Source:
https://scmp.com/article/491151/stand-and-be-counted

Stand-up and be counted

THE LIST OF great Chinese comics isn't a long one. And that's something Jami Gong hopes to change.

Born and raised in New York's bustling Chinatown, the third of six children of Hong Kong immigrants, the energetic 36-year-old is determined to show the world that Chinese can be funny. With that in mind, Gong launched TakeOut Comedy after the September 11 attacks on New York.

Like all New Yorkers, Chinatown's residents were traumatised by the attacks - perhaps even more so, given that the colourful enclave is near the lower Manhattan site of the World Trade Centre. Business suffered in the aftermath - exacerbated by the Sars scare that followed, which frightened New Yorkers away from Chinatown's restaurants and resulted in 7,000 people in the district losing their jobs.

Gong says he's always liked making people laugh, although no one in his family was involved in entertainment. His father, now retired, was a businessman and his mother a teacher. Each of Gong's five siblings fits the successful profile of Chinese-Americans: one sister is a Yale graduate, another went to Georgetown and received a Fulbright scholarship, one went to Cornell, another sister is a doctor and his brother is a banker.

Gong studied engineering at university, but switched his major to geography, then worked in retail for many years.

But having grown up watching the TV talk show host and comic Johnny Carson, he always dreamed of making people laugh. Gong's first attempt at comedy was at college, when a friend dared him to enter a stand-up comedy contest. He wrote his own material and, despite being terrified at being in front of a room full of teachers and fellow students, got plenty of laughs.

For the next two years he entered the same contest, improving each time. At the final competition, Gong took third prize. It was only a dinner for four at Pizza Hut, but it got him hooked on comedy.

He had to use the Cantonese expression dung duk siu (stand-up comedy) to explain to his parents what he wanted to do for a living. Since then, Gong has performed in clubs across the US and on television. His favourite comedians include Rita Rudner and Chris Rock because, he says, they're naturally witty and talk about life simply and honestly.

The idea of forming an Asian-American comedy ensemble had long been percolating in his mind for some time, especially in the aftermath of September 11, as a way to help revive Chinatown.

Gong credits his grandmother as his inspiration. She stayed in Hong Kong when the family moved to the US in 1968. When she became ill, various members of the family - especially his mother - regularly flew back to visit.

During one such visit in late 2002, it was clear Gong's grandmother was dying, and his mother told the family to fly over quickly.

Midway through the flight, Gong says, he got the idea to launch a monthly comedy show specifically to help Chinatown. 'I was so excited to get to Hong Kong and tell my mother and grandmother about my plans,' he says.

But when he arrived, he learnt that his grandmother had already died. 'My heart was crushed,' Gong says. 'But I believe that, when she passed away, she gave me this vision of bringing back entertainment and nightlife to Chinatown. I still miss her dearly and truly believe she gave me this idea during my flight.'

After arriving back in New York, Gong started work on plans to produce a series of Asian-American comedy shows, with the name TakeOut Comedy (the logo is a pair of chopsticks holding a microphone).

'I was determined to fulfil the vision my grandmother gave me, so I sent e-mails to performers. The response was overwhelming - people loved the idea of rallying round Chinatown.'

The first two performances in February 2003 were sold out. Two months later, the troupe performed at a larger venue and that show also sold out.

Gong has long been a champion of Chinatown, where he's lived all his life. In 1999, he and friends set up www.chinatownnyc.com, a comprehensive website about the enclave. As well as being the New York City chapter president of the Organisation for Chinese-Americans, Gong is a licensed guide who gives walking tours of historic sites in the district. He's also put out a walking tour CD for the neighbourhood.

In June last year, Gong took part in the Olympic torch relay, carrying it 400 metres through Chinatown. Gong says TakeOut Comedy has gone from strength to strength, and is now the only Asian-American comedy company to have performed nationwide - visiting cities as far afield as Houston, Salt Lake City and Washington DC.

On two recent chilly winter nights in Washington, the troupe gave two sold-out performances. More than 200 people - mostly Asian-Americans - turned out each night at the trendy Asia Cafe to have fun and raise money for the tsunami victims.

Now Gong and his gang are going international, with shows in Singapore next Friday and Saturday and then Hong Kong. The line-up includes Korean-American New Yorker Ed Cho, Chinese-American Shecky Wong from Los Angeles, Filipino-American Joey Guila from San Francisco, Japanese-American Paul Ogata from Hawaii, and Jewish-American Josh Kaufman from New York. A portion of the proceeds from the shows will go to the Red Cross' tsunami relief fund.

Gong says the troupe is thrilled to be coming to Hong Kong. The routines will range from life in the US and Hong Kong, to dating, the Middle East, Macau, the cleanliness of Hong Kong, US stereotypes, Yao Ming, Michael Jackson and more.

Is it any harder to make Chinese-American audiences laugh than mainstream Americans? 'Asian-Americans are very supportive of TakeOut Comedy, and we're working hard to pave the way for future Asian comedians. But it's true that Asian-American audiences are more intelligent - or at least better informed [than most audiences] - and so you need to have fresh material. And they don't like cheap humour - like cursing or hardcore stuff. So, yes, I'd say they're harder to get to laugh. But that only makes us work harder.'

Has William Hung had any impact on the perception of Asian-American performers? 'He's set the image of Asian-Americans back by 20 years,' says Gong. 'But what can you say? He tried his best.'

TakeOut Comedy, March 16-19, 9.30pm, Edge, G/F The Centrium, 60 Wyndham Street, Central, $180 advance, $220 on door (Mar 16, 17); $180 advance, $280 on door (Mar 18, 19). Inquiries: 2523 6690