Eliot Chang visited SMU Monday night, and for an hour and a half he caused students to clutch their ribs and wipe tears of laughter from their eyes. The comedian, a veteran of Comedy Central and nightclubs, has been touring colleges for years to spread not only the laughs, but also awareness of discrimination, mainly from the media, toward Asians in today’s society.
Chang spouted off a volley of jokes ranging from Nazi Germany to drinking on college campuses. By the end of his act, those attending sported rosy cheeks from laughing so hard.
“I want my show to be an experience,” Chang said. “I want people to walk away saying ‘I want to see more of him.'”
The night of comedy, hosted by SMU’s Asian Council, kicked off CelebrAsian. Previously a two-week program put on by Program Council, the event is now four weeks long and will host events celebrating the Asian culture.
“We are an active presence on campus,” Van Ann Bui, program and events coordinator for the Asian Council, said. “We may not be a majority, but we’re really active.”
The goal of CelebrAsian is to spread awareness and knowledge of the Asian community and council.
Chang, who proclaims that he has been a comedian for 10 years and funny for four, brings with his humor a serious issue. The Asian community, according to Chang, is greatly ignored in the United States. People are more aware about the plights of other races because they are portrayed more frequently in the media.
“Not many people know that after the bombing of Pearl Harbor Japanese-American citizens were sent to relocation camps for two years,” Chang said. “Life is not based on reality but on the perception of the media.”
Chang believes the stereotyping of Asians in the United States will not end anytime soon. Jokes targeting the Asian community are perceived to be less racist than those targeting Jews, African-Americans or Latin Americans. This is in part because those who criticize these slurs are few and far between. In order for this to change, Asian Americans must take a stand for themselves – people must be bold.
“Everyone can be a leader in the community. If I could be the Al Sharpton for our people, I would,” Chang said.
Chang insists that there are three things each person must do. First, he believes that knowledge of native cultures and languages is imperative. When older men and women die it is up to this generation to pass on their heritages to children. Secondly, go to class. There is nothing more important than an education. Skipping class is throwing away money and opportunity. Lastly, Chang believes it is the duty of every eligible citizen of the U.S. to vote.
“I’ve never liked either candidate, but I’m still going to vote,” Chang said. “Don’t expect a politician to care about you if you don’t care enough to vote.”
