The funny thing about race

Asians are often the brunt of a joke: we’re bad drivers, we’re good at math. Targeting Asian male masculinity, or their lack thereof, is a topic that receives particular attention - one that I might emphasise, is hurtful and false. Yet, it’s been refreshing to have seen the rise of Asian comedians in recent years (see: Ronny Chieng, Awkwafina, Aaron Chen, Ali Wong, just to name a few). In particular, male Asian comedians have been able to reclaim the brunt of a bad joke. There’s a joke that comedian Joel Kim Booster tells that goes like this: “I’m terrible at math. I don’t know karate. My dick is huge.”

Beyond the empowerment that comes with comedy, humour also disarms - what better way to use comedy than to combat racism? Unlike policy or lectures, comedy fosters a strong and immediate human connection. The ability for culturally diverse comedians to make people laugh, while also carrying a socially charged statement, are powerful tools to combat prejudice.

- Isabella