25 best Asian comedians to check out when you need a laugh
Making people laugh is no small feat. Asian comedians are killing it both on stage and on screen, taking Asian comedy to another level. They are not shy to tackle any topic, from racial discrimination and cultural differences to sex and religion.
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Many Asian comedians find humour in expressing their culture and talking about 'taboo' topics like sex and politics. Tey are widely recognized around the world. From doing stand-ups to showing their specials on Netflix, Asian comedians are a force to reckon with.
25 best Asian comedians to check out
There are many famous Asian comedians around the world. Here is a list of 25 Asian comedians (in no particular order) to check out when you need a laugh.
1. Ali Wong
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- Date of birth: 19 April 1982
- Age: 41 years (as of 2023)
- Place of birth: Pacific Heights, San Francisco, California, United States
Ali Wong is one of the talented Asian female comedians whose comedy touches on different topics. She was raised by a Vietnamese mother and a Chinese father.
She started her comedy early and moved to New York to hone her skills. Ali Wong is famous for her Netflix specials Baby Cobra, released in 2016 and Hard Knock Wife, released in 2018.
2. Jo Koy
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- Date of birth: 2 June 1971
- Age: 52 years (as of 2023)
- Place of birth: Tacoma, Washington, United States
Jo Koy is a popular Asian comedian born to a white American father and a Filipina mother. Jo is famous for his quirky jokes. He released his comedy special Jo Koy Live from Seattle and Honda. Jo Koy has been headlining and performing in clubs for the last two decades.
3. Aziz Ansari
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- Date of birth: 23 February 1983
- Age: 40 years (as of 2023)
- Place of birth: Columbia, South Carolina, United States
Aziz Ansari is a great male Asian comedian. His parents are originally from South India but relocated to America. Aziz Ansari has one sibling Aniz Ansari and is married to Dane Serena Skov Campbell.
His special, Aziz Ansari: Right Now, earned him a Grammy Award nomination for Best Comedy Album.
4. Aditi Mittal
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- Date of birth: 12 November 1987
- Age: 35 years (as of 2023)
- Place of birth: Mumbai, India
Aditi Mittal is an Indian stand-up comedian from Mumbai. She has been ranked as one of the wealthiest comedians in India. Aditi Mittal is well known for her Netflix special Things They Wouldn't Let Me Say. Her jokes mostly revolve around her Indian culture, told from a woman’s perspective.
5. Margaret Cho
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- Date of birth: 5 December 1968
- Age: 54 years (as of 2023)
- Place of birth: San Francisco, California, United States
Cho is one of the famous Asian stand-up comedians. She is not afraid to handle any topic and leaves her fans in stitches every time she hits the stage. Margaret Cho incorporates politics in her stand-up comedy. She is famous for her show All American Girl, which is about an East Asian family.
6. Fakkah Fuzz
- Date of birth: 19 September 1986
- Age: 36 years (as of 2023)
- Place of birth: Singapore
Fakkah Fuzz, whose full name is Muhammad Fadzri Abd Rashid, grew up in Singapore. He is one of the most famous Asian comedians on Netflix. His jokes are normally about his life as a Malaysian man living in Singapore. He has a Netflix special called Almost Banned.
7. Ronny Chieng
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- Date of birth: 21 November 1985
- Age: 37 years (as of 2023)
- Place of birth: Johor Bahru, Malaysia
Ronny is one of the famous male Asian talk show hosts and comedians from Malaysia. Ronny Chieng is known for his roles in Scissor Seven (2018), The Daily Show (2015-2021) and Young Rock (2021-2022).
His jokes are mostly about religious stereotypes, racism, and his experiences growing up in a strict Asian family.
8. Aparna Nancherla
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- Date of birth: 22 August 1982
- Age: 40 years (as of 2023)
- Place of birth: Washington, D.C., United States
Apana is an American comedian of Indian descent. She currently lives in New York. Growing up, she was a shy child, but overcame her shyness to become one of the top Asian American comedians. Aparna Nancherla has been featured on Comedy Central, Mira, Royal Detective and The Boss Baby: Back in Business.
