Even though my parents were very progressive, and extremely enthusiastic about Asian Americans in the arts, they were not very supportive when I first told them I was moving to NYC to pursue stand-up comedy. When I pointed out that Margaret Cho (who had gone to high school with my oldest sister) was a successful stand-up comedian, and that Maxine Hong Kingston was a very respected writer, my parents said to me, “They are extraordinary exceptions. The chances of all that for you are very slim.” It was hurtful but ultimately, given their backgrounds, I understood why they wanted to be practical.
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