What Now? with Trevor Noah - Atsuko Okatsuka: Can You Ever Really Go Home Again?

Episode Date: April 2, 2026

Trevor sits down with comedian Atsuko Okatsuka for a lively, wide-ranging conversation about identity, humor, and finding your voice. Bonding over their shared immigrant experience, the two explore how feeling like an outsider can become a powerful lens for comedy.   Along the way, Atsuko shares personal stories that are as hilarious as they are revealing and reflects on comedy as a way of making sense of the past and connecting across cultures. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

When you watch like a true crime or when you read an actual like how a serial killer killed, there's a lot of clumsiness to it because it's a human person. There's nuance. So it's not as exciting and on your toes. Is that? Do you know what I'm saying? No, no. So you know what it actually is? I thought you were saying that.

No. It's like he drops the knife. No. What it actually is is the formula that they tell the stories. So they start to all do the exact same thing in the exact same way. Right. So it'll be the same music and then someone comes and sits down in a chair. And then they'll be like, so the first time I met Brian, I was working at an ice cream pauler.

And like he just seemed like a regular guy. Boom, boom, boom, boom. Oh, I like this. Then they'll be like the local news. Then they'll be like, a man is searching. The police are searching for a man in connection with four women who've gone missing. Dundun, dind, dins. This is good.

Brian was a really sweet kid. And I mean, he was just a regular kid. He loved baseball. He loved hanging out with his friends. Yeah. Boom, bum, bum, bum, bum, bum, bum, bum, bum, you know what I mean? I would watch this version. By the way, that was very vividing.

This is. That's your next hour. Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom. Brian, yeah. Yeah, it's, it's, so at some point I'm just like, I bought ice cream from him. You know me. Yeah, exactly. Yeah.

It's also, I don't think they need to make it as many episodes as they do. They do that. It's always like a full part. It doesn't need to be four part. pots. Could be one. It should be one. I know. And it's like also, you know, as like the families of

the victims, you know, being like six episodes with boom bum bum bum bum bum bum my son died bitch. My son died. Not everyone's singing the same song. Is this a game to you? Jesus Christ.

Oh, a podcast three seasons? What about my son died? do you not understand, right? Jesus Christ, this is why I'm not a mother. I would just, I would stop every podcast. Oh, wow. You know?

This is humanity you're taught playing with. You know, and then they make the narrative version of it. Who's going to play? Brian, the killer. Oh, wow. This is What Now with Trevor Noah. Were you doing shows? Yeah, I was doing shows and then, you know,

So with the connecting and then, you know, TSA agents being tired already. And then today's the day ICE agents are coming in to work as TSA agents. You know, I don't know. Actually, I wonder what this is like for you, what your perspective on this is. I'm a curry record. He's having a good thought. It was a trap. I was sent in to trap you into having this.

We all wanted to hear your thoughts on TSA. I got sent in. You sent him to trap me. Yes, that's right. Yeah. They said, get the good stuff out of Trevor. I said, don't worry, I got it. I'll just act tired.

Oh, I have three drinks. Ah, ha, ha. Nice shirt. Nice shirt. Okay, now that we're here. Trevor. Them agents coming in. I was thinking, if this was happening in South Africa,

we don't have, I think South Africans have a really healthy relationship with their obligations and their government in that if you told South Africans that the government was shut down and so government workers couldn't get paid, government workers in South Africa would very politely tell you that then they will not be working. It's as simple as that. Do you know what I mean? Yeah. My brain doesn't comprehend how TSA agents continue to show up. Go to the airport. Yeah. When they're not being paid just because some people in Washington are squabbling. Do you know what I mean? Yeah, for sure. It's not very American actually, though. Like, I don't think typically they would.

I don't know how the payment works. I wonder if they still get back pay. No. So last time they were saying, I think you're supposed to get back pay, but then last time there was an issue and then they said they won't get back pay. I don't know how it turned out. Okay. Because, yeah.

You're supposed to get back pay, I believe. And that's where we keep a person showing up, not because they care about, not out of the goodness of their hearts, volunteer for five weeks for free. But as South Africans, we just wouldn't show up. We'll be like, don't worry about the back pay. We still won't. I'll come back when you pay me. It's as simple as that.

Yes. I would think that's an American way of doing things too, no? No, I think there's something really, there's a thing that American people in certain like services have. It's admirable, actually. That's why I was wondering what your opinion on it is like from a Japanese perspective. Because I was going, there's a part of like the TSA where they go. like we have an obligation to keep people safe and we're doing this.

And when you go through TSA, you see how serious they are. Like every time they scan my luggage and I see them going through the bag, I'm like, you're really looking through my bag. Yeah, yeah. Now, I'm not saying they shouldn't, but I'm saying if I worked in TSA, at some point I'd be like, I'm just going to take a guess. I'm going to look at people and be like, you don't look like you got shit. By vibes alone.

See, that's where it could go wrong, right? Yeah, but that's the chance I'm going to take. Oh man my vibes are messed fucked My vibes are fucked Coming back from Indonesia Have we started Did we get that

Introspective insightful thought Well You missed that whole thing about South Africans Oh oh okay Oh my God I just wanted to make sure Because you have a twinkle in your eye When you're about to have an introspective thought

When we met recently for the first time At Quest Love's game night Yeah yeah That happened and I was like And I've been such a fan. Wait, are you being serious right now? Yes, yeah. Oh, I thought you were joking.

I'm so serious. I've been a fan for so long. And I know that twinkle, that twinkle in your eye when you're about to. And we're at a party. We're talking, there's people drinking, people are having games. It was a fun party. It was a nice games night. And I asked you about something.

And then you just, the twinkle came. And then I was like, oh, my God. Is this recording right now? There's no cameras. And he's about to have an introspective, insightful thought about actually performing abroad, you know, when there's like restrictions. We were talking about Saudi Arabia. That's right.

We talked about the Saudi comedy festival. Yeah. That's what I remember the doorway. We were literally stationed. It was myself, you and Ezra. Yeah. And we were, it was just by a doorway. It was a perfect moment of, I really had fun talking to you.

I had loved your comedy because I had seen clips of it. But like, I don't necessarily say I could like become a fan of anyone just because of their comedy like because like them, the person. but I became a fan of you just from our conversation. By a doorway is how I thought I would meet you. I do have doorway vibes. By a doorway, not like, I'm like, again, I was saying earlier, I don't know if it was recording or not when you went insightful,

but you weren't like partying. You weren't like in the middle of a game. You were like, Trevor Noah by the door, come, you come talk to me. Because I might have something wise to say It's kind of how I felt I was like am I in the Lord of the Rings? No, this is like a perception thing that people have sometimes Did you play games that night at all?

Yeah, I did. There's photos by the way. That's the evidence which is good. Okay, I got stuck in a long game of Scrabble, that's why. I was in this game of Scrabble. Yeah, well, big words, words, I don't do good with words. You know what? The words are not the problem for me.

It's the letters that you can combine that aren't words that are worth something. Yes, that. I don't understand that. Me too. To me, it's like, it's not words. I'm actually not a big game person. I like conversating more. So, Bayador is what I like.

Like, oh, kitchen, like, you know, chatting about something. That's the vote. Getting to know a person. There's thoughts on something. I like that a little more than, like, calling out Uno, I guess. You know? Or describing who I'm looking at in a game of guess who. Tell me about your mom.

How's your mom doing? You know, I like that more. So, yes. You should make like your own games nights where all the games are just about getting to know people. Yes. Just like do your own thing. I would love that.

At Tzuco's game nights. I'll put down a bunch of like gadgets and and dice and cards and I'll say, psych! And I'll swipe it off the table. Yeah, we're just chatting now. Who are you? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Roll a six.

What are six terrible things that happened to you in your life? 100%. You know what I mean? The twinkle in your eye. Yeah. And so that's just what I was talking about. when we just talked about the, you know, TSA agents, South Africans would not work for free, which they shouldn't. Do you think Japanese people would?

That's the thing. It's hard to imagine because it's hard to imagine the government would allow for something that to happen. I wouldn't even, yeah. You know, where I'm thinking downstream and you're like, yeah, but step one can't happen. It would be hard to imagine, yeah. The people might fail, but the government usually, I feel like someone in the, it's VAR, very dark, but the government would like off themselves before they let that happen, I think. I thought that was like a myth, not the offing themselves, but like.

