Comedy takes center stage

Two stand-up guys tap ethnic roots to bring audiences to their feet

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A Leno gig brings overnight success to a 10-year career

If there's one sure path to success in stand-up comedy, it's a gig on "The Tonight Show." The last time Jo Koy performed in Honolulu was right before his January appearance on the NBC show, when he opened for Jon Lovitz at the Blaisdell Concert Hall. Now he's the headliner and the future looks bright.

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"Man, I don't know how it was for other comics, but that one appearance has changed my life," Koy said by telephone before a performance in Chicago last week. "Everyone knows 'The Tonight Show,' no matter young or old. You don't have to beg anyone to watch ... they just turn it on."

Koy, 34, says he was only the third comedian to receive a standing ovation from a "Tonight Show" audience. Compliments from Leno, other comics and industry types have bolstered his confidence and inspired him to work even harder.

The Star-Bulletin's own John Berger saw Koy's potential the first time he performed in the islands, calling him a "future comedy star" after he opened for Ludacris and Snoop Dogg in 2001. By then he had already established himself among black audiences, with a win on "Showtime at the Apollo" and appearances on BET's "Comic View" and the Def Comedy Jam Tour.

"This is my 11th year (doing comedy)," said Koy. "That's the whole thing -- if you wait 10 years, pay your dues and do your time, it'll come."

His career has taken him from Tacoma, Wash., to Las Vegas and now Los Angeles, where he performs regularly with Lovitz at the Laugh Factory. Along with appearances on VH-1's "Best of..." programming, the "Tonight Show" gig has lead to increased opportunities around the country.

"I'm even doing something with Amped Mobile," Koy said. "I'm like their poster boy now. It's so awesome, man."

KOY'S BIGGEST inspiration, however, is his 2-year-old son. The boy adorns the comic's business cards, is prominently featured on his Web site and is often a subject of material he uses on stage.

"That's my man right there," said Koy. "He really took my comedy to the next level. I think it was a sense of urgency ... now I gotta feed this kid, I gotta buy him clothes!"

Koy's Filipino heritage is another important subject. He sported a Filipino flag on the jacket he wore during both his Blaisdell and "Tonight Show" appearances, and some of his funniest jokes revolve around his love for orange chicken from Chinese takeout restaurants.

"That's one thing I pride myself on, that I'm Asian," said Koy. "All I really know is my Asian heritage."

Although he's half Caucasian, Koy's parents divorced before he was a teen, leaving little contact between him and his father's side of the family. His mixed heritage and Filipino upbringing helped teach him to be open to all forms of diversity -- and that it doesn't matter what color you are if you can't make audiences laugh.

"People aren't stupid," he said. "I just go up there and be myself. Funny is funny."

It's the interaction with a live crowd that also keeps Koy coming back to stand-up. Even though he's in talks to develop a show for television, he vows to keep showing up at comedy clubs around the country.

"I'm never going to leave the stage," Koy said. "I love the instant, immediate reaction. It's my home."

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The half-Thai, half-Filipino comedian excels on the path of least resistance

Within the relatively small but growing subgroup of Filipino comedians, Shawn Felipe stands out. To begin with, Felipe is half Thai, and because he was raised by his mother after his parents divorced, most of his ethnic material is about growing up Thai American. Performing in Paul Ogata's "One Night Farewell Tour" at Pipeline Cafe in December, Felipe entertained with examples of his mother's Thai-accented English, reminiscences of his encounters with Thai food and culture, and his experiences as a "fulong" (a Thai term for foreigners) while visiting relatives in rural Thailand.

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"I've been getting compliments about it being a fresh new act (and that) it's something different," Felipe said during a quick phone interview earlier this week.

"I kind of mix (Thai material) up with the general stuff. I talk about my mom pretty much, and other experiences generally, but sometimes people find out that I'm Filipino and they'd like me to do a Filipino show. I can also do that, (but) I didn't know Filipino culture too much except for in America."

Felipe has been touring the mainland with three other comics --another Filipino American and two Korean Americans -- in a package deal billed as "The Brown Seoul Comedy Tour." He returns to Hawaii this weekend for "Filipino Comedy Jam III" at the Hawaiian Hut on Saturday. Felipe will share the stage with Edwin San Juan, Joey Guila and Mel Cabang. Island 98.5 morning guy Lanai hosts.

San Juan has appeared on NBC, PAX Showtime and BET. Guila won the western division of the First Asian-American National Stand-Up Competition in 2003. Cabang is one of the older statesmen of local-style comedy.

Felipe's credits include the role of Flip Boy in Gerard Elmore's superhero spoof, "Amazing Asian," an appearance as Spam Man in the Adam Sandler film "Fifty First Dates" and a lengthy list of television and comedy club performances. After getting off to a promising start in various Honolulu venues, he has been following in the footsteps of local comedians such as Jaz Kaner, Andy Bumatai and Paul Ogata and is taking a shot at breaking out nationally.

It's a competitive field, he said. "There are a lot of funny people -- a LOT of funny people -- so you have to be really hilarious if you're going to survive. It's draining and sometimes you'll lose hope, but it's just a matter of survival."

Unfortunately, Felipe said, it's necessary "to play the race card."

"There's, like, 'Chocolate Sunday' night, which is African-American night, there's Latino nights, there's Asian nights, so certain nights are just for (comics of) one ethnicity. ... I think it's a marketing thing, but I don't know why they do it. Even with acting, when I go out for auditions, they'll want 'an Asian doctor,' not just a doctor. I don't understand it, but whatever!"

Felipe is appearing on "Comedy Zen" on the Imaginasian cable network and is looking forward to the release of his full-length DVD (working title: "Smell My Finger").

"My mother saw me when I first started, (but) she didn't see me when the act fully developed. Right now she's living in Italy so I haven't really touched based with her about my show. We'll see if she approves of the DVD. It's pretty much too late now (if she doesn't). She'll probably want to borrow money from me!"