9. Jimmy O.Yang
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- Date of birth: 11 June 1987
- Age: 36 years (as of 2023)
- Place of birth: British Hong Kong
Yang is a talented Asian comedian who was born in British Hong Kong and later settled in Los Angeles, California. He is best known for playing Jian Yang in Silicon Valley. Jimmy O. Yang has also been featured in Crazy Rich Asians, Like a Boss, and New Girl.
10. Karen Chee
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- Date of birth: 22 February 1995
- Age: 28 years (as of 2023)
- Place of birth: United States
Karen Chee is a young Asian comedian who grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area. She is a writer and cast member of Late Night With Seth Meyers.
She has a hit segment called Does Millennial Late Nite Writer Karen Chee Know. Some of the films Karen Chee has appeared in include The Great North, Yearly Departed and High Maintenance.
11. Mindy Kaling
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- Date of birth: 24 June 1979
- Age: 44 years (as of 2023)
- Place of birth: Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States
Mindy is a comedian, actress and writer. You may know Mindy Kaling from a show she produced and starred in called The Mindy Project on FOX. Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me is one of her books that is a New York Times best seller.
12. Randall Park
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- Date of birth: 23 March 1974
- Age: 49 years (as of 2023)
- Place of birth: Los Angeles, California, United States
Randall Park is a Korean American stand-up comedian and actor. His comedy career started around 1997. He has since been nominated for the Critics’ Choice Television Award for Best Actor in a comedy series for the sitcom Fresh Off the Boat. Randall Park has also appeared in Sesame Street, The Office and The Arsenio Hall Show.
13. Bobby Lee
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- Date of birth: 17 September 1971
- Age: 51 years (as of 2023)
- Place of birth: San Diego, California, United States
Bobby Lee, whose real name is Robert Lee Jr., is an Asian American stand-up comedian who is also a social media influencer. He frequents the show How to Be a Grownup. Robert Lee Jr has also made appearances in The Dukes of Hazzard, Bubble Boy and the comedy special Bobby Lee Live.
14. Hasan Minhaj
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- Date of birth: 23 September 1985
- Age: 37 years (as of 2023)
- Place of birth: Davis, California, United States
Hasan Minhaj, also called Hammy, is one of the best Asian comedians to check out for serious laughs. Hasan Minhaj started doing stand-up in his early 20s and has gone on to perform on many stages, such as Just for Laughs in Montreal, New York Comedy Festival, and San Francisco Sketchfest.
In his special Homecoming King, he jokes about immigration and race issues.
15. Bowen Yang
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- Date of birth: 6 November 1990
- Age: 32 years (as of 2023)
- Place of birth: Brisbane, Australia
Yang is an Australian-born American comedian. His parents are initially from China, and he has one sibling, Yang Yang. He hosts a comedy podcast and has also been a writer for Saturday Night Live.
He is the first Chinese American of the LGBTQ community to perform on SNL. Bowen Yang has written some beloved sketches, such as The Actress featuring Emma Stone.
16. Ken Jeong
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- Date of birth: 13 July 1969
- Age: 54 years (as of 2023)
- Place of birth: Detroit, Michigan
Jeong is a former doctor who decided to pursue comedy after working in the health sector for several years. He has appeared in The Hangover Part II and III, which shot him into the limelight. Ken Jeong is also known for his impersonations of celebrities such as Mark Zuckerberg.
17. Kiran Deol
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- Date of birth: 13th July 1994/5
- Age: 29/30 years (as of 2023)
- Place of birth: Boca Raton, Florida
Kiran is a Havard graduate who has appeared in How to Get Away with Murder and Modern Family. Kiran Deol co-hosts a podcast called Hysteria and is currently appearing on Sunnyside, which airs on NBC.
18. Akaash Singh
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- Date of birth: 4 May 1984
- Age: 39 years (as of 2023)
- Place of birth: Texas, United States
Akaash is a famous Asian male comedian famous for his special on Bring Back Apu, premiered on Netflix in February 2022. Akaash Singh is known for featuring in MTV’s Wild ‘N Out.
19. Kumail Nanjiani
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- Date of birth: 21 February 1978
- Age: 45 years (as of 2023)
- Place of birth: Karachi, Pakistan
Kumail is an Asian stand-up comedian who started comedy at a young age. He decided to take comedy classes after moving to America from Pakistan. Kumail Nanjiani has appeared in Silicon Valley and Frankie & Grace.
