Comedy Zen Season 1: No Subtitles Necessary

Harry Mok
January 1, 2008

ImaginAsian

There's a fare share of small penis and dog eating jokes in the Comedy Zen Season 1: No Subtitles Necessary DVD. The sixepisode compilation of the ImaginAsian TV series hits its stride when the stand-up comics stray from ethnic humor and delve into the colorblind subjects of relationships and sex. The show features up-and-coming Asian American comedians and seasoned veterans, such as Bobby Lee of Mad JV (and Hyphen Issue 12); Dat Phan, winner of Last Comic Standing; and Dr. Ken of Knocked Up fame (and Hyphen Issue 9). Host Joey Guila does an admirable job and has some funny bits, but the best sets are from lesser-known talents KT Tatara, Randall Park, Bernadette Balagtas and from guest host Lee. DVD extras include footage not aired on the series. It's a rare collection of Asian American comedians (and a few non-Asians) with enough laughs to hold its weight for at least a rental, if not a spot on your home video shelf. 

Magazine Section: 
Film
Magazine Issue: 
Issue 13: Hybrid - Winter 2007
Categories: 
Film
Reviews
Contributor: 

Harry Mok

Editor in chief

Editor in Chief Harry Mok wrote about growing up on a Chinese vegetable farm for the second issue of Hyphen and has been a volunteer editor since 2004. As a board member of the San Francisco and New York chapters of the Asian American Journalists Association, Harry has recruited and organized events for student members. He holds a master’s degree in journalism from the University of California, Berkeley, where he was also a graduate student instructor in the Asian American Studies Department.

Suggested Reads

'Up In The Air' and the Decline of Racial Jokes
'Cinema With Us' at the Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival
Kulap Vilaysack discusses Family, Fame and Finding Laos in Los Angeles

Comments