg changed his life. Family drama is one of those great unifiers that we all share and Koy has mastered the art of twisting those dynamics into tales that make us feel more connected. ![]() The way they used their talents to tell stories and poke fun was not only hilarious, but related to his own personal Filipino story. Koy credits his ability to draw in fans from all walks of life to his early days watching Black comics like Eddie Murphy and Bernie Mac. (Picture a rally for Barack Obama's first presidential campaign in 2008.) Reaching a wide audience isn't easy or even achievable for every comic. During his set, he talks about his come up story as a Filipino-American comedian and letting Gen Z know that "it's just not as easy as you think."īeyond his four Netflix stand-up specials, Koy starred in the comedy film "Easter Sunday" and was a regular roundtable guest on E!'s "Chelsea Lately." When I saw him perform in Washington a few weeks ago at Capital One Arena, the crowd was packed with people representing every racial and ethnic group imaginable. He's currently on his "Funny is Funny" world tour, but Koy admits that his success has been a long journey from starting out in Las Vegas coffee shops to now selling out arenas. This year marks comedian Jo Koy's 33rd year as a stand-up.
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