From Sindhu Vee to Sabrina Wu, these female and non-binary stand-up comedians are redefining what it means to be ‘funny’ by incorporating cultural nuances from their Asian heritage
It’s safe to say that the stand-up comedy scene is buzzing—and has been buzzing for the past several decades—but many of the comedians have been men, and predominantly Western. This means that their perspectives and their specific cultural codes have come to shape what is thought to be funny on a global scale.
However, in the past decade, thanks to viral moments and the rise in popularity of short-form videos on social media platforms, a more diverse range of comedians—such as Asian women and non-binary individuals—have been able to reach a wider audience and to their voices and stories. Here we highlight five female and non-binary comedians who are bringing cultural diversity to the stage and broadening the scope of humour.
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1. Sindhu Vee
British Indian comic Sindhu Vee came on to the scene in 2012, and has since performed on major stages, including the Apollo Theatre in London, appeared on panels for popular British comedy shows such as QI and Have I Got News For You, and even landed roles in the 2019 Netflix series Sex Education and the 2022 film Matilda: The Musical.
Vee’s sets encompass her experience as a mother, her relationship with her husband and parents, the cultural nuances of being an Indian in the UK, and other topics that range from the mundane to politics. She draws the audience in with her elegant storytelling, and always sticks the landing of the joke with zinger delivered in a no-nonsense tone.