There are plenty of new stand-up acts rolling through at the moment for anyone who is up for a laugh. They can be found on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, or YouTube sometimes at no charge. One of the latest on Amazon Prime Video features Jimmy O. Yang in his new comedy special Good Deal. The comic is most notable for roles in Silicon Valley, Fresh Off The Boat, and campy box office mega-hit Crazy Rich Asians. The Hong Kong native takes the stage at the Neptune Theater in Seattle, Washington to put on a one hour set.
Good Deal will consist of topics on being Asian, immigrating to the US, his dating life, addressing stereotypes, and many of Yang’s own first hand experiences.
Jimmy O. Yang is as American as can be, but he’s certainly not shy about talking about his early beginnings in Hong Kong. He’s also more than willing to throw his parents under the bus (in a comedic sense, just to clarify) in order to get the much needed laughs, as well as himself. Much of Good Deal will consist of topics on being Asian, immigrating to the US, his dating life, addressing stereotypes, and many of Yang’s own first hand experiences. His set-ups are as standard as most comedians, and with Yang there isn’t tons of misdirection, but his delivery is solid and he seems very comfortable onstage. He’s also very rational in discussing his subject matter and he always finds a way to draw things back to ‘funny’ so as to keep the tempo and to be sure the show is kept light and without trying to teach anyone any life lessons.
Some of the highlights are when he talks about his parents. When Yang talks about his mother and father, he’s also talking about a different culture that many western audiences are unfamiliar with. On the flip side of that coin, the west and America especially, is a melting of cultures. So as Yang is a child of two nations he’s able to appeal to those in the states who’ve grown up living a similar upbringing he has. He also finds the humour in many of his life experiences that would be less than enjoyable for most, including that of enduring casual racism from people. His strength in this is insuring that regardless of the take away, it ends up being funny as opposed to attempting to lecture anyone about it. The funniest parts of life are the truest, and he is effectively able to convey that for the enjoyment of others.
With all this in mind, it’s safe to say that Yang’s star is on the rise and he’ll likely be seen more and more if he continues to perfect this style of comedy. He continues to hold a solid base with an abundance of diversity, being able to relate to those like him and also layer his act with topics that everyone can enjoy. He’s also likely to keep acting and breaking new ground in Hollywood, paving the way for more representation and the discovery of new and untapped talents in his community. See Good Deal and have fun!