And it could be just firing themselves. No, no, no, but necessarily suicide, but yes, that too. When I went to Japan for the first time, I had all these ideas of Japan. Yeah. Right. I grew up loving the idea of Japan. It was, you know, manga or anime and then like, you know, movies, documentaries, food, etc. But when I got to Japan, so I went to, is it Disneyland or Disney World?

I never know which one it is. Yeah, there's a Disneyland and a Disney Sea. Okay, so I went to Disneyland, right? Yeah, picturing you there. And in America, you know, you buy like the little flash pass where you like skip the line and you do the whole thing. So when we get there in Japan, we thought there would be some method for us to like skip the lines because the lines were quite long. And then they were like, no. there is no way for you to skip the line

and then I remember asking one of the people I said oh and I was using a phone to translate for me because the people they spoke Japanese and that was it and so I was using the phone to translate to have this conversation and then I said what if the CEO of Disney comes well you know the CEO of Disney of course no I don't but I was just saying what if the CEO comes what happens then and then they said

he waits in line just like everybody else And genuinely, at that Disney, they were saying oftentimes, like, the sea or the presence of that park or like whatever the top executive was. Yeah. Would regularly come to the park and they would wait in the line with everybody else and they would ride all of the rides. And I was like, damn, Japan is on another level. Yeah. I can only think of one person who didn't, like, who skipped the lines was down with actually, I think shutting down the park. And it was actually, I think, the Japanese princess.

Oh. But she had studied abroad, like Western country. I think like Sweden or something. So, of course, she came back different. She was like, I'll shut down the whole park. I'm not like everyone else anymore. So, and she also left the royal family. She, like, married a commoner.

Oh, so she's a real rebel. So she's different. But, yeah, for the rest of, like, Japanese CEOs and stuff, that is something so them. So I don't know. I feel like the workers would probably still suffer through and show up if for some reason the government was like, we're not paying you. We can't figure out ourselves if in the rare case that happens.

Yeah. I bet Japanese people would still show up and work like the American TSA folks have been. Yeah, because they tell them they're essential and so they can't not show up to work. But then I go, if I'm so essential that I can't show up to work. not shop to work. Shouldn't it just be that I'm so essential that I just have to get paid? Yes, 100%.

Thank you. It seems logical. Trevor for TSA's head. No, no, no. I just TSA passenger. TSA passenger. I feel like I have an intimate relationship with TSA workers

because of how much time I spend with them because of how much I'm sure you're the same. Yeah, yeah, right. I mean, I shot at myself when it comes to like the trays. Sometimes I get there. And then I'll literally shout out the thing that they were going to shout out to just make them feel like somebody's on the same page.

So you're like laptops out? Yeah, or if they've got the new machines, I think they're like the anal logic machines, very weird name. But that's the- Analogic? Yeah, that's what it's called. Next time you go through the airport, look at them. There's a big round, like it's a white tube.

Yeah. And it's just anal logic on the side. Okay, I didn't see that part, but I did, I know what you're talking about. Yeah, yeah. And so when it's those ones, Yeah. Don't take anything out of the bag. Right.

Just leave everything in the bag. You do the announcements for them. I say that. You go, sweetie, I got this. Yeah, I say that. And then I can see them going, oh, thank you. Somebody who knows what's happening. Right.

Yeah, you're like, just a little bit of the load off. Are they like, hey, you're like, hey, Matt. Yeah, no, I do. I do know a bunch of, like, I'll see when somebody has switched. Sometimes they're on touchless ID. Sometimes they've moved them to the actual machine. Sometimes they switch over to like searching the bag. Yeah, yeah.

And I'll be like, oh, you're doing this today. And they're like, oh, yeah, oh, yeah, you were here. And then, you know. Sweetie, you need a rest. You know them by name. And when they're doing touchless or not, someone, someone please just pay Trevor enough finally so that he could just stay home for a couple of weeks. Can you stay home?

I cannot. I have a mom and grandma that, you know, I'm trying to finally. help, you know, pay for and keep afloat. Yeah? Yes. Tell me the story. Because I know just little slices of it. But like, where does your journey begin?

We're also so far. What do you mean? Like from each other physically. We're not far. When we hang out, you know. Well, normally there's a doorway between us, so it helps. There's a doorway. Yeah.

But this is, yeah. Anyway, I just wanted to acknowledge the physical distance. But the emotional distance is nothing. Oh, my God. I mean, we're basically the same. You're the TSA agent to my Trevor. Well, thank you. English isn't my first language.

But you're the TSA agent. Like, you know what I mean? We're close like that. Yeah, I appreciate that. What's up, Trevor? I appreciate that. Laptops out of bags. You do that well.

Thank you. You see? I like that. Where does your journey begin? Like, take me through your life. because I love meeting people, especially comedians, to be honest, and then like going back through their journey to figure out like how their comedy became their comedy. Yeah.

Because I feel like no comedian chooses their style of comedy. Their life is the style that then presents in their comedy. Yes, we're forced into this. We are in many ways. And our personalities. Yeah. Yeah. No, for real.

Nobody in my family is comedic or like. likes to joke, they barely even laugh, talk, let's be honest, they barely even talk at like a dinner table or something. Do you have a lively family? Yeah, right? Yeah, definitely. My family will sit and eat in silence. Like, who died? You know, it's like that. That's the energy. Very tragic, yeah. Wait, so where were you, where were you born in Japan? So I was actually born in Taiwan. I'm half Taiwanese. I did not know this. You see? Ah, yes. Yeah. Huh. Huh. I know. I know. I know. I know. I No. Okay.

That's why it's good. We're at this table. Okay, wait. So born in Taiwan, half Taiwanese. Yeah. Yeah. So my grandma's side, my mom's side is Taiwanese. And so I was born there because, so my dad's Japanese.

And, you know, my mom and dad had met at a speed dating event in Japan. No way. Once they, you know, they courted each other and then they got married very fast. Oh, I'm from speed dating. You have to, I mean, you want to keep the speed. It's in the name. Yeah. Why would you slow things down after that?

No. Oh, wait. Hold on. That was too fast. Let's go back to our respective countries and take it slow. No, she was like, I'm going to move here. Yeah. You know, and so once she got pregnant with me, you know, my, she went back to Taiwan to give birth.

Okay. Because her brother, my uncle, was studying to be an OBGYN. And so he said, I'll, I'll do it. for you. I will practice on... Yeah, that's what I'm saying because studying... Like he was studying.

Yeah, sweetie, that doesn't mean you are it. Studying is worse. Studying is... But it was cheaper, I think, because of it? I was like, was it because of a discount? My family loves a discount. I was like, you let him practice on me?

Wait, so your uncle was the OBGYN... He was studying to be one. Yeah, yeah. But he was still the person... He was the one that, like, caught me or pulled me out or however... I hope it's, like, guided you. Court you is like...

Yeah. Some people... Yeah, guided me out. Yeah, yeah, okay. He's the one that guided me out. All right. Yeah. Just like very, like...

Yeah, yeah, just like, oh, this way. Okay, okay. It's a girl. I don't know what it is. I'm still shy around him. Day one, my family has always been very just... DIY whatever it takes to, you know, do things cheaper. Both sides of the family or?

Yeah, actually, both sides of the family. I'm kind of like that. Okay. So that's day one. That's how I came out is, you know, with my uncle helping out. Oh, from day one. Day one. And so how long did you live in Taiwan for them?

So you're born there? Just very brief just for my mom to like recover from it. And then we reconnected with my dad. reunited back in Japan. And that's where in Japan. So I was in Chiba where Tokyo Disneyland is at Tokyo Disney Sea. Right. And yeah, just live like a normal, chill life. You know, my parents got divorced when I was not even one yet. My mom has, you know, schizophrenia and a lot of other mental issues. Oh, wow. And so she was very, my dad already had two kids from his first marriage.

Right. And so my mom suddenly had to be, you know, in a foreign country. With the schizophrenia kind of bubbling up, especially after giving birth to me, she had to be a stepmom, you know. My dad was her first boyfriend, you know. How old was she at the time? She was in her 30s. So like a little later to be getting, you know, to start hearing voices and things like that. Yeah.