20. Awkwafina
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- Date of birth: 2 June 1988
- Age: 35 years (as of 2023)
- Place of birth: Stony Brook, New York, United States
Awkwafina, whose real name is Nora Lum, is an American actress and rapper. She rose to prominence in 2012 when her rap song became popular on YouTube.
She has appeared in several shows such as The Bad Guys in Maraschino Ruby, Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens and The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance.
21. Russell Peters
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- Date of birth: 29 September 1970
- Age: 52 years (as of 2023)
- Place of birth: Toronto, Canada
Russell was born in Toronto, Canada, to Indian parents. Russell Peters is known for his observational comedy style, which often incorporates his experiences growing up in an Indian family and his observations on multiculturalism and race relations.
He has starred in various films and television shows, including Family Guy, BoJack Horseman and The Neighborhood.
22. Steven He
- Date of birth: 1996
- Age: 27 years (as of 2023)
- Place of birth: China
Steven is an Irish actor, comedian, and social media sensation who was born in China. Steven He is most known for his satirical comedy routines on TikTok and YouTube.
He rose to fame by playing a fictionalized version of his father, whose personality parodies East Asian parenting clichés. He is also famous for popularizing the phrase "emotional damage."
23. Harith Iskander
- Date of birth: 7 August 1966
- Age: 56 years (as of 2023)
- Place of birth: Johor Bahru, Malaysia
Harith is considered to be "the Godfather of Stand-Up Comedy" in Malaysia. He won the Funniest Person in the World competition in December 2016. Harith Iskander has appeared in numerous films such as Ada Hantu 2, Lemak Kampung Santan and Spilt Gravy on Rice.
24. Udom Taephanich
- Date of birth: 1 September 1968
- Age: 54 years (as of 2023)
- Place of birth: Chon Buri, Thailand
Udom is a stand-up comedian, artist, and writer from Thailand. His most well-known films include The Giant King, E-Tim tai nae, May narok muay yok law, Khoht-rak-eng-loei, and The Box.
He established a special program called Moo in which he and other Thai celebrities performed stand-up comedy and other talents. Udom Taephanich has been dubbed "Thailand's most famous comedian."
25. Steve Byrne
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- Date of birth: 21 July 1974
- Age: 49 years (as of 2023)
- Place of birth: Freehold, New Jersey, United States
Steve Byrne is an American stand-up comedian and actor. His mother is Korean, and his father is of Irish descent. Steve Byrne is best known for his multiple stand-up comedy hour specials and for starring in Sullivan & Son.
Who is the biggest comedian in Asia?
Some of the most prominent and well-known comedians in Asia include Ken Jeong, Bobby Lee, Randall Park, Jimmy O. Yang, Margaret Cho, and Ali Wong.
Who is the Asian actor in Comedy Central?
Ronny Xin Yi Chieng is currently the senior correspondent for The Daily Show on Comedy Central. He is also the creator and star of Ronny Chieng: International Student, an ABC sitcom.
Who is the richest comedian in the world?
Jerry Seinfeld is considered the richest comedian in the world, with a net worth of $950 million. One of his greatest creations is the TV show Seinfeld.
Who are the best Asian comedians?
Here is a summary table of the best comedians from Asia.
| No. | Name |
| 1 | Ali Wong |
| 2 | Jo Koy |
| 3 | Aziz Ansari |
| 4 | Aditi Mittal |
| 5 | Margaret Cho |
| 6 | Fakkah Fuzz |
| 7 | Ronny Chieng |
| 8 | Aparna Nancherla |
| 9 | Jimmy O.Yang |
| 10 | Karen Chee |
| 11 | Mindy Kaling |
| 12 | Randall Park |
| 13 | Bobby Lee |
| 14 | Hasan Minhaj |
| 15 | Bowen Yang |
| 16 | Ken Jeong |
| 17 | Kiran Deol |
| 18 | Akaash Singh |
| 19 | Kumail Nanjiani |
| 20 | Awkwafina |
| 21 | Russell Peters |
| 22 | Steven He |
| 23 | Harith Iskander |
| 24 | Udom Taephanich |
| 25 | Steve Byrne |
Asian American comedy has grown in recent years. Asian comedians are still being rooted in the industry as new ones emerge. Asian names are being recognized around the globe since their work is being showcased on the international level.
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