Sad that so many people use the comments section to make a dig, or tear someone down. I'd never heard of Ali Wong, but I'm glad now I have. Comedy is extremely important, and one size definitely does not fit all. The more people out there trying to make others laugh, the more people will be laughing!
47
With a body and legs like those, she has a promising future...
8
I look forward to checking her out!! Good comedy is a wonderful thing.
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Did the author not know that she also appears in the sitcom American Housewife?
9
Good for her but sorry, A List? She's not even close. She may be on the rise but not nearly enough people have even heard her name to vault her to those heights.
7
I wonder who is the comic she's calling out because of the criticism that pregnancy is her trademark?
She makes a comment about suspenders, possibly Paula Poundstone?
I don't follow Paula that much but she doesn't seem the type that would criticize other comedians.
A couple of points about "Asian American" men and comedians.
1. It would perhaps come as a surprise to the NYT and Ms. Wong that there are plenty of Asian American stand ups. Aziz Ansari is an example. He is Asian American (surprise!) and a star. He does not look Chinese.
2. Asian Americans from such Asian countries as - Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Kazkhastan, Sri Lanka, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh ... have body hair. Lots of it. Believe me, I looked at myself in the mirror today. But they don't look like the Chinese. So for Ms. Wong and the NYT they are of course not Asian American.
This article is replete with references - both direct and indirect - to the Chinese looking, Asian American that lives a life marinated in a Confucian culture; a dour, humorless, automaton that worships his ancestors is saving up to buy a Lexus.
A mindless, ignorant generalization that Ms. Wong advances and the NYT gleefully accepts and amplifies.
"When asked why there have been so few Asian stand-up stars, Ms. Wong hesitated, avoiding the question."
Instead, she should have answered, "Oh, there are plenty of Asian American stand up stars. Just see Ansari for instance. But they don't look like Chinese and therefore, are not Asian."
Yes, I am an Asian American. And guess what, so is my wife - an American of Israeli origin. Neither of us look Chinese and we both got our PhD's in statistics. A fatal character flaw that makes us ask, persistently, about representative samples.
SK
32
Every step of the way has been carefully considered. Now, if she were only funny.
8
I really tried, but I just don't find her that funny. I think the unique nature of her delivery is what makes her popular.
6
I was introduced to Ali Wong by a good friend who did hilarious impressions of her jokes and then a great article in the New Yorker
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/10/03/ali-wongs-radical-raunch
I burst out laughing at several points throughout the article and then was on the floor during her Netflix special. I can't remember the last time I laughed that hard -- thank you Ali Wong
47
Love Ali Wong but doesn't it seem a bit unsettling/unfair that her non-comedian husband meddles with her POV and writing when honesty/authenticity matters so much to observational comedy?
7
While I agree to some level, I think it has more of a utilitarian purpose in that he wants to make sure that the things she says about him and their family onstage don't adversely affect him and his workplace. And its like she says, she is quite honest in many aspects of her life (wealth + having a nanny), but she personally values her marriage over "a cool joke", especially given that so much of her comedy is not reliant on jokes about her husband. her kids, maybe, her husband, not as much.
28
Not at all. John Mullaney actually made a joke out of that situation. He has been married a few years and asked his wife if she minded him making jokes about her and their marriage in his shows. I think comedians live even more public lives than say an actor. Since their routines are so personal, you get to know more about them than your favorite actor on a tv show or film. And you probably don't know much if anything about that actors spouse, unless they are also famous or you are into celebrity gossip.
9
She's so talented! The recognition is much deserved.
39
Ali Wong, you are a STAR. Get used to it girl. Baby Cobra is a work of art and everybody I know loved it including my uber-Catholic parents, and we can't wait to see Hard Knock Wife, read your memoir - and see your film. Next steps are always scary, but I'm sure you can handle it. Just breathe. XO
68
When I saw Cobra Baby highlighted on Netflix the week it was released, I honestly only watched it because it was a youngish East Asian woman, being one myself. After watching it, I realized, for the first time in my life, I just watched something that actually reflected the tone of my life and experiences, in an incredibly hilarious way. Thank god Ali Wong is so funny. I have to give props to Netflix for giving a special to someone that I know is not a conventional comic by demographics. I wonder what their algorithm said?
65
HOORAY!
20
The cusp of? I would have thought her killer special on Netflix was evidence enough she’s there already.
Good on Ms. Wong. She’s quite talented—a refreshing deviation from the flood of hack comedians.
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