Usually it's, I guess, in your 20s is when something like paranoid schizophrenia hits. How does it present? Like, you know, because you'll hear people throw the term around loosely, but. And I know you can't speak broadly, but how did it present for your mom? Like, what was her schizophrenia like? From what I am told, because, you know, I'm now talking with those siblings again. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

They had a very traumatic time with her. My mom was very abusive to them. You know, she was the stepmom. You know? I'm sorry. And so, um, so it presents itself,

you know, how do I, so there's, right, there's like movies about, I talk about representation and TV and movies. Yeah. And I joke that,

you know, there's like, sure, there's fresh off the boat, an Asian family on TV or crazy rich Asians, the movie. But, you know,

when people ask like, was your family kind of like that? And I'm like, No, it's more like, have you seen the ring? You know, like the, you know, the bitch that comes out of the TV. That's my mom. So it's more like that. Oh, bad, comedians, we're the worst.

We're truly the worst. We're the worst. But they made us this way. So it's more like that, like, you know, or like Babadook or something. This is how, I mean, even my siblings describing it, you know. My mom, I guess, used to when they would go to bed at night, she would, you know, take a kitchen knife and there's like metal bars for the framing of the bed. I guess she would just run the knife along.

You are shitting me. Yeah. And then they would also do it on their face. They told me just this last trip back to Japan they told me. They're like, oh, we didn't tell you this story about your mom. So, you know, when I joke, I joke that it's like the girl from the ring, Samira, that crawls out of the tea. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

But I mean, it's kind of. Or Babadook lurking in the darkness watching you sleep. That was my mom. And so I guess that's. That's when they were like, okay, you know, she's, it's not a, I don't think it's a Taiwanese thing. You know, they started realizing there was a lot happening. There's something wrong, yeah. Yeah, tormenting in her head, voices in her head telling her, you know, to do things.

Yeah. So, so then, but then I've always known her like that. So, you know, I just didn't, I guess that's, that was the beginnings. Yeah. Wait, so help me understand. So your mom and dad get divorced when you're still one years old, and then you grow up with your mom. Good question. Thank you.

I had that question, too. Why did I go to my mom? Why I live with her? You know, because my dad, he was an engineer. Yeah. He already had custody of two kids from a former marriage. You know, for the most part, he was very, like, stable. So why would, after a divorce, would I, when my mom get?

custody of me. Right. Yeah. My dad actually thinks to Ira Glass of this American life. And I joke, you never want to call from Ira Glass because that means your life was bad. You know, you never want to be an inspiration, which Trevor you are. But that means shit happened. Someone fucked up, right? It's not good to be. Right? No, it is true. You're so inspiring. It's shorthand for yeah. Wow. Damn. Yeah. Yeah. It's all those phrases. You're very brave. That means something about sort of like how you look. Right.

So brave. That's your looks. And then you're an inspiration. Have you ever been told you're brave? Have you ever been told I've been brave? But I've definitely been told I'm an inspiration. He's a model. I've never been told.

No, I just just got not brave, not brave enough. Right, right. But an inspiration, of course. An inspiration, of course. Yeah. Yeah. You know who's not an inspiration? Martin Smith.

You know who that is? No. Exactly. We've never heard of him because he's just living a regular life, parents still together, maybe trust fund, happy.

I'm often torn about whether or not I would want that for myself. We're just, you know, just chill. Well, yeah, like, so... No rules keeping your parents apart. Yeah, like, I just think of... I think there's a world where somebody grows up

and everything is the way it is meant to be for the most part their life doesn't involve anything particularly crazy like let's put it this way like no one would read their book is the way I would put it

no yeah that's what I said we don't know Martin but I've heard of him but I go those people are I think honestly I think they're sort of like better for society

for the most part because I think they don't they don't exist in extreme land but they're also not the people who write the greatest symphonies and they're not the people who make the greatest movies

and they're not the people who like invent things and then but. And sometimes they do. They do actually. Invent things? They're the ones that get to tell stories too. I don't know. No?

I don't know. I think, oh look, I think everyone can do something. But there is a common thread that you'll find with genius in particular, right? Which I don't even, like I think I'm too sane to be genius, thankfully. But like when you get to levels of genius, there is almost no genius person I know who has

not had some fraught existence that nobody else would want to have. Of course. Yeah. Totally. Yeah. And then I'm torn. I'm like, is it worth giving that person that existence to get what the world gets afterwards?

I know. Or do we wish everyone a good life and then nothing. Ever gets made? Yeah. Yeah. Totally. I don't know. I was joking because I was trying not to laugh because you were in the kindest of words calling people basic.

You were like, you know, the basic people have to exist. I mean, they, you know, they keep the water fountains on and, you know, they keep the movie projections going. You get me into so much trouble. I mean, I was like, wow, get this man on drag race. He's just, this is a read. No, I was not saying. And I was joking that, you know, sometimes basic people do get to make movies and That's why some of them kind of they don't want to take risks sometimes with storytelling.

So it's like, oh, why this movie again? It's like, oh, another basic person. Maybe, you know, who did have like a pretty cushiony life gets sometimes they do get a platform, you know, you know, whatever. Maybe sometimes they become president. They had a cushiony life or something, you know, even if. But I think Trump is like the opposite, funny enough. I think Trump had a financially cushioned life, but from everything I've read about his life, that's true. He did not have, like, I don't think he had a good relationship with his father in the way that they were together.

You know, so people would be like, oh, but his dad was rich and he bailed him out. It's like, yeah, yeah, yeah, that's the financial side of things. Trump, to me, doesn't seem like somebody who was hugged regularly. Sure, yeah. You know what I mean? But, sweetie, to that, I say, bitch, join the club. Okay? Yeah.

Guess who else was a hugged? Me. I'm just, how you're looking cute, being a sweetie to people. So, cry me all right. I'm not saying it's to feel bad for him. Not to you too. No, no, no, but I'm not saying it's to feel bad for him. It's just, you know what it is?

It's the other side of the coin, right? If you, if you, I think of it like an experiment. If you inflict a certain amount of anything on this. object that is a human, it can turn out sort of one of two ways. So you like zap it with this, call it terribleness

in some shape or form, emotional, financial, whatever it may be. You zap it. It could become like beautiful genius or it could become terrible genius in a way. No, for sure.

And so I'm like, is it worth zapping at all if symphonies might on the other side be like world wars? For sure. Yeah. Right. Or it's like, or do we just, it's like keep it basic? Yeah, like just everyone is, you said Martin Smith?

Yes, you remembered his name. Yeah, we just Martin Smith everyone. We just, yes, exactly. Made up name, obviously. It was like a Jane Doe, you know, no offense to Martin. Of course not, of course not. Yeah, it was just the first name. Or anyone from the Smith family.

Yes, it's kind of my go-to. I think when I was learning English, Smith was like the example name in sentences or something. How old were you when you learned English? I was eight. I started at eight, yeah. Because you joke and you say like English is not your first language, but I argue you have a greater grasp of the English language than many native English speakers because of how you play with the language.

Oh, yeah. I mean, you know, a lot of us, you're what? I don't even know the name. Polygot. Oh, polyglot? Polyglot. How many do you have to speak to be a polyglot? I mean, don't you speak like seven?

No, the number keeps going up. I speak like five and then six if I'm in the place. It's you and Pete Buttigieg, right? Supposedly, Pete Buttigieg speaks like seven. I was like, maybe like he can order food. I'm sure, maybe. How many languages do you speak? Three.

Fourth if on tequila. Then I'm like, I don't even know what I'm saying. Were you raised in Japanese? I was raised in Japanese. And then when I came to the States, because the Taiwanese side took me. Yeah. Oh, so my dad had full custody of me in Japan.

And then my grandma took me from him and brought me to the States. Okay. Okay. So then that's how they, it was kind of like a kidnapping. How old were you? I was eight. Yeah. So that's when I came.

And then because I was suddenly with my Taiwanese side of the family too, that's when I, you know, and we stayed with my mom and my uncle and aunt who were already, in Los Angeles. They're also Taiwanese. So at the same time I was learning English, I learned Mandarin too, because I was hearing it in the house. Okay. Suddenly.

