A Chinatown resident has been causing waves Downtown with his TakeOut Comedy nights, the only live regular entertainment in Chinatown. This comedy variety show includes comedians, musicians, magicians and other performing artists. The founder of TOC, Jami Gong, 34, has lived in Chinatown with his family all his life.
Gong, a licensed walking tour guide and the president of the Chinese Americans New York Chapter, which handles civil rights issues. Gong gave up his retail job last August to become a fulltime stand up comedian. Along with his community jobs, he is working with the cable channel World Asia, which is due to be launched this summer, as Community Relations person. His aim is to bring people to Chinatown, “I don’t care where you eat, as long as you come to Chinatown for entertainment” Gongs says passionately. “People would then probably stay for drinks and a meal anyway”. He adds.
TakeOut Comedy show will soon be teaming up with World Asia TV for the first Pan Asian Stand up Comedy Competition in New York. Competitors will be competing to win a trip to Hawaii and to appear on a televised Pan Asian Entertainment event .
A recent show was held at a bar called YELLO on Mulberry St. and Councilmember Alan Gerson was one of the celebrity judges for the funniest person contest.
The Pan Asian Standup Comedy Competition will be held on Feb 4 and 5 at Village Ma, 107 MacDougal St. between West 3rd and Bleecker St.
Reader Services
Also Read:
