“Hello everyone, my name is He. It’s spelled as H-E. Yes, it is my name, not my pronoun.”
Last month, Sydney-based comedian He Huang went viral with her 4-minute Australia’s Got Talent audition. The short clip was viewed millions of times and became an internet sensation.
She joked about xenophobia, racism, and the pressure from family to settle down and get married. While these aren’t unusual topics in the stand-up world, He’s dead pan delivery and charisma won over viewers from just about every social media platform around the globe. We had the chance to talk to He about her career as a stand-up comic, her former life as a grad student in America studying public policy, and navigating sexism in the industry. He also discussed how she pokes at racial stereotypes with her work, performing in Western countries, clapping back at her critics, and what her parents think about her stand-up. This episode was hosted by Megan Cattel.
Show notes:
He Huang’s AGT audition (YouTube)
He Huang’s Linktree
“A Chinese Immigrant’s Fearless Comedy Set Went Viral. Then Came the Backlash” (Slate)