Yeah. English is way easier, yes. Then like Mandarin? Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, okay. Would you say English is the easiest out of many languages? Yeah, yeah.

They call it, I think it's because it's the bastard tongue. Bastard tongue? Yes. So English is. Formal, formal term? I actually think a few scholars call it that. Oh, yeah? They call it the bastard tongue because English is.

English is a combination of every language. Like anal, that anal technology thing. Oh, anal logic. Like anal logic. Yeah. That's, I've seen. Yeah. That I've seen on the machine.

This is not a thing I'm making up. No, yeah, yeah. When you're in the airport next time. Yeah. Yeah. Look at the machines. Yes. And if it's the new round ones, it says anal logic on the side.

Okay. No, yeah. I believe you. That is 100% true. Yes. Yeah. The, I might have taken a picture, by the way. I'll show you.

I'll actually check on my phone. I will, yes. Because I, because sometimes I see things and I'm like, I've got to make sure. that I'm seeing this and then keep a record of it. You said you're not a genius, but that's genius behavior. What's genius behavior? Like, you know, the kind of neurodivergent behavior. Because to like take a picture and you want to remember it, you know,

like noticing words like that on a machine, you know? I don't know about genius. I just think it's maybe too much time in an airport. How do you even search for like a place? This is the thing about like these new. Maybe white brown. Oh, there it is. There it is.

Look at that. Oh. There. That's great that it popped up. Oh, it is. There she is. We have proof. He's like, please don't show my... Thank you. Thank you for that. No, I believed you before you... No, but I just wanted you to see it.

Right, right, yeah. You know what I mean? Yeah. It's the same way, like, the disciples believed that Jesus was back, but when they, like, saw him, then they're like, oh, man, the shit is real. We're going to write it down. Yeah, and now we've got to write. Before we're just going to talk about it. Yeah.

Now we're going to write this. shit down. I don't know about the writing down. I used to go to church sometimes. I mean, with a mom with schizophrenia. Yeah. I'm like, oh man. I mean, what if like, who are we listening to? Did he have mental issues? He's like, he walked on water. I'm like, yeah, my mom thinks the Chinese government has microphones in our house. But they might have. Huh? They might have. They might have what, actually? Had microphones in the house. I know. And she's not, not wrong. That's the thing, right? It's always based on some reality. Yes, that's the thing.

Yeah. Yes, Jesus could have walked kind of more. Maybe for like half a second. I don't know. I don't know. But, you know, I'm just saying, check your sources. They didn't have psychiatrists back then, you know. There was a story of, I don't want to mess it up,

but it's like, I feel like it's like one of the saints or something like that. Yeah. someone who is a saint and a Bible story this is a Bible story no no this is not a Bible story so this is a woman who apparently was like a because I think they make you a saint after I'm not completely familiar with how it works but like the church the Catholic church yeah I think can go your life was so special and how you died or how you existed was miraculous so they can make you a saint and one of the people that they gave sainthood to they were like because she she like convened with

you know Right with God with God or with other worldly beings or whatever it was Yeah And then I think when they They either did an autopsy on her Or they just had like the records

They were like oh she had like a mental illness Wow yeah Which she was struggling with it's not even like People are putting it on her She said hey I'm struggling with this And I think at the time back in the day The church was like no no no no no You're good

You just seen It's because your other Yeah you're like you've rose above reality. Yeah. I mean, which she was. Yeah, yeah, you do. Right?

Yeah. And then I'm torn on that because I go, I consider myself a really practical person. Mm-hmm. But I also don't exclude the supernatural in anything. Sure. Yeah, of course. Yeah.

So I never believe that nothing is possible. But then I don't know how you find, like, when is somebody not experiencing something? something and when are they? Because I've seen some things in my life where I go, how did this person do that or how did they know that or how did they feel? Or like miracles? Yeah, or like versions of it, you know?

Yeah. Sometimes you meet, like, have you seen like when some of those like psychics? I mean, I would say, you know, I haven't seen a psychic, but I've seen it through my mom a little. When my, you know, my mom said, you know, the KMT, the KMT is a party that was ruling in Taiwan for a long time. They ruled under martial law. Okay. And they just more recently got voted out.

But for a long time, for decades, they ruled Taiwan. And she was always like, they're going to come to the U.S. too. They're going to come to the U.S. And we're like, oh, she's wild. And then they did. And there was like a shooting at a Taiwanese church

where it was because, you know, the KMT party lost the election. And so someone from that party was mad and shot up that church. Anyway, you know, like down the street from where my mom lives in L.A. So, you know, not like psychic stuff, but it's based in reality. Yeah, yeah, like premonition-ish vibes. Yeah, and there's history. So, you know, to go off of and the news.

So, yeah, I don't know. But are you a psychic person? You see psychics? No, no, no. I don't believe in it. Oh, yeah. That's what I'm saying. But I've seen some things where I go.

should I believe in some of it? Oh sure But I don't believe in it What have you seen? There's this one on YouTube that I've bumped into called Oh man

What is it It's like a psychic in a In like a he rides around in like an Uber type thing Okay Picks up passengers Whoa Okay

And then and then asks them Can I do you mind I'm a psychic This is what I do Do you mind if I read you or whatever Wow And then you see You see the passengers

At first I was like Oh this is all fake because I was like, whatever, I don't believe anything I see on a show. Yeah. And then there were a few passengers where I was like, oh man, this person is not acting. And you see the guy in the show is like driving around and then he's like, yeah, I'm getting a message from an older woman, and then he gets really specific and then the passenger starts crying.

Oh my gosh. Yeah. Right. So I still don't know. And I've spoken to people who worked on that production. And I was like, yo, come on, level with me. Come on. Right. And then they were like, look, either this person is supremely skilled at being a con man or he has some ability and we cannot figure it out. But we've seen it with our own eyes and we don't know how it works. Right. Because some of it could be like kind of magic tricks, mentalist stuff.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Right? It's like, who knows? Some clues that they picked up that. Yeah. And then maybe there's something in you. I don't know. That's why I say I am 95.

I'm 5% sure that all of it is bullshit, but I leave 5% for myself just to be, you know? Sure, yeah. In everything in life, I don't think you should be 100% certain. No, no, yeah. And in fact, I'm doubt for most times. But I will walk into a place. Like you just said, you just described, you're like,

it's an Uber driver, you know? He picks you up and he goes, can I ask, what is it? How does he start it? He goes like, can I, do you mind if I read you or if I, you know, if I. Cancel ride. That's what, cancel ride. Thank you so much. sir, I don't have time. Are you filming this? Is this for your content? Goodbye, mister. That's when I would

leave. I really doubted him right there. I said, I'm trying to get to a meeting. I'm trying to see my mother in the hospital. What are you going to do? Read me? Yes, I can't believe. So that's the stuff. That's what you watch. You watch things like that. I watch everything. You're an ever curious person. Yeah, I watch everything. That's why I was like, I mean, ice cream is your vice. Of course. It can't be anything that really hinders all that thinking and curiosity. No, I don't think that's true. Right? I think I just went through like alcohol as like faded in my life.

Uh-huh. You're sober? What do you mean? I'm sober. Are you sober? Or like you don't drink alcohol? Sober means you used to be an alcoholic, right? Oh, I think you just don't drink.

No, I don't think so. Yeah, but if you're sober, it means you were drunk most of the time. I think that's how it works. I think so. Is that the connotation? Yeah, I think if somebody says I'm sober now, It means that they were struggling with alcohol. Oh, I didn't know that.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I think so. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. I just was like, I've heard people also who never drank be like, I'm sober too. Oh, I don't think, no. Then you should just be like, I don't drink. Okay, I see.

I see. Okay. So do you, so you don't drink. Yeah, I don't drink. Okay, got it. But I used to drink. Uh-huh. Like casually and, you know what I mean?

But now I just don't find there are a few other than, other than the social lubricant. Yeah. there are very few pluses to alcohol for me. Okay, yeah, right. Like very few. Like how you feel the next day, your body, you're like every, I'm just like, the social lubricant's great. How's, and then ice cream, you're good the next day?

Yeah, too good the next day. Too good? Yeah. How much ice cream are you eating in a sitting? Like a pint? How much ice cream do you have? How much ice cream do you have? Is it really like that?

How much ice cream do you have? And you don't feel, and you don't feel bad the next day? I feel bad from like a society level So I'll be like Yeah you know the same way I feel bad if I wake up like after midday I'm like oh I shouldn't have done that Oh you mean guilt? Yeah

Oh sweetie People keep telling me there's only 15 years left or something on earth Is that true? Again Who tells you this? Which Uber's are you in? Right I don't know

15 years left on earth Or like, I know that's not technically. Yeah, yeah. But like 15 years of like where it's like too late to save certain things or something like that. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Yes, there's certain clocks. I mean, I even saw the other day that the sea level has risen more than people thought. Right.

And it's affected. So you're just like trying to eat ice cream as fast as you can before. No, I just enjoy it. Before the water hits your neck. And you're like, hurry. This is Trevor. At the end of the world, the water's rising, right? And you're like, bitch, how much ice cream do you have?

You know when they're in the room and the water's... Yeah, yeah, you're still like, more. My last breath will be the ice cream. Like my last, my... Yeah, yeah. No, but guess what? Well, you know what you won't be feeling? Guilt.

That's what I'm saying. So you, you wake up and the only bad thing you feel is guilt, which I don't think even... I'll feel guilty because I'll go, you shouldn't have eaten that much ice cream, Trevor. Because society? Because of like, just, yeah, I think it's a, you know... There are a few places you can walk into and say you ate a pint of ice cream and people go, wow, look at you. Nobody should judge. Nobody judge. Nobody judge my son, Trevor.

What are you, okay, what are your vice? What's your middle name? What's your middle name? Cliff. Trevor Cliff, Noah. What are your vices? It's the classics, you know, all the stuff like soldiers do. So like a classic, not, you're like, whoa, what do you?

It's just alcohol, just alcohol, honestly, now. And like weed. Okay. Yeah. I'm very treat-based. So I like, I like to have a drink every night. What's your drink of choice? I like to have tequila.

Straight tequila. Yeah, very happy, happy. Mm-hmm. What's your, do you have like a goat? It's like a good one that you're like, it was like a Casadragones or like a. I'm not even picky like that. Oh, really? You just want to feel like, you know, I did good today.

I just want to feel that. You know, that it's a little burn, right? It is a little burn, right? It is a little burn. So I like that feeling and then I like feeling like a little buzzy. Yeah. Okay. Giggling, laughing, you know.

So that's what I do, you know. I like sweets too. My first job after I got a green card was at an ice cream parlor. Which ice cream parlor? Do you know Coldstone Cramer? Of course I know Coldstone Cremery. Of course you do. Why did I doubt your ice cream?

cream knowledge. What's your favorite flavor? You have multiple. So not from Coldstone. Yes. It's a little too. Don't worry. I don't take offense. Yeah, no, no. It's just like a little too like broad for me, like the way the actual ice cream tastes. So I'll always try and find small new places where they're still making the ice cream by hand. Once it gets commercial, you start to taste it. Sure. That's okay. So that's, you know what I mean? So very specific. Yeah. Yeah, so flavor-wise, I judge a place by their vanilla. Oh, okay. And then I explore from there.

Oh, okay. One of my favorite flavors actually is durian. Oh, fun, yeah. Durian's real good. Yeah, yeah. And then I love my friends trying to have some of it and not being able to. Right. You're like, ha-ha, won't be sharing.

Yeah, there's no sharing of durian. Durian. Yeah, I know, Durian, very specific flavor. Durion is only for you. Yes, it is. It is only for you. It's like me. And maybe if Ronnie Chan comes over, he'll have my durian ice cream.

Right, of course, yeah. And so he likes durian too. Yeah, Durian, like, yeah, Ronnie loves durian. Not to, you know, I didn't want to assume. No, no, no, Ronnie loves durian. Malaysia. Yeah. And, but that's very specific.

It's not flavors you can get all the time, you know, when you're touring. I think I do that, I think I do that on purpose. Okay. Oh, to cut yourself off. If I just like all ice cream flavors, then. Uh-huh. Then now I'm. I'll tell you, I'll tell you where I learned this the hard way.

So when I first moved to America, so I used to have this rule in South Africa to try and prevent myself from always eating sweet things because I have an insane sweet tooth. I would say if I come across an apple pie, I'm allowed to eat it. So no matter where it is, if there's an apple pie, like, so if there's an apple pie on the menu, if there's an apple pie at a place I'm going to, I can eat it. And this was my way of like preventing myself from overeating sweet things

Because in South Africa you don't just bump into an apple pie Right I came to America I had the same rule I didn't know American apple pie was just you know what I mean Right So every place I would go to

You're like surely it's not a stereotype that everywhere has apple pie And we were like ha ha I genuinely I promise you I didn't think that And then I would get to places and I'd be like Would you like some dessert? And I'll be like oh let me see what you have Oh apple pie Right

And every place I went to. Wow. And then at some point I was like, oh, I think there's just apple pie everywhere. You know who you were like? You were like Morgan Spurlock. Do you remember him? So he did a TV. He did a movie called the fries.

Supersize me. And the rule was, I go to McDonald's every day, three times a day for the meals. And if they ask, you know, would you like to supersize that? I say yes. And that's how he got by the end of the month. He did this for a month. He got like diabetes and all kinds of other health. issues or whatever. It's like that rule that you created for, you know, yourself. I basically did.

Yeah. Yeah. You were like, okay, I'll eat apple pie if there is one. Okay. Yeah. So why tequila of all the drinks? What is it about tequila? I had heard that it's the happy drink, you know, and it. People say this. Yeah, they call it an upper. Right. Yeah. Yeah. And I'm like, I don't know. Again, I'm not a scientist. Just like, I don't know if there's 15 years left on Earth. I kind of doubt it considering humans are pretty resilient considering pollen alone can take us down. You know what I mean? We're pretty strong. We should all, you know, because people are always like, oh, Jesus died at 33 so young. I think that was pretty old. Considering you could trip and fall on a rock. Yeah. Also, he was killed. I think we should always remember that. Yes. He didn't die at 33. He was killed at 33. He was killed. He was killed.

Yes. I think that changes everything. It always sucks. when you're killed at any age but 33 maybe young Well maybe at like 90 something I feel like getting killed at 90 something might be better than getting killed Then it won't be a whole religion People would be like

He sacrificed his life for us 97 How many years did he have left That's what people would think about it Was he enjoying a lot or something And then he had to give up Going out every night Yeah

Like if you killed me At 90 something I would not be happy but I do feel like if I had a last breath I'd be able to say ha ha I was leaving anyways Right This is like a like I'm done

No movement would have started No Christianity would have started Because Trevor You know No got killed at 93 And claimed it was for our sins No yeah you know Yeah

That's not gonna happen We're gonna continue this conversation Right after this short break Were you very religious growing up I was Christian When I came to the States. You know, it all happens here. No, but wait, wait, isn't, isn't, isn't Christianity very big in Taiwan?

Or am I not, am I misinformed? Well, that's, you know, I actually, well, I didn't, my grandma didn't practice anything. It was my uncle, her son, also Taiwanese. He did become Christian in Taiwan, so that is interesting. Yeah. He's the one that brought Christianity into our lives. Okay. Because he's the one who we stayed with when we moved to the state.

Okay, okay. And so... So you're eight years old, you're learning Mandarin, English, and Christianity. My mind is confused. I said, I thought this was a two-month vacation. Why am I no longer living with dad in Japan? Why? And then two months turned into three months.

And then it's been 20-something years. So... Oh, wait, it just went on. Yeah. And then, so we were undocumented when we first got here because my grandma didn't, you know, there was no paperwork done. suddenly, and I didn't even know, you know, what being undocumented meant. I thought, oh, we flew here, so we're allowed to be here.

I just thought every human should, you know, wherever they end up, but they're allowed to be. Because I'm not, I'm eight, I don't know immigration law. You know, that would be, if I did, if I did, I would be a genius. And as we talked about that, may or may not be good. That's right, very specific eight-year-old. And so, yeah, so I, but, you know, so I was undocumented, learning two new languages and also being brought to a Chinese Baptist church, you know, where my uncle was the choir director at. Wow. Yeah.

