I’m so grateful that we have Ali Wong in the world.
I also think that we — Asian-American & Asian women — need to start combining forces and lifting each other up.
33
Ali Wong is one of the best comics out there. Not one of the best women, or one of the best Asians, or any other category. She's one of the best, period. I've watched her specials several times each, and look forward to this book.
45
When did comedy become so codified? Reading this you would think that there were some huge stakes to writing jokes, or entertainment in general. Is anyone really shocked by this stuff?
Comedians have been going on shows like Rogan, Breakfast Club, and Stern for years saying things about their lives that will make your hair stand up. Ms Pat.
4
“I talk very quietly in a monotone voice where there’s almost zero performance in there, to see if the material holds up,” she said.
With a nod to Steven Wright.
16
I watched one of her Netflix specials and did not find her funny. Cringeworthy, yes, but that does not equal funny in my world.
12
Loved her recent movie... looking forward to listening to her book on audible.
6
I don't think I've ever laughed as hard as I did seeing Ali Wong live - I laughed so hard that I cried my makeup right off my face. I didn't know who she was and it was a free comedy night in Brooklyn before she had much recognition. It's been so cool to watch her career progress - especially as a woman who's the same age and has two little kids, etc.. Hope she's out there doing her thing for a long time.
36
Love her, although some of her comedy makes me blush.
12
"People can get away with doing really offensive things as long as it’s funny."
This is patently false. A straight, white, male comedian can't tell jokes about other races, women, gays or lesbians, minorities, etc. no matter how funny without being excoriated. Cancel culture will demand an end to their career.
Even Jerry Seinfeld refuses to play college campuses because he finds the audiences too hostile to his material. Jerry Seinfeld!
26
"...they'd be safe. But not from my ridicule." OK. I haven't watched her specials, but now I'm going to, because that's funny. And true. I'm not Asian, but that sounds like something my own mother would say. Must hear more.
25
Smart lady. Funny comic. Great answers.
21
Dear Ali:
I set four clear objectives for my daughters:
Before you are 18:
1) Try not to get HIV. (Condoms aren't fun, but neither is HIV, so I bought my daughters boxes of condoms.)
2) If you get pregnant before you are 18, consider either an abortion or an open adoption. (Birth control isn't 100% effective, but I paid for that.)
3) Be aware that the risk of rape is real and try to reduce your risk of being raped. (15% of girls 12-17 are sexually assaulted; I paid for Uber or Lyft when their date was overly aggressive.)
4) Try to avoid getting killed when the driver of the car in which you are in is intoxicated (I paid for Uber or Lyft when the driver was intoxicated.)
Beyond that you have no control over them.
(My daughters achieved those objectives.)
21
I wonder what it’s like to be an Asian-American woman in comedy.
3
Ali is so very funny.
11
Funny lady, super talented. Can't wait to read the book!
42
She had my respect when she made clear she didn't care about racial stereotypes. But then she ducked a PC-laced question out of fear of political incorrectness. What a shame. This PC puritanism is socially sour and lame.
16
@mainliner or maybe she didn't want to immediately crucify someone without knowing all the facts or having had time to properly form an opinion? That just seems like good sense to me.
54
Oh @mainliner. You would have hated Wong's answer to that question no matter what, unless of course she defended Gillis's indefensibly unfunny brand of comedy. Unlike Gillis, she actually knows what's funny and what's not.
My condolences to Wong for the loss of your respect. I expect she'll find a way to carry on.
40
No she didn’t. She said she didn’t have enough information to comment.
39
Ali is very funny and I respect her even more because she didn't just jump in with a comment about SG without researching the whole story. Everybody has a comment about everyone without knowing anything about anyone. There lies so many of today's problems. Go Ali - continued success!
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