Atsuko Okatsuka

Atsuko Okatsuka /ˈɑːtskoʊ oʊˈkɑːtskə/ is an American stand-up comedian, actress, and writer based in Los Angeles, California.[1][2] She was named one of Variety's "Top 10 Comics to Watch" in 2022.[3] She started the viral #Dropchallenge with her grandmother.[4]

Atsuko Okatsuka
BornTaipei, Taiwan
Medium
Stand-up
podcasts
Television
film
Years active2008–present
SpouseRyan Harper Gray
Websitehttps://atsukocomedy.com/

Early life and family

Atsuko was born in Taiwan to Japanese and Taiwanese parents,[5] and spent her childhood in Japan. At age eight, she moved to the United States with her mother and grandmother and lived undocumented for seven years.[6]

Career

She co-founded Dis/orient/ed Comedy, the U.S.'s first ever Asian American, mostly-women stand up tour with Jenny Yang and Yola Lu in 2012. The tour debuted at the historic David Henry Hwang Theater in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles.[7]

In 2020, Atsuko released her debut album with Comedy Dynamics, But I Control Me.[8] She hosted and executive produced Let's Go Atsuko, for the now defunct Quibi.[9] Paste said that her comedy style "has a childlike quality to it, with stage persona informed by a complex and challenging upbringing."[10]

Okatsuka notably performed a stand-up set during an earthquake at The Ice House comedy club in Pasadena, California, in 2019 which went viral. She was commended for keeping the audience calm and serving quick-witted jokes while the earthquake went on.[11]

She made her late-night debut on The Late Late Show with James Corden on November 1, 2021 which was praised by Vulture which said it "won late night" the week that it aired.[12]

Atsuko taught Chelsea Handler and Guillermo Rodriguez how to do her Drop Challenge as a guest on Jimmy Kimmel Live! in 2022.[13]

In September 2022, Atsuko performed alongside Joel Kim Booster and Freya Fox at Life is Beautiful 2022.[14]

On December 10, 2022 Atsuko's debut stand-up special The Intruder premiered on HBO and HBO Max, which The New York Times named Best Debut of 2022,[15] and Vulture listed as one of the Best Comedy Specials of 2022.[16]

Personal life

Okatsuka is married to Ryan Harper Gray.[17]

Filmography

As writer

Film

Albums
  • 2020 – But I Control Me[18]

Specials
  • 2022 – The Intruder - filmed at the Elsewhere Stage in Brooklyn, NY[19]

Podcasts

References
  1. "Quibi Sets "Woke" Japanese Game Show 'Let's Go Atsuko!' Hosted By Comedian Atsuko Okatsuka". deadline.com. March 2, 2020. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  2. "That Time Atsuko Okatsuka Did Stand-Up Through a Literal Earthquake". sfweekly.com. January 8, 2020. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  3. "Variety Names 10 Comics to Watch for 2022". variety.com. June 3, 2022. Retrieved July 16, 2022.
  4. "Comedian Atsuko Okatsuka talks about going viral, her beloved grandma ahead of Hawaii show". staradvertiser.com. June 12, 2022. Retrieved July 16, 2022.
  5. "First Avenue: Atsuko Okatsuka". Retrieved January 11, 2023.
  6. "Comedian Atsuko Okatsuka on Challenges of Doing Comedy in the Trump Era". variety.com. March 3, 2020. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  7. "About". Disoriented Comedy. Archived from the original on September 19, 2015. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  8. "Episode #292: Atsuko Okatsuka". thecomicscomic.com. March 2, 2020. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  9. "Quibi slates docuseries from 'Undefeated' directors, game show with Atsuko Okatsuka". realscreen.com. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  10. "Atsuko Okatsuka on Joy, Trauma and Sticking Up for the Underdogs". Paste. February 7, 2022. Retrieved July 16, 2022.
  11. "Watch This Comedian Do Stand-Up Through the July 5 Earthquake". lamag.com. July 16, 2019. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  12. "Atsuko Okatsuka's Rejection of Adulthood Won Late Night This Week". vulture.com. November 5, 2021. Retrieved July 16, 2022.
  13. "The Biggest and Quirkiest Personalities in Late Night This Week". vulture.com. July 2022. Retrieved July 16, 2022.
  14. "Hannah Einbinder, Joel Kim Booster, Megan Stalter Among Life Is Beautiful Festival Comedy Lineup". The Hollywood Reporter. July 12, 2022. Retrieved September 25, 2022.
  15. Zinoman, Jason (December 5, 2022). "Best Comedy of 2022". The New York Times. Retrieved December 11, 2022.
  16. "The Best Comedy Specials of 2022". vulture.com. December 5, 2022. Retrieved December 11, 2022.
  17. Okatsuka, Atsuko (2022). The Intruder. HBO.
  18. "Atsuko Okatsuka: but I control me". comedydynamics.com. Retrieved July 16, 2022.
  19. "The Intruder (2022)". hbo.com. Retrieved August 30, 2023.
  20. Don't Ask Tig
  21. Busy Phillips Is Doing Her Best
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