Yeah. And I said, and what's this? This is, they said, well, you want friends, right? I said, yes. Well, you like free food? We're like, yes. We do free lunch after service every Sunday, you know? It was just a way of building community and friends really fast.

That's how, you know. Yeah, it's the biggest thing I miss about church, to be honest. Yeah. I think it's the biggest thing society misses about church. Free food? Yeah, all of it. No, really. Oh, yeah.

Yeah, I think I genuinely think about it is, and I've spoken about it before, but I go, we take for granted how much we lost when people sort of shifted away from religion, but not the religion side, the church side. Mm-hmm. Because it was that. Kids would get these free meals after church services. There'd be clothes that you could sometimes just go and collect, you know, from a bin that everyone would contribute to.

Yeah. People giving jobs. There's people finding love. It was, it was, imagine you've come from another country. You've come from another city, wherever it is. And you're all just welcome because of this book that tells you a story. I think it's beautiful and it's sad that we lost and are continuing to lose so much of it, that part, specifically.

Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I think, you know, other, like, community centers try to do that, too, without the religious part. Yeah. They don't. Community requires. Organization. And club.

Oh, sure. You know, like, when you go to a community center, the only thing that's sort of bringing you there is the fact that's like, oh, we're all struggling. Yeah. But when you go to a church, there's a vibe. Yes, a lot of it is, we're all struggling. That part's disguised. That part's disguised. Yeah, but there's a vibe of like, you know, we learn the same songs and we learn the same prayers and we, it starts to build, it stitches you together.

When did you stop going? When did I stop going? I probably stopped going to church when I was, it was like my early 20s. Oh, you went for, oh, a long time. Yeah, pretty much my whole life. Oh, yeah. And you just stopped? When you were, you were doing comedy.

Yeah, and then like people started like asking for selfies and people. Then I was like, it felt weird being in church and having that. Oh, okay. So it was like, and then also it disturbed my mom's church-going experience. Not, she didn't say this. Yeah. But I didn't like, because my mom's very religious. I didn't like how it would disrupt like the service for her.

Oh, I see. Okay. So I was just like, ah, I can chill. Okay. So, yeah. You just probably don't, so you don't go to a lot of group things in general anymore. No, I love, I met you're at games nights. Right. I mean, I guess like a community public thing.

Yeah, it depends. It depends. Sometimes... Yeah. You know why? Because sometimes my presence can be misconstrued. What's misconstrued mean? One day I was a... This was in New York. Okay. But wait, sorry, what's misconstrued mean? Oh, the word itself. Yeah, I don't know what it means.

So misconstrued means to misinterpret something, to take something and misinterpret how it's supposed to be or how you process it yourself. So somebody says to you, ooh, that's a nice dress. That could be misconstrued as flirting. Oh, okay. You know what I mean? Okay, okay. Because you go like, the person was flirting with me and they're like, no, no, no, I wasn't flirting.

Yeah. You could have misconstrued it. Okay, okay. So when you go to a place, it can be misinterpreted. Sometimes it can be misinterpreted because they, they, so one example, it comes to mind. Yeah. We're in New York visiting, like, friends in, in, So we just like go for a walk.

And then on this one day, he's like, yo, let's go to this park. There's an event taking place. I think they were celebrating. I think it was Jackie Robinson that they were celebrating or something. But he was like, let's just go to the park. And my friends are old. Let's go. So we roll up there.

And there's local politicians giving like speeches. Because it's Jackie Robinson and, you know, this whole thing. Right. And then someone sees me and comes running up and goes like, oh, Mr. Noah. Oh, I didn't know you were here. Oh, sorry. And they're like, oh, and they're like, oh, Trevor, no, it's here. I'm going to say a few words.

And I was like, no, I'm not going to say a few words. I have nothing. And then people were like, but then what are you doing here? Right, right, just hanging out. No, come on. Here's a mic. You and the mic are tight. Yeah.

And I was like, no, no, I literally was just walking. Right. And then people genuinely didn't believe me. They're like, oh, please, you're just walking around. Right. You're here to make a speech about Jackie Robinson. Trevor, that's the vibe you give is that you're going to give a speech. I need a, I need a change.

I need to change this. You know what I need to do? I need to start drinking. That's what I need. Maybe it's because I don't drink. I give off ice cream vibes. They're like, you know him. Feeling good from the night before.

It's just ice cream. So he's ready. Durean. Durean. So at one point, so you're growing up in L.A. And you stayed there your whole life. Yes.

Yeah. I love New York vibes. So if you don't mind me asking, wait, wait, so. your accent didn't shift from before? Yeah, probably.

Because most kids lose their accents if they come like at that age. Uh-huh, yeah. You mean like a Japanese accent? Yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah. Do you think I have an accent? You definitely.

I do? Yeah. Okay, yeah. I don't know what some people are like, I think it's a California accent. Who are these people? I don't know. The same people that told me

we have 15 years left to live. My mother's seven boys. No, so yeah, I guess it didn't, I mean, I'm sure it was thicker back then. I don't really remember what I sound like when I was a kid. You don't have videos or anything? No, we lived in a garage. We barely had anything. Yeah, so.

Did you actually live in a garage? Yeah, we lived in my uncle and aunt's garage, yeah, yeah. And then, which was also illegal, but you'll know. I mean, it's life. What a rule. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And so, yeah, so I guess I just stayed in L.A. And then some, you know, I do have like a laid back vibe.

So I think I'm very Californian. I consider myself very like I feel. In your vibe. Like Southern California vibes. Yeah. But who knows? This could have naturally been me too. If I even stayed in Japan, who knows.

But New York energy is what I'm really drawn to. I love chaos energy. Yeah. I love light. I love sounds. My dream would be live at Times Square. I'm unwell. Are you okay?

Come back. Trevor, come back. No, I was just thinking that might be just like a Japanese side of you. Could be. Because when I'm in Japan, it feels like all of it is Times Square. Do you like it or no? I love it because I'm visiting it. Yes.

Oh, yeah. So like when I'm in Tokyo, it really feels like it's all Times Square. And then when you go to Kyoto, It's like, no, this is, it's the antitheses of everything time square. It's just bicycles and silence. Right, right. Yeah. And so I, yeah, it's true.

You like the chaos and the. Yeah, just, you know, it's either that or me and my thoughts. So how did your thoughts get you into stand up? What's, what's that journey? So you're eight. Yeah. You're here for a two-month vacation. Right.

That turns into a 20-year vacation. Yeah. you start going to school Yes, just like being a kid Yeah Going to yeah Going through the American You know

Education system Did you ask questions of your family Like were you like When are we going back or did you Yeah I did I did But also I was scared of my mom

You know my mom Yeah When I would ask like Sad questions like that She would you know Get upset You know Shame

And also she would get My grandma raised me mostly. So she was there. But my grandma was also like, don't upset your mom. You know, we moved here. So, like, sorry, we didn't tell you, you know. But I didn't really know why. I was afraid to ask questions.

And so, yeah, I just kept going to school. I later found out, you know, my mom's mental illness got really intense. towards the last years in Japan she was very depressed too she has no friends she can't work she also has seizures so

you know there's a lot of stuff she can't do she's very isolated and then so she got pretty suicidal and so my grandma was like I have a son in L.A. you know maybe we

switch locations maybe we change things up you know have go to a place with more family support there's uncle and aunt. He said we could stay with them. So, you know, I found out that's why we ended up in, in L.A. But yeah, so after I did that, oh, gosh, it was like then when I was 19, I was with my second boyfriend who told me that I was funny. And he's like, you should try stand up. And I was

like, stand up. Isn't that only for like, aren't all the, I thought at the, at the, the time, there's only like 10 standups in the world, you know? Do you know what I'm talking about? Yeah, I know what you mean. Right? It's just like there's only, Margaret Cho was already a stand-up then. I was like, well, they already have her. What do you mean you could just start stand-up? Did you feel that way in South Africa too? No, I didn't. You didn't? I didn't. Okay. I just was like- Because it was so new there that it felt like anything was possible. Okay. Yeah. I thought here it's just like we have a quota and there's only like 10 comedians at a time. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

And so, you know, and I liked their work. I watched even, yeah, Margaret Cho, I watched. What's his name? Robin Williams and, you know. So I, and then I found out there were like stand-up comedy classes, so I decided to take one. How are those? So this one I liked.

