Meet Yola Lu: How A Bucket List Item Turned Into a Career

The recent breakthrough of Ronny Chieng’s Speakeasy generated more public interest in Asian American comedians. In this article, I sit down with Yola Lu to learn more about her career as an Asian American female stand-up comedian: how it came about, how it’s going, and where she wants to be.  

What is it like being an Asian American Stand-up Comedian? 

With Asian American diversity in mind, I am joined by Yola Lu, a comedian, actress, and filmmaker based out of Austin, TX. 

In 2018, Yola created a web series called “uncomfortable the series.” She is also the co-founder of an all-Asian American improv troupe called “Y’all We Asian.” They have performed at festivals like the Del Close Marathon and San Francisco Sketchfest. Yola is currently in the process of making a new short film called “Patsy” that will be starting production in February.

How Did You Get Into this Area of Stand-up Comedy? 

I got into stand-up because I made a bucket list. I took as many classes as possible in college to graduate early and start making money, so I graduated a quarter early. And then during my last quarter, I was like, wow, I didn’t have fun in college, and all I did was internships and working and all this stuff. I put together a bucket list of everything I wanted to do. Some of the things on my bucket list were performing in a musical, trying stand-up comedy, and doing everything on the list. I got a role in a local musical called The Emperor’s New Clothes. And then, I took a class on stand-up comedy. And through doing that, there was a showcase at the end of it. And then I was so nervous. I couldn’t eat for three days. And I finally did the show, and I absolutely destroyed it. I just had this natural knack for it, which changed my whole life’s trajectory. I didn’t want to do public relations anymore after that. I’ve never felt any feeling like this before in my life. So, I want to do comedy. 

How Represented Are Asian American Women in Stand-up Comedy? 

I was the only Asian comic in Seattle at the time. There was another comic that was an Asian American man, but I was the only Asian American female there, so I was getting a lot of attention from the community there. So that was cool because that’s how I met some other fascinating people. I started a group called Disoriented Comedy with others, where we travel and tour as a mostly Asian American woman stand-up group. We want to create a platform for other Asian American women’s voices to perform stand-up in a space where you aren’t going to get heckled by random audience members for being Asian.

Where Do You Get Your Support Financially and Emotionally?

Yeah, so financially, I get it through my job. That’s how I’m funding this. I’m partially funding this movie through my job and also through crowdfunding. I go to weekly therapy sessions for emotional support. I also lean on friends a lot. Before, I was getting a lot of support from my significant others, but I’m currently single. Not having somebody so much more intimately in my life and knowing on a day-to-day basis my moods and emotions and what’s going through my mind is a little bit hard. But I’ve been leaning more heavily on my friends and family members’ support. And then also, the anti-anxiety medications that I take have been very supportive of me. It’s a mix of therapy and friends that have been very helpful in this process.

Where do You See Yourself in Ten Years?

Yeah, that’s such a hard question because I don’t even know where I see myself six months from now. Sometimes I would like not to have to work at my IT job anymore. In ten years, I would like to have established myself as creative enough to do this full-time and either be in a writer’s room or be a full-time actress, somehow doing whatever I have to do to survive. I see myself living in Los Angeles, trying to make my mark, or living there. I hope that in ten years, I will be further along than just starting to get out of the tech industry and everything. And honestly, maybe having a family also and changing what I’m doing there, or the whole other thing is that I give up on everything that I’m doing and then just focus on having a family and having a life and maybe opening up a comedy theater in Seattle. Those are two paths that I see for myself right now. 

What Resources are there for Aspiring Asian American Stand-up Comedians?

From my interview with Yola Lu, I have learned that there is scarcely any representation of Asian American Stand-up Comedians. Also, I learned that funding and support are limited, and much comes from her own pocket. I am encouraged to hear that despite these obstacles, Yola Lu still plans to continue pursuing stand-up comedy and acting. It was difficult for me to find online resources for aspiring stand-up comedians, but check out this comedy guide by Wise Sayings and this post on Reddit.