From fighting off island mosquitoes to designing runway-worthy creations to schmoozing with The Donald, Korean Americans have done it all for instant fame (or at least modest visibility) and fortune (well, for a lucky few). Here’s a look at what the bulk of KA reality stars have been up to since the cameras stopped rolling.
ESTHER KU
Show: Last Comic Standing, NBC, 2008
Quick recap: The ponytail-wearing comedienne churned out stereotype after stereotype during her 11-week run. Joked Ku: “Who doesn’t have an Asian fetish?” “It’s an ancient Korean secret that dog is like 25 percent more lean than turkey. Duh.” “I don’t wanna marry an Asian guy. I like regular people.”
What’s new?
I was just accepted into the Friars Club (a private New York club famous for its risqué celebrity roasts). I think they need new members because their current members are all really old and keep dying! For the first round of auditions, I chose to roast Woody Allen so I could make fun of what a pervert he is for marrying his adopted Korean daughter.
Many Asian Americans have said that your material was based on tired stereotypes. How would you respond?
The fact that they are criticizing me for the type of material I do is reinforcing the stereotype of how Asians are extremely critical of each other. In high school, there was a banquet for the students who made the top 10 percent of our class. My parents were the only ones not there. When everyone asked why, I said, “Well, the top 10 percent wasn’t good enough for them.” Nothing is ever good enough for Asians! Why can’t we be more like black people? Black people are all brothers and cool with each other.
I like to think that I am breaking stereotypes. People think Asians are super serious. I am breaking that stereotype by choosing to be a comedian. I make a living off being really silly. How great is that? I think we are going through growing pains as an Asian American community. Jewish people have a long history in comedy. Asians have only recently been getting funny. People are still getting used to it.
Tell us one of your new jokes.
“I had a boyfriend who said my skin is soft as a baby seal. I was like, ‘Geez, how many baby seals have you been with? Well, that’s the last thing I remember before he clubbed me over the head. I woke up near a bunch of rocks with his balls on my nose!”
What’s next?
I want to record a Comedy Central half-hour special in the next five years. Comedy Central’s language and content restrictions aren’t as strict as NBC’s, so I’ll be able to do my real material.
