Helen Hong
Helen Hong | |
---|---|
![]() Hong in 2014 | |
Born | citation needed] | July 7, 1974 [
Occupations |
|
Years active | 2009–present |
Website | helenhong.com |
Helen Hong (Korean: 헬렌 홍; born July 7, 1974)[citation needed] is an American stand-up comedian, actress, director, and producer.[1] She has appeared in such works as Jane the Virgin, Parks and Recreation,[2] and the Coen Brothers' Inside Llewyn Davis.[3] She has a regular spot on NPR's Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me![4][5] and hosts a trivia podcast called Go Fact Yourself.[6][7] She formerly hosted the podcast Little Ethnic Girls.[8][3] She has a recurring role on Nickelodeon's The Thundermans[8] and had a recurring role as Mrs. Song in Starz's Blunt Talk.[9] Hong is known for her comedic NowThis videos.[10][11]
Early life
[edit]Hong's parents are immigrants to New York City from Korea.[12] She was raised on the East Coast but spent some time in Korea as well.[13] 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.[14]
Career
[edit]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.[8] During the course of the class, she realized that standup was what she wanted to pursue as a career.[8]
Hong has performed at The Laugh Factory,[15] Bonkerz,[16] The Hollywood Improv,[17] Zanies Comedy Club,[18] Stir Crazy Comedy Club,[19] Flappers Comedy Club,[20] The Ice House Comedy Club,[21] the Mary D. Fisher Theatre,[22] Punch Line San Francisco[23] and numerous other venues.
Hong has performed at events such as the Sedona International Film Festival,[24] the Punchlines & Pumps Comedy Show at the Potawatomi Hotel & Casino,[25] the New York Underground Comedy Festival,[22] and The Great American Comedy Festival.[26][3]
Hong has also performed in Puerto Rico for Armed Services Entertainment.[22]
Personal life
[edit]Helen Hong is the daughter of two Korean immigrants and was raised in New York. She has publicly expressed her passion for feminism movements and regularly shares her political stances and opinions on different forms of media. Helen is an active Bernie Sanders supporter.[12]
Helen Hong is a survivor of breast cancer.[27][28]
Awards and recognition
[edit]- In 2014, BuzzFeed named Hong as one of "18 Comedians Who Could Take Over The Late Show"[29][30]
- In 2011, The Huffington Post included her on their list "53 Of Our Favorite Female Comedians"[31][32]
Filmography
[edit]Film
[edit]Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2013 | Epic | Thistle | Voice |
Inside Llewyn Davis | Janet Fung | ||
2018 | Chasing Sunshine | Bianca | |
2020 | 2 Minutes of Fame | Customer | |
The Babysitter: Killer Queen | Principal Highbridge | ||
2024 | The Thundermans Return | Mrs. Wong | |
TBA | Sid Is Dead | Janet Han | Post-production |
Television
[edit]Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2013 | Adam Devine's House Party | Helen | Episode: "Neighbor Party" |
2013–2018 | The Thundermans | Mrs. Wong | 22 episodes |
2014 | The Crazy Ones | Jenny | Episode: "Outbreak" |
New Girl | Teacher | Episode: "Fired Up" | |
Inside Amy Schumer | Girl | Episode: "Tyler Perry's Episode" | |
Pretty Little Liars | Lynn | Episode: "The Silence of E. Lamb" | |
My Super-Overactive Imagination | Patron | Episode: "Friday Night" | |
Bones | Attendee #1 | Episode: "The Corpse at the Convention" | |
2015 | Parks and Recreation | Janet Trungle | Episode: "2017" |
2015–2016 | Blunt Talk | Mrs. Song | 4 episodes |
2016 | Togetherness | Fumi | Episode: "The Sand Situation" |
Scream Queens | Phlebotomist | Episode: "Blood Drive" | |
Baked Goodes | Sweet Wife | Episode: "Spice Up Your Life" | |
2017 | Don Paco's Casa | Nurse Cindy | Episode: "Health" |
2018 | Jane the Virgin | Felicia | Episode: "Chapter Seventy-Nine" |
Hollywood Darlings | Dr. Helen Hong | Episode: "Till Death Gets Me a Part" | |
Splitting Up Together | Sunny | Episode: "Glowing Pains" | |
2019 | Smothered | Dr. Arielle Allen | Episode: "Everyone Hates You" |
Huge in France | Dr. Barb | 2 episodes | |
Kingpin Katie | Linda Packman | Episode: "KOOM" | |
The Filth | Priest | Episode: "Filthy Mind Maps" | |
Gods of Food | Pak Jang-mi | Episode: "Pak Jang-mi: A Nun, Not A Chef" | |
Silicon Valley | Tracy Robertson | 4 episodes | |
2019–2021 | The Unicorn | Emma | 6 episodes |
2020 | Outmatched | Kourtney Kamanski | Episode: "Bad Guy" |
Magical Girl Friendship Squad | Daisy's Mom | 2 episodes | |
The Expanding Universe of Ashley Garcia | Dr. Ling | 3 episodes | |
2021 | Peeling the Stinky Onion | Dr. Lively | Television film |
Never Have I Ever | Sharon | 2 episodes | |
2022 | Kenan | Principal Manning | Episode: "Work Friends" |
References
[edit]- ^ Steele, Nina (12 September 2018). "Comedian Helen Hong has chosen the childfree life and says her career gives her all the fulfilment she needs". nonparents.com.