It was an all-female stand-up comedy class. Yeah. because I said, okay, how else do I start? Just start showing up at an open mic? Back then, it's like an open mic. Sometimes they were like 11 p.m. to 2 a.m. and some dark alley. You could be the only girl.

Yeah, most of the time you were. I was like, that's how you go missing. I think that's how you go missing. I was like, ah. And I wasn't, you know, I didn't have enough confidence to be able to go by myself like that to a place. Yeah. So this all-female stand-up comedy class was actually a really great,

like, supportive way for me to start where also I needed deadlines, you know. I'm not good with like self-motivation. I haven't been diagnosed, but I think I have ADD. It's hard. Like, I need someone to be like, there's homework. This is the homework. Come up with a five-minute set. So it was a good, that's how I started.

Oh. And was it good from the beginning? What was your first set? Do you remember? Yeah, I remember thinking it was kind of funny I was like, is there something? You know, you get in front of the class and then the teacher and the other students are there.

And I said, is this something? I don't know. My name is Otko, Okatska. I work at a Japanese restaurant and I drive a Toyota. And then they were like, ha, ha, ha, there is something there. You know, why everything's so on brand? And so I think I started talking about that. And then I remember one of my first jokes was,

this guy found out. out that I was Japanese and he said, oh, I have a good friend who works at the, and I think he wasn't thinking about it when he said it. It just came out. He said, you're Japanese. I have a good friend who works at the Mitsubishi dealership. And he goes, do you, do you know, what was his name? Oh, he says, do you know Gary? Do you know Gary? And I, and I, and I, and I go, Gary, I don't fucking know Gary I know Tom So that was like my first

Like one of my first jokes Like the whole you know Classic Yeah yeah yeah Yeah But um Yeah so I don't know It just took a random boyfriend

Who probably just did a You don't tell In retrospect I think he was trying to get rid of me By telling you you funny Yeah you should start stand up Because you don't tell someone you love that. He was like, go, go be busy.

Go every night out to the jokes. Right? I don't know. No, I think that's someone who sees you. Oh, okay. Oh, that's very nice. Yeah, yeah, I genuinely think that. I think every stand-up comic needed someone to see them before they could see themselves.

It's true. That's true. Who told you? For me, it was, there were a few comedians, funny enough, who told me this. Oh, that's cool. You were really friends with comedians before you were a comedian? South Africa is so small. That's what I mean by...

Right. Anything's possible. Yeah, remember, we get democracy in 1994. I'm 10 years old. So everything is this new world. Wow, yeah. Right. Free speech wasn't around before that.

Comedy wasn't really a thing before. So everything, everyone in like my generation, this band that was growing up, especially in Johannesburg, we all knew each other. Wow, that's true. Everyone. So it's like you knew the president's son. but you also knew like a taxi driver but you also like everyone

it was this really small band that was growing up together it was really it was a magical moment honestly and so I knew a few people who were comedians but I'd never seen their comedy and then one of like you weren't like you were young or something too young

I just never gone comedy wasn't like a thing we didn't even have a comedy club in South Africa where were they doing comedy just like random church or something random bars or random restaurants or whatever it was. Yeah, yeah. Right.

And then one of them said to me in a conversation, Ronnie Murdemola, I'll never forget. He's super funny, dry one-liner comedian. And then he said to me, he's like, yo, Trev, he's like, you should do a comedy, man, you're very funny. And then I was like, no, you're funny. I'm not funny.

He's like, no, man, you should do it. I think you'd like it. And I was like, no, Ronnie, I'm cool. Didn't do it at all. Yeah. And then blah, blah, blah. my cousin and my best friend were living together, they were like, you're funny, you should do it.

And then I did it. You were like, okay, if multiple people think so. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. And they're telling me. Yeah. So I think sometimes, and it's not just comedy, I think in life, sometimes you need someone to see you before you can see yourself. Yeah, totally.

Right. So I think, I don't know, but I think that boyfriend was like, like, for someone to think you are that funny, it means they see you. And look, he was right. No, that's true. I don't give him credit for that. And I refuse to.

I'm just kidding. Obviously, it was like, good. The relationship itself was more. Give the man his credit. God, damn. He deserves it for your career. Wow, that's very interesting. I never thought about it.

That he's, he was the, you know, you never know. Because it was just one person. Like, I don't think anyone else told me I should do stand up. No one else said you were funny? They did say I was funny. Okay, but to go stand up, you should do the actual thing. stand-up comedy. And I was like, what?

How would I even start? So I got curious. And that's why I looked it up on Craigslist. I found the class on Craigslist. I didn't know how else to look for things back then. I was already very much on that website. Craig's List was great. It still is.

One of the few companies that blew up that hasn't like just been sold to make money. It's still very DIY. No, it really is. But in a good way. And then the founder was like, no, I'm happy with it the way it is. and was, I think multiple people offered him money to turn it into like a big tech giant tea type thing. And he was like, no, I like it the way it is. I like how people can find each other and how they can commune or buy things or connect with people.

Right. It's like healthy tech. That's so true. I didn't think about that. I mean, they regulated it a little bit. Like they got rid of, you know, people were hooking up on there. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. But they got rid of that.

I wonder if it was because of the Craigslist killer maybe. Oh, that was a thing, wasn't it? Yeah, it was turned into like a whole movie because, yeah, there was a killer on there, which naturally probably was going to happen, you know, accessibility. Someone's going to take advantage. We can't have anything good for ourselves. But you could still buy furniture on there and, you know. Pretty good furniture.

Yeah. Worth a few killings, some would say. I mean, I wonder. I'm so lucky. I actually answered some random ad that said, all girls class, stand up at my house and I showed up. I fucking showed up.

And it wasn't a man with like weird gloves on waiting to do some weird thing. You know what I mean? I was lucky. I love how you worried about the gloves being weird. I was going to say.

Just gloves. I like that you're like, those are weird gloves. He just does this. It's got like one extra finger. Oh, he's got the weird gloves. We're in trouble. What kind of gloves, girl?

Not the usual gloves. Not the gloves. Oh, man. I could have said axe, but I didn't want to be violent. I decided not to go violent there for some reason. You wanted to go creepy. Yeah, what if he's just the guy that's like, just watch me playing with my gloves for hours.

For some reason, those ones are like. Scarier? Yeah. Yeah. That's why, you know, horror films, they have to get so creative these days. Yes. Is it? Do you like horror films?

No, I hate them. Me too. Terrified. Yeah. Terrified of them. Yeah. I can't sleep if I watch one. If I have to watch a scary movie because my friends have been like, you got to watch this movie.

I will watch it during the day. Bright as possible. Yeah. I don't, yeah, I don't do well. We have that in common. Okay. Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah. Even if it's like whether it's supernatural or more realistic. I don't care. Yeah. I don't care. So you don't like watch true crime too, right? Listen to it. No, that stuff is just like, not that it's.

boring to me, but I, it's boring to me. Oh, okay. And I think it, I think, I mean, this is a little, maybe too extreme, but like, if I watch that stuff too much, I feel like it'll make me feel like it's possible all the time and people are doing it all the time and people are killing each other all the time. Which is true, but it's not. Like, most of us are not killing each other in society. Yeah.

And like, when you watch those true crime documentaries, I think some people get really, they're like, oh, everyone's killing everyone and every. I don't know. I just, I'm like, and they're all the same at some point. Yeah, yeah. I wonder, oh, maybe because there's nuance in it, maybe that's why it's boring, quote, unquote, to you. What do you mean? So, like, in a horror film. Yeah. Because it's a story written and it's actors and there's stunts and it's entertained. It's meant to entertain you.

Yeah. So the killers are crushing it. You know what I'm saying? Yeah, okay. It's like, hit my mark, hit my mark, chopped his head off. And I am also fast at running. I like what the killer's saying this. Hit my mark. Chopped his head off.

Gotta keep traveling engaged. He's cat dance. Okay. And hit my mark. I look scary. I'm that, you know, yeah, exactly. Okay. Right.

