Helen Hong

{{Short description|American comedian, actress, producer and director}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Helen Hong

| image = Helen Hong 2014.jpg

| caption = Hong in 2014

| birth_name =

| birth_date =

| occupation = {{hlist|Comedian|Actress}}

| years_active = 2009–present

| website = {{URL|https://www.helenhong.com/|helenhong.com}}

}}

Helen Hong ({{langx|ko|헬렌 홍}}) is an American stand-up comedian, actress, director, and producer.{{cite web |first=Nina |last=Steele |url=https://www.nonparents.com/featured-article/comedian-helen-hong-has-chosen-the-childfree-life-and-says-her-career-gives-her-all-the-fulfilment-she-needs/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201109021517/https://www.nonparents.com/featured-article/comedian-helen-hong-has-chosen-the-childfree-life-and-says-her-career-gives-her-all-the-fulfilment-she-needs/ |url-status=usurped |archive-date=November 9, 2020 |title=Comedian Helen Hong has chosen the childfree life and says her career gives her all the fulfilment she needs |website=nonparents.com |date=12 September 2018}} She has appeared in such works as Jane the Virgin, Parks and Recreation,{{cite web |url=https://www.pbs.org/whatihear/biographies/ |website=PBS |title=What I Hear When You Say |access-date=2019-11-17 |archive-date=2021-12-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211201102150/http://www.pbs.org/whatihear/biographies/ |url-status=dead }} and the Coen Brothers' Inside Llewyn Davis. She has a regular spot on NPR's Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!{{cite web |url=https://www.npr.org/2019/10/05/767504423/bluff-the-listener |title=Bluff The Listener |date=October 5, 2019 |work=Wait, Wait...Don't Tell Me |publisher=NPR}}{{cite web |url=https://www.npr.org/programs/wait-wait-dont-tell-me/614504434/wait-wait-for-may-26-2018-with-not-my-job-guest-retta |title='Wait Wait' For May 26, 2018 With Not My Job Guest Retta |date=May 26, 2018 |work=Wait, Wait...Don't Tell Me |publisher=NPR}} and hosts a trivia podcast called Go Fact Yourself.{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/19/arts/comedy-in-nyc-this-week.html |title=5 Comedy Shows to Catch in N.Y.C. This Weekend |newspaper=The New York Times |first=Kasia |last=Pilat |date=July 19, 2018}}{{cite web |url=https://gofactyourpod.com/about/hosts/ |title=About Your Hosts |website=Go Fact Yourself |year=2019 |publisher=van Straaten Entertainment}} She formerly hosted the podcast Little Ethnic Girls.{{cite web |url=https://charactermedia.com/little-ethnic-girls-podcast-gets-big-laughs/ |title='Little Ethnic Girls' Podcast Gets Big Laughs |website=Character Media |date=January 6, 2015 |editor-first=Reera |editor-last1=Yoo |first=Carl |last=Kozlowski}}{{cite web |url=https://www.huffpost.com/author/helen-hong |title=Helen Hong |website=The Huffington Post}} She has a recurring role on Nickelodeon's The Thundermans and had a recurring role as Mrs. Song in Starz's Blunt Talk.{{cite news |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/things-to-do/ct-things-to-do-in-chicago-htmlstory.html#!/details/Helen-Hong/6940142/2019-11-16T21 |title=Things to do in Chicago

|date=December 4, 2019 |newspaper=Chicago Tribune}} Hong is known for her comedic NowThis videos.{{cite web |url=https://nowthisnews.com/videos/politics/comedian-helen-hong-has-some-words-for-trump-kavanaugh-and-the-gop |title=Comedian Helen Hong Has Some Words for Trump, Kavanaugh, and the GOP |website=NowThis |date=October 4, 2018 |access-date=November 17, 2019 |archive-date=December 31, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231231190958/https://nowthisnews.com/videos/politics/comedian-helen-hong-has-some-words-for-trump-kavanaugh-and-the-gop |url-status=dead }}{{cite web |url=https://nowthisnews.com/videos/politics/helen-hong-on-why-women-need-to-reclaim-the-word-bitch |title=Helen Hong On Why Women Need to Reclaim the Word 'Bitch' |website=NowThis |date=August 14, 2018 |access-date=November 17, 2019 |archive-date=December 31, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231231191001/https://nowthisnews.com/videos/politics/helen-hong-on-why-women-need-to-reclaim-the-word-bitch |url-status=dead }}

Early life

Hong's parents are immigrants to New York City from Korea.{{cite web |url=https://www.centraltrack.com/humor-us-helen-hong-will-blow-your-shit-up/ |title=Humor Us: Helen Hong Will Blow Your Shit Up. |first=Joey |last=Johnson |date=July 23, 2019 |website=Central Track}} She was raised on the East Coast but spent some time in Korea as well.{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/25/nyregion/25bigcity.html |newspaper=The New York Times |title=Get a Laugh? She Also Wants to Make a Match |date=July 25, 2009 |first=Susan |last=Dominus}} Hong attended high school at Tottenville High School in Staten Island, New York and North Andover High School in North Andover, Massachusetts and attended the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, Massachusetts.{{cite podcast |url=https://www.thejvclub.org/episodes/2020/episode-358-helen-hong |title=Episode #358: Helen Hong |work=The JV Club |first=Janet |last=Varney |date=January 30, 2020}}

Career

Hong was not a standup comedy fan before a random shot of inspiration prompted her to take standup classes at New York City's Carolines on Broadway. During the course of the class, she realized that standup was what she wanted to pursue as a career.

