FAWK’s Hmong ‘Super Show’ Brings Asian Comedy to St. Paul’s Ordway
Laughter echoed through the walls of the Ordway on April 19 as a packed audience witnessed a unique blend of comedy, culture, and community storytelling. The event, dubbed the FAWK Hmong (+Friends) Super Show, delivered a high-energy lineup of Asian American comedians, sketches, and personal stories that celebrated humor as a tool for connection and healing.
Honoring 50 Years of Southeast Asian Presence
This year marks half a century since Southeast Asian refugees, including the Hmong community, began resettling in the United States following the Vietnam War. Over the decades, stories of struggle, survival, and adjustment have often taken center stage. But the comedy collective that hosted Saturday’s show had something else in mind: they wanted to make people laugh.
Organized by the Funny Asian Women Kollective (FAWK), the evening wasn’t just about entertainment—it was a cultural moment. The goal was clear: challenge stereotypes and shift the focus from narratives of hardship to ones that reflect the quirky, everyday realities of being Asian in America.
As one of the founders, May Lee-Yang, put it during the event, “This anniversary is more than just remembrance. We’ve lived through a lot, but there’s so much joy, weirdness, and everyday hilarity that we rarely talk about. That’s what this show is about.”
What the Show Brought to the Stage
Instagram | @fawkollective | Performers bring joy and bold stories to the stage.
The night featured a strong mix of performances from Asian American artists, local and national names who brought variety to the lineup. Some highlights included:
– Stand-up by Lin Sun, recognized as the first Cambodian comic with a full-length streaming special.
– Sketches and storytelling from FAWK co-founders: Saymoukda Duangphouxay Vongsay, Naomi Ko, and May Lee-Yang.
– A satirical twist on dating shows with “Love Is Blind: Hmong Edition,” written by Kazua Melissa Vang, who has industry experience on Netflix’s real-life dating series.
– Appearances by digital creator Ntxawm Kam and several local rising talents in comedy and performance art.
The mix of live and pre-taped content kept the pace engaging while offering a broad lens into contemporary Asian American perspectives.
Comedy as Cultural Commentary
For many Southeast Asian communities, humor has long been a subtle way to speak about heavy topics. It’s not uncommon for older generations to process trauma with sarcasm or jokes rather than direct conversation. That influence shaped the way performers approached the stage.
Saymoukda Vongsay explained during the show, “A lot of us grew up hearing elders talk about war and pain, but it was always through humor—like they were testing the waters to see if it was okay to say it out loud.” That nuanced tradition was present throughout the night’s content.
By embracing that approach, the performers didn’t shy away from tough subjects. Instead, they added a layer of humanity, allowing the audience to see past stereotypes and get a sense of the daily lives, awkward moments, and relatable truths that make up the broader Asian American experience.
Breaking the Mold of Asian Representation
Pexels | Erik Mclean | FAWK Hmong Plus Friends Super Show fills a packed theater with laughter and connection.
The show’s creators have long aimed to challenge the common image of Asian women as quiet or overly reserved. Through bold stage presence, clever writing, and sharp comedic timing, they flipped the script.
FAWK’s mission—since it began in 2014—has been to build a space where Asian women can take up space in ways that are unapologetically loud, weird, and funny. Saturday’s event was their fourth “Super Show,” and by far one of the most talked-about in recent years.
According to attendees, the show didn’t just provide laughs—it created community. One guest was overheard saying, “It’s been a long time since I saw so many people laughing with us, not at us.”
Why It Matters
In the context of Asian American visibility, shows like this one serve a real purpose. They push past tokenism and offer space for creative expression that’s deeply personal, yet universally relatable.
With a lineup that blended generations, genres, and humor styles, the FAWK Hmong (+Friends) Super Show wasn’t just an event—it was a reminder that comedy can be both meaningful and refreshing. It gave performers a platform to tell their stories on their own terms and helped audiences see the Asian American experience in a fuller, more authentic light.
For those in the crowd, it was more than a night out. It was a shared moment of recognition, laughter, and cultural pride—proof that comedy continues to be one of the most effective ways to connect people from all walks of life.