“Does anyone else’s grandparents hoard bags of rice at Costco?” This is the setup for one of my favorite jokes by comedian Andrea Jin. “There’s a saying here: don’t go to the grocery store on an empty stomach because you end up buying too much. Where I’m from, the saying goes like this: don’t go to the bulk food store if you’ve ever had a Communist dictator.”
The punchline represents the sharp commentary that makes Andrea Jin stand out. She effortlessly weaves her Shanghai-born, Vancouver-raised cultural background into her sets. Clips of her routines often go viral on social media, or perhaps you caught her debut late-night stand-up segment on The Late Late Show with James Corden in 2022. Her comedy album ‘Grandma’s Girl’ also snagged a Juno award that same year. An undeniable star, Jin is currently busy opening for fellow comic Ronny Chieng on his Love To Hate It Tour.
In her hectic schedule, Jin graciously found time to catch up with Cold Tea Collective to chat about finding her voice and community in comedy.
Early influences
Jin’s earliest memories of comedy were watching variety shows on TV with her family. “We’d watch sketches and stuff all in Chinese,” she recalls. “It brought us all together, spanning generations. As a child, watching with my grandparents, it felt special.” The style of comedy on those variety shows focused primarily on family dynamics. They were universal in theme and meant to be watched by viewers of all ages.
However, once Jin moved to Vancouver at age ten she discovered contrasting cultural values and with it, different comedic styles. In China, Jin remembers it was stricter, focusing heavily on academics like math, English, and Mandarin. In Vancouver, they valued more art and self-expression. She credits Western performers like Conan O’Brien, Stephen Colbert, Tig Notaro and Russell Peters for leaving an impression. “I found my own humor through these people. I didn’t realize how deep comedy could go, and I really appreciated it.”
For instance, Jin observed that Western culture comedy often goes so personal. The comics don’t shy away from topics like sex, identity crisis, relationships and your own psyche. Watching them, she says, helped her realize she could speak in a similar way.
Comedic cultivation and evolution
As Jin puts it, doing stand-up didn’t really click for her until university. “Everybody was chasing their passion. That’s when I realized, maybe I could give this a try.” She attended Western University in Ontario, but dropped out to pursue her burgeoning calling. Comedy gigs all around Vancouver forged a strong wit. “Starting comedy in Vancouver deeply influenced my style. The audience there is very snobbish and a lot more high brow. They are well-versed in art and culture, which pushed me to develop smarter material, she says.
Vancouver’s training ground prepared Jin well for her eventual move to Los Angeles. “I think that I carried that to LA. It definitely helps. You have people here that are the same, if not more, because a lot work in the entertainment industry. Their jobs are pop culture.”
In developing her beginning material, Jin wasn’t one to shy away from incorporating her family into it, but felt trepidation when it came to herself. “I was always very comfortable sharing because they’re very much a relatable part of me. I feel like I almost use them as a shield so that I don’t have to talk about myself too much. It’s much harder to be vulnerable about my own life,” she reflects. “I’m starting to open up about that more. I feel like that’s how I’ve changed and more comfortable talking about my own experience versus just using my family as an entryway.”
@andreajin1 anyone else have grandparents that hoard rice? or is it just me? #grandparents #asianamerican #costco #andreajin #newcomedy ♬ original sound – Andrea Jin
With that comes a level of confidence and authenticity too. Jin is telling her own story, her own way. “I used to write to what people would think is funny and do what I think people would enjoy. But now I think I do it more based on what I think is funny, and what I think I want to get across,” she admits.
There is an inherent level of bravery to the process. Jin prefers to workshop jokes in front of an audience rather than write them off stage. “I have to go on stage and talk about it. That’s how I get my material. Now I just have an idea off stage or something that I think is funny, and then I’ll go up on stage and work on it with the audience.”
Finding community
Prior to stand-up, Jin felt like the odd one out. “I think I was very lost. I didn’t really belong… There’s so many groups where I was like, oh, I don’t think I fit in here. I’ve had a lot of friends that I’ve met through comedy that are standups, that have had a similar experience where they felt kind of lost and not sure what to do. Now it feels more like I found my group but I didn’t see that until I came into it,” she says. That’s the reason she says she was saved by comedy because, as she says, “I dove in. I just trusted and it just felt correct. I didn’t really know my place in the world until I stepped into this one.”
Since stepping in, others in the industry have wholeheartedly embraced Jin, becoming a guiding support system. “I’m very grateful for the Asian stand-up circle. “We’re all very supportive of each other and it does feel like a family. Bobby Lee, Ronny Chang, Jimmy O. Yang, they’re like my older brothers or my uncles,” she notes, appreciating she can relate to them. “I’m walking the road that they once were on, and I see that they are on the path that I want to be. When I talk about things I’ve done recently, they can relate to it so much and they know exactly what to tell me and how to go about it. It’s very valuable.”
Even outside of the Asian creative circles, Jin says comics are loyal to each other. One such mentor is Dana Gould, who was a producer on The Simpsons. “Him and so many others have always been looking out for me. I really appreciate it. Without them, this experience would just be less fulfilling.”
One piece of advice Jin hears often is to just keep grinding and stay consistent. “[I have to] bet on myself and keep doing it. You’re basically just trying to outlast the whole system and just do what you love. It’s great hearing it in different ways from different people because they did that and it worked out for them.”
Measuring success
Consistency is a challenge for anyone. Life loves to throw stumbling blocks in the way, especially for creatives who already work in a precarious industry. In moments of self-doubt, Jin pushes past by centering the good. “I think it’s just the love and fulfillment that comes with being onstage and having these words, stories and jokes that resonate with people. Having this body of work, it’s very fulfilling.”
Money is a motivator, but Jin recognizes the patience of building towards success. “I’m definitely motivated by money, but I have to see past it sometimes. It’s not always the biggest payday right now, but you’ve got to build it. It’s worth it—it’s the art,” she says.
When asked what success looks like for her, she pauses and contemplates before saying the dream out loud with a tender sincerity. “Being able to do stand-up and have the freedom to do it with my own audience. A dedicated group of people that are large enough to support this and whatever work that comes through. Whatever material I have next, having a group of people that are waiting for it and are susceptible to it. People who can be there in a way that I could live and support my family and have the life that I want.”
See also: Alyce Chan: MOMCOM and healing with laughter
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