Danny Cho spares no-one

In one of stand-up comedian Danny Cho`s blisteringly paced routines, he`s convinced Koreans have the biggest heads, Chinese people smell like moth balls, and Japanese people have the "ugliest teeth."

Through his earnest, conversational storytelling style and no-holds-barred politically incorrect observations on race and sexuality, his act has made him a crowd favorite around comedy clubs and college towns all over.

He says, "Koreans have the biggest heads on earth. Huge."

"You`ll never see a Korean with a turtle neck on because it`ll just petal up - just flower."

Danny Cho is just one of a handful of Asian comics currently grinding it out on the road doing stand-up gigs nationwide in the United States.

"Stand-up to me is therapeutic. I get to say things on stage that most people normally wouldn`t," he told The Korea Herald via e-mail.

From accidentally mistaking a homeless man for a bush to "mid-air molestations" while skydiving, nothing is taboo for this controversial comic.

He`s been a featured regular in such legendary comedy clubs as The Laugh Factory in Hollywood where an all-star list of legendary comedians began their careers.

Cho has also been on prime-time television on FOX`s Saturday night comedy program MAD TV, where he stars in various sketches with another Korean-American comic, Bobby Lee, satirizing Korean television melodramas.

"I wouldn`t consider myself an actor," Cho said.



"On the MAD TV stuff, Bobby called me one day and said that he needed a fat retarded looking dude for a sketch so I asked: What time?"

The 27-year old also writes his own sketch material for online comedy shorts such as his portrayal of Kim Jong-il or as a full-figured club hopping Korean woman in his "K-Town Hotties" series.

"I know I am a terrible actor. Actually, I cringe every single time I see myself act," Cho said.

"People tend to recognize me as the guy who plays Kim Jong-il or the K-Town Hotties character more. Whatever the case, I am grateful for the attention I have gotten - even if it`s me in a dress."

But Cho considers stand-up to be his priority.

"I definitely prefer stand-up. The feedback is immediate and people will let you know if your joke was funny or not right away," he said.

"Bombing on stage is the worst feeling ever. I have had my heart broken in a relationship but I would say completely utterly bombing on stage is up there as the worst feeling I have ever felt. But things like that drive me."

Born and raised in the predominantly Hispanic community of Boyle Heights, East L.A. which as he says, is located in "the eastern part of L.A.," Cho`s career in comedy was either fate or just pure coincidence.

"I got into stand up in the summer of 2000. My friends dared me to do stand up. Being a stupid hormonal kid that did anything his friends dared him to do, I went up on stage that they found for me," he said.

"It was an open mic night in South Central L.A. - now if you are not familiar with Los Angeles, let`s just say that South Central is not a happy place - it`s the hood portrayed in films like `Boyz in the Hood.` Long story short, I did well at the open mic night. Well enough to win a ($500) cash prize for being the favorite. After that, I was bit by the comedy bug."

At the time, Cho was like any other regular Joe with a nine to five job working as a business valuation consultant after graduating from UCLA.

"My parents were not too fond of the decision (to become a stand-up). I made decent money and I guess the stability that the job brought is what my parents wanted. They were aware of the fact that I was doing stand-up part time," he said.

"Once I decided to do this full time, my parents were not too pleased. They think that this life does not bring stability into one`s life."

"They are coming along now though - rather, they gave up on my leading a normal life."

If success in the world of stand-up comedy is difficult, it`s even more so if you are an Asian comic in North America.

With the exception of notable comedians such as Margaret Cho, Bobby Lee, Dr. Ken Jeong, and Steve Park, there hasn`t been much Asian comics who have had mainstream success stateside.

But a new crop of rising comics like Cho and Eliot Chang are beginning to shatter the stigma that routines by Asian comics are only relegated to self-deprecating humor.

"There are a lot of Asian comics that are funny. But there is still a bit of a stereotype with Asian-American comedians," he said.

"People generally think we`re going to tell jokes about eating dog or being good at math. I think once people hear me on stage they will get the idea that they are going to hear something a bit far from that."

So what`s next for the rotund funny-man?

"I just wrote and filmed a webisode series. Think Entourage in Koreatown L.A. It`s called Ktown Cowboys and has a lot of up-and-coming actors in it. It will eventually be turned into a feature film so look out for that. It will be released early April and I am trying to set up a tour in Korea. I have never been to Korea so doing a tour out there would be great," he said.

"Plus I would love to meet Girls Generation - prancing around in a field of dandelions and making kimbab with them."

"Lastly, I am going on a small comedy tour this spring. I will be performing all over the East Coast of the United States."

(kws@heraldm.com)



By Song Woong-ki