Suzanne Whang:
Suzanne Uncensored
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Suzanne Uncensored

GS: What has been the worst fiasco of your career?
SW: Probably a stand-up comedy show I did at Barfly in Hollywood. The electricity went out so there were only a few candles on stage, and no one could see my face. And of course the microphone didn't work so people couldn't hear me very well either. My act completely tanked because I couldn't be seen or heard.

GS: Your Sung Hee Park routine is ballsy and over the top even by the standards of standup comedy. Have you ever been slammed for it by any of the groups you take jabs at?
SW: Yes, there are some Asian-born Asians who find my act offensive and accuse me of perpetuating racism in America. My response to that is that my intention is exactly the opposite. I'm using humor and satire to shine a light on racism and stereotypes in the same way that Archie Bunker's character did in All In The Family.
     Why would I want to perpetuate racism when I've experienced it my entire life? Also, what is stereotypical about a Korean woman who has the BALLS to get up on stage and try to make a room full of people laugh? A stereotypical Korean woman would be hiding in a back corner of the comedy club. One of the stereotypes of Asians is that we take ourselves too seriously, which is one of the things I'm trying to break. Most of the time, it's the minorities in the audience who come up to me first and tell me that it's the funniest thing they've ever seen. They GET IT and they're happy someone's doing what I'm doing. I think it's dangerous to be too "politically correct" and pretend everything's fine, when it's not.

GS: What has been your family's response to the Sung Hee Park routine?
SW: My family thinks my Sung Hee Park routine is hilarious. Humor was always a big part of my upbringing. My parents and my sister Julie have been incredibly supportive of my comedy act and of my entire acting career.

GS: How did you happen to come up with that character? Is she based on anyone in particular? Does she reflect any anger toward society?
SW: The character was born in my acting class at the Beverly Hills Playhouse, where I continue to study. My teacher Richard Lawson always encourages us to write our own material, take risks, and challenge ourselves. So I decided to try stand-up comedy once. I did it in class, and my material consisted of telling stories about stupid things people have said to me during my travels across the U.S. when I was a field host for a morning show called FOX After Breakfast. It was about the things ignorant people would say to me because I'm Asian.Ê
     Well I got a standing ovation in class, and Richard told me that I had a responsibility to do this in comedy clubs because my voice needed to be heard. But he said something that changed me forever — he suggested that I try embracing the stereotype of Asian women that I hate so much. I didn't understand why and I wanted to kill him. But he explained that I've spent so much energy in my life resisting that stereotype that I'm still at the effect of it. He suggested that I try embracing that stereotype as part of my artistic palette, and see what happens.
     So the next day I went to Koreatown and bought a hanbok, a Corean fan, and a pair of Corean shoes. I went home, put the outfit on, and stood there in my house wondering what to do next. Then the idea came to me: What if this character were a stand-up comedian? What if she just got here from Corea and doesn't speak English well? What if she's a terrible comedian, and does it all wrong? What if she's naive and innocent and terrified of performing for the first time? That's what started what is now a double-award-winning comedy act.
     Sung Hee Park is loosely based on my mom, who is terrible at telling jokes and does speak with an accent. And yes, she is a representation of people who are ignorant about racism and stereotypes, but she also has a big heart and really wants to fit in and wants to be able to make people laugh and bring them joy. I've taken my anger about racism and stereotypes and put it into my art. People might love it or hate it, but this is my way of enlightening people, including myself, about these issues.

GS: What role would you have most liked to have played in recent films?
SW: I would have liked to have played the role of Rochelle in the upcoming Queen Latifah film, Last Holiday. I got to read for it and meet Wayne Wang the director, but I didn't get the part. The character was what I would call white trash, so I played her as yellow trash — not too bright, overtly sexual, with a southern accent. It was a blast!

GS: How does your job as host of HGTV's House Hunters limit/expand your acting roles?
SW: My job as host of House Hunters expands my acting roles because a lot of industry people know me and like my work on that show. The visibility is wonderful because it's the #1 rated show on HGTV. And fans of House Hunters are always surprised to find out that I'm also a stand-up comedian, because I'm not funny on House Hunters.

GS: Which one of your roles comes closest to showcasing what you can do as an actor?
SW: My stand-up comedy act comes closest to showcasing what I can do as an actor, because I'm fully committed to the character, it shows my humor, my vulnerability, my temper, and my intelligence. PAGE 3

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“My stand-up comedy act comes closest to showcasing what I can do as an actor, because I'm fully committed to the character, it shows my humor, my vulnerability, my temper, and my intelligence.”