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Volume 13, Issue #3. Published on February 28, 2005
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Photo www.echang.com
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Eliot Chang uses his comedy to challenge the status quo.
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Live from New York!
Eliot Chang’s encore performance at Amerasia Week
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May Moua & Harim Martinez
Asian Pacific Review
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On February 28, the Amerasia Week featured Comedy Night with Korean-American Eliot Chang, from Harlem, New York.
Many enjoy the comedian, take pictures and purchase their own autographed Eliot DVD. Eliot Chang is a stand up comedian who expresses honesty through his words and comedy. He is able to speak in terms that the youth can relate.
Chang is not just a comedian, through a workshop "Asians in the Media," he expresses his views of being a minority. Apart from his comedy, the workshop is a serious political discussion on how Asians have been portrayed on television and film, including the media's influence on attitudes towards Asians in America. It is interactive and unlike most lectures, the audience is likely to hang on his every word. Chang touches bases upon many issues, such as portrayals of Asian women and men.
"I have strong opinions on and off stage. If you don't like intelligent, original, honest humor that speaks the truth and provokes individual thought because you would rather believe everything the media tells you - I may not be for you," said Chang.
"It was really enforcing learning about Asians in the media," said Kong Vang, student at CSU Fresno.
Chang encourages youth and stresses the importance of keeping cultural traditions and understanding their heritage.
"It is a sense of pride and pride is something that's intangible," said Chang. "Know yourself in what you do, voice yourself as Asian-American so no one can complain and don't be passive because being passive you can not survive. On that note as youth we must vote. It does not matter if you hate the candidate. What matters most is in the long run politician leaders will seek to serve the larger population group who have been active in political activities such as voting."
Eliot Chang made an impact on many whom have attended his events. People are able to laugh and at the same time look at how Asians are seen by the entertainment industry.
Many admired his integrity to refuse a role, which would needlessly further stereotypes, such as producers expecting him to teach martial arts on national television, just because he is Asian.
Eliot has worked on Spike TV's Crash Test and been featured on Comedy Central's Premium Blend. He also has done numerous commercials, industrial publications and special appearances in films.
Eliot was born in Flushing, New York; later he settled in Harlem. After earning his BS he went on to medical school but then decided to work on Wall Street. During his time as a broker, he happened to walk by a club with an open mic night, and as he puts it "fell" into comedy. Alternatively, as Eliot terms it, "by faith."
"I am a stand up comic and I love my life. The main goal of my show is to make every single person in the audience laugh harder than they ever have in their entire life," sums up Chang.
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