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Helen Hong

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Helen Hong
Hong in 2014
Born (1974-07-07) July 7, 1974 (age 50)[citation needed]
Occupations
  • Comedian
  • Actress
Years active2009–present
Websitehelenhong.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

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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

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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

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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

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Filmography

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Film

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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

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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

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  1. ^ 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. Archived from the original on November 9, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  2. ^ "What I Hear When You Say". PBS. Archived from the original on 2021-12-01. Retrieved 2019-11-17.
  3. ^ a b c "Helen Hong". The Huffington Post.
  4. ^ "Bluff The Listener". Wait, Wait...Don't Tell Me. NPR. October 5, 2019.
  5. ^ "'Wait Wait' For May 26, 2018 With Not My Job Guest Retta". Wait, Wait...Don't Tell Me. NPR. May 26, 2018.
  6. ^ Pilat, Kasia (July 19, 2018). "5 Comedy Shows to Catch in N.Y.C. This Weekend". The New York Times.
  7. ^ "About Your Hosts". Go Fact Yourself. van Straaten Entertainment. 2019.
  8. ^ a b c d Kozlowski, Carl (January 6, 2015). Yoo, Reera (ed.). "'Little Ethnic Girls' Podcast Gets Big Laughs". Character Media.
  9. ^ "Things to do in Chicago". Chicago Tribune. December 4, 2019.
  10. ^ "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.
  11. ^ "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.
  12. ^ a b Johnson, Joey (July 23, 2019). "Humor Us: Helen Hong Will Blow Your Shit Up". Central Track.
  13. ^ Dominus, Susan (July 25, 2009). "Get a Laugh? She Also Wants to Make a Match". The New York Times.
  14. ^ Varney, Janet (January 30, 2020). "Episode #358: Helen Hong". The JV Club (Podcast).
  15. ^ "The Helen Hong Channel". Laugh Factory.
  16. ^ "Helen Hong". Bonkerz Comedy Productions. 2019.
  17. ^ "Helen Hong". Hollywood Improv. Improv.
  18. ^ "Helen Hong". Zanies Chicago. 2019.
  19. ^ "Helen Hong". Stir Crazy Comedy Club. Glendale, AZ.
  20. ^ "Get it on Tape W Helen Hong", Flappers Comedy Club and Restaurant, 2017
  21. ^ "Helen Hong". The Ice House.
  22. ^ a b c "Stand-Up comedy with Helen Hong live at the Fisher". The Verde Valley Independent & Camp Verde Bugle. May 1, 2014.
  23. ^ "Helen Hong". www.punchlinecomedyclub.com. Retrieved 2024-08-25.
  24. ^ "Helen Hong comedy". Sedona International Film Festival.
  25. ^ "Punchlines and Pumps Comedy Show". Potawatomi Hotel & Casino.
  26. ^ "Complete Comedian Directory". Great American Comedy Festival.
  27. ^ "Comedian Helen Hong on Family, Mental Health and Using Her Platform". representasianproject.com/.
  28. ^ "This Thanksgiving, I am grateful to be cancer free". instagram.com.
  29. ^ Kruvant, Mackenzie & Vingiano, Ali (April 9, 2014). "18 Comedians Who Could Take Over "The Late Show"". Buzzfeed.
  30. ^ "Helen Hong". Politicon.
  31. ^ "53 Of Our Favorite Female Comedians: 22 / 77 Helen Hong". The Huffington Post. 9 March 2011.
  32. ^ "A Hilarious Evening with Stand Up Comic Helen Hong!". Happening in Sonoma County. 2017.
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