What to know
- Yvonne Chung’s show “Loud Asians” celebrates Asian-Canadian identity and spotlights untold stories through comedy.
- Expect unfiltered, hilarious takes on dating mishaps, which Chung calls modern romance “dumpster dating.”
- Family expectations and the art of disappointing parents are central to the set, with Chung even tricking her parents into thinking it’s a TED Talk.
- The show’s Just For Laughs run marks a milestone for Asian representation, building community and validating the need for more voices and laughter.
From dumpster diving in Toronto’s dating pool to convincing her parents she’s basically giving a TED Talk, comedian and “Loud Asians” producer Yvonne Chung shares a sneak peek at what to expect at her Just For Laughs takeover.
Chung is performing alongside other Asian comedians as part of her “Loud Asians” segment on Sept. 26 and 27 at the Comedy Bar Danforth.
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The comedian is bringing to the stage “a comedy show where we disappoint our parents publicly,” toying with the Asian parent stereotypes of wanting their children to be doctors, lawyers or engineers.
Chung jokingly added that she’s invited her parents to watch the show, but because they don’t speak English well enough, she managed to convince them they’re watching her perform a TED Talk, since they won’t understand half of her act anyway.
Why ‘Loud Asians’?
Beyond that, Chung wishes to build a sense of community for Asian people attending the show and performing alike.
“I’ve always wanted to create some sort of third space for the Asian community because I wanted to celebrate these voices and uncover the stories that are untold,” Chung told Now Toronto.
When the global 2018 comedy Crazy Rich Asians hit theatres, Asian voices were the centre of the story. Now that the movie’s passed, Chung says more Asian experiences need to be publicized.
“We need to keep that going. I think representation is really important, and so Loud Asians is celebrating and centring these Asian voices and pushing back against stereotypes that Asian Canadians feel,” Chung explained. “That sort of theme has resonated with people that come to my show; they feel a sense of belonging.”
‘I’ve always been the funny friend’: Who is Yvonne Chung as a comedian?
Chung describes herself as the funny friend, and says that inspired her start as a comedian.
“I’ve always been the funny friend. The girl that does the wedding speeches and slips in a joke, the corporate presentations and slips in a joke… Storytelling became a big part of how I express myself, bringing good energy, and stand-up was just very natural,” she said.
Chung joked too that lived experiences, especially tragedy, can equal comedy.
For example: dating.
‘I call it dumpster diving’: Chung jokes on finding love these days
Chung jokes, “What is dating? I call it dumpster diving… It’s bad. I don’t advise it.”
She says dating has gotten so bad because of dating apps.
“It’s the apps. It’s not the city, it’s not the people; it’s the apps,” she said. “Everyone’s a commodity. You swipe left, you swipe right, no one’s investing in getting to know another.”
She says it gamifies dating and makes it feel like a chore or a job.
So, Chung treats it like a job. If she goes on a bad date, she uses it as inspiration for a comedy bit.
“Right after the date, I would be completely typing in my notes app and turn it into a bit. That’s what comedy really is: processing trauma, what you’re feeling and turning it into a punchline,” she laughed.
Dating comedy bit: Chung’s comedy show sneak peek
Because Chung’s show involves lots of unhinged dating moments, she came up with a hilarious dating idea: a Costco dating app.
“That’s where the single people are: Costco. If you match on the Costco dating app, you get a free rotisserie chicken. Then, everyone wins. If the date doesn’t go well, you get a chicken,” she joked.
‘It’s a milestone for us’: From a monthly segment show to being on Just for Laughs
“Loud Asians” was originally a monthly show; now it has two shows on Just For Laughs.
“It’s a milestone for us. In a way, [being on Just For Laughs] validates the show, and it’s great to see the demand for the show across Canada,” Chung said.
The sold-out “Loud Asians” show takes over Comedy Bar Danforth this Saturday and Sunday, and features Chung alongside Jordan Leung, Darren Leo, Bonggun Kim, Bidhur Walia, Michelle Sui, DK Phan, and Jesse Singh.