Hong has performed at The Laugh Factory,{{cite web |url=http://www.laughfactory.com/HelenHong |title=The Helen Hong Channel |website=Laugh Factory}} Bonkerz,{{cite web |url=https://bonkerzcomedyproductions.com/people/helen-hong/ |title=Helen Hong |website=Bonkerz Comedy Productions |year=2019}} The Hollywood Improv,{{cite web |url=https://improv.com/hollywood/comic/helen+hong/ |title=Helen Hong |website=Hollywood Improv |publisher=Improv}} Zanies Comedy Club,{{cite web |url=https://zanieschicago.laughstub.com/event.cfm?cart&id=530607 |title=Helen Hong |website=Zanies Chicago |year=2019}} Stir Crazy Comedy Club,{{cite web |url=https://stircrazycomedyclub.com/helen-hong-298 |title=Helen Hong |website=Stir Crazy Comedy Club |location=Glendale, AZ}} Flappers Comedy Club,{{citation |url=http://flapperscomedy.com/site/index.php?pg=showdetail_page&meetid=014cb3a45606af8&id=40367 |title=Get it on Tape W Helen Hong |website=Flappers Comedy Club and Restaurant |year=2017}} The Ice House Comedy Club,{{cite web |url=https://icehousecomedy.com/comedian.cfm?id=1710 |website=The Ice House |title=Helen Hong}} the Mary D. Fisher Theatre,{{cite news |url=https://www.verdenews.com/news/2014/may/01/stand-up-comedy-with-helen-hong-live-at-the-fishe/ |newspaper=The Verde Valley Independent & Camp Verde Bugle |title=Stand-Up comedy with Helen Hong live at the Fisher |date=May 1, 2014 |url-access=subscription}} Punch Line San Francisco{{Cite web |title=Helen Hong |url=https://www.punchlinecomedyclub.com/EventDetail?tmeventid=G5vYZbayZ4tE0&offerid=0 |access-date=2024-08-25 |website=www.punchlinecomedyclub.com |language=en-US}} and numerous other venues.

Hong has performed at events such as the Sedona International Film Festival,{{cite web |url=https://prod5.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=24967~e8932fbb-a9ae-4437-a638-ff0cf1793527 |title=Helen Hong comedy |website=Sedona International Film Festival }} the Punchlines & Pumps Comedy Show at the Potawatomi Hotel & Casino,{{cite web |url=https://www.paysbig.com/shows/punchlines-and-pumps-comedy-show |title=Punchlines and Pumps Comedy Show |website=Potawatomi Hotel & Casino}} the New York Underground Comedy Festival, and The Great American Comedy Festival.{{cite web |url=http://www.greatamericancomedyfestival.com/complete-comedian-directory.html |title=Complete Comedian Directory |website=Great American Comedy Festival}}

Hong has also performed in Puerto Rico for Armed Services Entertainment.

Personal life

Hong is the daughter of two Korean immigrants and was raised in New York. She has publicly expressed her passion for feminist movements and regularly shares her political stances and opinions on different forms of media. Hong is an active Bernie Sanders supporter.

Hong is a survivor of breast cancer.{{cite web |title=Comedian Helen Hong on Family, Mental Health and Using Her Platform |url=https://representasianproject.com/profiles/comedian-helen-hong-interview/ |website=representasianproject.com/}}{{cite web |title=This Thanksgiving, I am grateful to be cancer free.|url=https://www.instagram.com/p/CWuPZzhJl6E/?hl=en |website=instagram.com}}

Awards and recognition

In 2014, BuzzFeed named Hong as one of "18 Comedians Who Could Take Over The Late Show"{{cite web |url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/mackenziekruvant/possible-new-late-night-hosts-in-for-letterman |title=18 Comedians Who Could Take Over "The Late Show" |website=Buzzfeed |date=April 9, 2014 |first1=Mackenzie |last1=Kruvant |first2=Ali |last2=Vingiano |name-list-style=amp}}{{cite web |url=https://politicon.com/speaker/helen-hong/ |title=Helen Hong |website=Politicon}}
In 2011, The Huffington Post included her on their list "53 Of Our Favorite Female Comedians"{{cite web |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/52-female-comedians_n_833214?slideshow=true#gallery/55a54098e4b0ecec71bd18e4/21 |work=The Huffington Post |title=53 Of Our Favorite Female Comedians: 22 / 77 Helen Hong|date=9 March 2011 }}{{cite web |url=https://happeningsonomacounty.com/events/5500/a-hilarious-evening-with-stand-up-comic-helen-hong/ |title=A Hilarious Evening with Stand Up Comic Helen Hong! |website=Happening in Sonoma County |year=2017}}