- ^ "What I Hear When You Say". PBS. Archived from the original on 2021-12-01. Retrieved 2019-11-17.
- ^ a b c "Helen Hong". The Huffington Post.
- ^ "Bluff The Listener". Wait, Wait...Don't Tell Me. NPR. October 5, 2019.
- ^ "'Wait Wait' For May 26, 2018 With Not My Job Guest Retta". Wait, Wait...Don't Tell Me. NPR. May 26, 2018.
- ^ Pilat, Kasia (July 19, 2018). "5 Comedy Shows to Catch in N.Y.C. This Weekend". The New York Times.
- ^ "About Your Hosts". Go Fact Yourself. van Straaten Entertainment. 2019.
- ^ a b c d Kozlowski, Carl (January 6, 2015). Yoo, Reera (ed.). "'Little Ethnic Girls' Podcast Gets Big Laughs". Character Media.
- ^ "Things to do in Chicago". Chicago Tribune. December 4, 2019.
- ^ "Comedian Helen Hong Has Some Words for Trump, Kavanaugh, and the GOP". NowThis. October 4, 2018. Archived from the original on December 31, 2023. Retrieved November 17, 2019.
- ^ "Helen Hong On Why Women Need to Reclaim the Word 'Bitch'". NowThis. August 14, 2018. Archived from the original on December 31, 2023. Retrieved November 17, 2019.
- ^ a b Johnson, Joey (July 23, 2019). "Humor Us: Helen Hong Will Blow Your Shit Up". Central Track.
- ^ Dominus, Susan (July 25, 2009). "Get a Laugh? She Also Wants to Make a Match". The New York Times.
- ^ Varney, Janet (January 30, 2020). "Episode #358: Helen Hong". The JV Club (Podcast).
- ^ "The Helen Hong Channel". Laugh Factory.
- ^ "Helen Hong". Bonkerz Comedy Productions. 2019.
- ^ "Helen Hong". Hollywood Improv. Improv.
- ^ "Helen Hong". Zanies Chicago. 2019.
- ^ "Helen Hong". Stir Crazy Comedy Club. Glendale, AZ.
- ^ "Get it on Tape W Helen Hong", Flappers Comedy Club and Restaurant, 2017
- ^ "Helen Hong". The Ice House.
- ^ a b c "Stand-Up comedy with Helen Hong live at the Fisher". The Verde Valley Independent & Camp Verde Bugle. May 1, 2014.
- ^ "Helen Hong". www.punchlinecomedyclub.com. Retrieved 2024-08-25.
- ^ "Helen Hong comedy". Sedona International Film Festival.
- ^ "Punchlines and Pumps Comedy Show". Potawatomi Hotel & Casino.
- ^ "Complete Comedian Directory". Great American Comedy Festival.
- ^ "Comedian Helen Hong on Family, Mental Health and Using Her Platform". representasianproject.com/.
- ^ "This Thanksgiving, I am grateful to be cancer free". instagram.com.
- ^ Kruvant, Mackenzie & Vingiano, Ali (April 9, 2014). "18 Comedians Who Could Take Over "The Late Show"". Buzzfeed.
- ^ "Helen Hong". Politicon.
- ^ "53 Of Our Favorite Female Comedians: 22 / 77 Helen Hong". The Huffington Post. 9 March 2011.
- ^ "A Hilarious Evening with Stand Up Comic Helen Hong!". Happening in Sonoma County. 2017.