I mean, I imagine that's what the behind the scenes sounds like. Okay, cool. Hit your mark. Okay, and chop off the next head. Chop up the next head. And now you're running. Right. And everyone's like fast and, you know, the killer's crushing it.

So it's like meant to entertain, right? But when you watch like a true crime or when you read an actual like how a serial killer killed. Yes. There's a lot of clumsiness to it because it's a human person. There's nuance. So it's not as exciting and on your toes. Is that? Do you know what I'm saying?

No, no. So you know what it actually is? I thought you were saying that. No. What it actually is is the formula that they tell the stories. So they start to all do the exact same thing in the exact same way. Right. So it'll be the same music and then someone comes and sits down in a chair.

Oh, yeah. And then they'll be like, so the first time I met Brian, I was working at. an ice cream pauler and like he just seemed like a regular guy. Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, dund, dund, dund, dund. Oh, I like this. Then they'll be like the local news. Then they'll be like, a man is searching. The police are searching for a man in connection with four women who've got missing.

Dund, dind, dind, d'n, d'n, d'n. You know, Brian was a really sweet kid. And, I mean, he was just a regular kid. He loved baseball. He loved hagging out with his friends. Yeah. You know what I mean? I would watch this version.

By the way, that was very vividing. That's your next hour. Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom. Brian, yeah. Yeah, it's, so at some point I'm just like, I bought ice cream from him. You know me. Yeah, exactly. Yeah.

It's also, I don't think they need to make it as many episodes as they do. They do that. It's always like a four part. It doesn't need to be four parts. Could be one. It should be one. I know. And it's like,

Also, you know, as like the families of the victims, you know, being like six episodes with boom bum bum bum bum bum bum bum my son died, bitch. My son died. Not everyone's singing the game song. Is this a game to you? Jesus Christ. Oh, a podcast three seasons? What about my son died? Do you not understand, right?

Jesus Christ, this is why I'm not a mother. I would just, I would stop every podcast. Oh, wow. You know? This is humanity you're talking with. You know, and then they make the narrative version of it. Who's going to play? Brian, the killer.

Oh, wow. You know? Wait, do you want to be a parent? Do you want to be a parent? Do I want to be a parent? Yeah. I think I go back and forth. Oh, okay, okay.

Yeah. I'm a no. You're a no. Yeah, yeah. Husband actually got a vasectomy recently. That's how strong your know was. Yeah, both of us, yeah. We were like, oh, we know. We know ourselves.

Wait, wait, wait. Tell me more. I don't think about it. I never thought about it. I was never like, you know. I don't even know how to connect with kids. I don't even know what they look like, really. They're the little ones. I see them.

And then, you know, toddlers when they see me, like babies, yeah. They feel this connection. I think they think I'm a baby too I kind of give baby I'm a little toddler core Do you see it Like your vibe

Have you always had this like vibe to you Because you A little toddler No no no I mean like The colors and the fashion And the there's nothing normal In your like in your Right

You know Yeah It's like it's cool It's it's edgy It's interesting Maybe a little Japan too Yeah very Japan A little New York Japan

Yeah yeah Definitely Did you always have that No no When I found my voice in comedy I think that's when I started being able to be my more true self too. Oh, I like that. Yeah, I like that.

Yeah, I like that. Okay. Yeah. Like, you know, sticking with a haircut. Yeah, yeah, yeah. That kind of thing being like, okay. Yeah. I know who I am outside and inside now. Yeah.

Oh, that's beautiful actually. Yeah. Because, you know, you've also kept an iconic look. Same, you know. People could do like a drawing of you. That's when there's a brand. I guess, yeah. But I don't think, I don't think of it that way.

I just, I just didn't cut my hair. during COVID and then afterwards I was like oh I don't mind not cutting my hair well so it's just a little longer I mean but it's always stayed within it's just about practicality so if I if I can't wash it myself anymore I'm like I had time to cut it a little bit and then I go back yeah it's just you know wash day can be really this part of the head when you're washing your hair this is fine then you get to this part sure shoulders shoulders yeah and then it's just and then And conditioning.

This is you keeping it simple. This is me keeping it simple. Yeah. And in your fashion, your style, you dress yourself? I have no fashion and I have no style. I will buy things occasionally and I will put them on and I'll hope for the best. Wow. You have fashion and style.

I wear clothes. Wow. I mean, if you're going to compliment a girl, I'll take it. I'll take it. No, you really do. You've got like, like, there are people I see dressed and I go, ah, you. know what to do with material on your body. And then the rest of us, we are just...

You are the people that you're talking about the... Yeah, I'm Martin Smith. That's who I am with clothing. I am Martin Smith. Because, I mean, you're playing with so much, like, personality. I can understand a suit, nothing else. But it's because I've worn suits so much. And my entire life growing up, we wore school uniform.

So I've been wearing a suit since I was five years old. Yeah. Every morning, tie, jacket, pat. So a suit, I understand. Yes, yeah. And my mom would never pay for what we called Civis Day, civilians day. It's where you got to wear your home clothes to school. And you just wore the same suit then?

Yeah. And then I'd be like, Mom, we need to pay. They're like, who's this, Narc? He loves the suit. No, genuinely. Wow. Those are the worst days of my life. Where you were still...

When I would go to school and then I was the only kid not wearing a the home clothes. Hey, I bet you looked spiffy. They were like, now he's a star. He's ready to, he's going to be on stage. You were like a little, you were a little comedian. It was the exact opposite. Do you wear suits on? No, no, you're pretty like, you were, we're pretty casual stage. I used to wear suits when I started doing stand-up. But then you turn more casual, right? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. But I actually, I do like the suits. Yeah. Yeah. Just this. Because it's like, it's your uniform. Yeah. It really is. And you put the thing. You do. the thing and you're like, I'm in.

It's your armor. I'm in. More than armor. It's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, I like uniform more than armor because uniform, you just know what you're doing. You know what I mean? It doesn't, it doesn't, it doesn't necessarily protect me, but it's, it's like a, this, I'm now going to do the job.

Yeah. Yeah. Right. Yeah. You're the forever host for Grammys, right? The forever host. Yeah. No, no, I'm done now.

Oh. I guess I missed the done part. Did you announce it or something? Yeah. You said. I said this is my last one, yeah. In my head you were going to be for another, at least 15 years. I would hope not.

Because 15 is what we have left. What, you would hope not? No. You're so good at it. Yeah, thank you, but I don't like doing things forever. For too long. Yeah. What do you want to do next?

This. You're already doing it, but then you're going to. Yeah, but this is like the next part of it's. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You know? Yeah. Ice cream, maybe like invest in an ice cream. Don't turn your passions into businesses. Oh, then what stand-up comedy?

That's a hobby that people then paid me for. Wow. But it wasn't a passion. I wasn't doing stand-up comedy and like it was a hobby. Yeah. I was doing this thing. Yeah. It wasn't a dream. No, it was never a dream. Same with me.

No, it was never. But ice cream has been a dream my whole life. Oh. I wouldn't be an objective. ice cream anything owner? My first dream was to be an ice cream, work at an ice cream parlor. That was your first dream?

Yeah. I didn't dare dream big. You too? You wanted to work at ice cream parlor or just eat ice cream? No, I just wanted to like own ice cream. Yeah, big ice cream. Yeah, big ice cream. Yeah, so I just wanted to work out one.

I didn't dream as big as you. I just wanted to work out one. And then at age 17, I did. Was it good? Well, Coldstone Creamery. Yeah. So do you know about Coldstone? I don't know, not all the stores like follow this protocol,

but when you get a tip as a worker, you're supposed to sing. You know about that? I did not know this. Oh, well. That seems really demeaning. It was, I said, in what world? I really got paid. I got the tip.

I did a good job. I have to now do more work. What did you have to sing? Oh my goodness. There were so many. All ice cream pun songs like, here, I'll show you. Yeah. So, will you take you?

Tip my jar, please. Okay. Thank you. Oh, oh, we got a tip. We got a tip. Coldstone, you're a cold stone. We're a scooper-duper family. When you tip the tip jar, we will try to sing in harmony.

Now, if somebody tips you for the singing, do you have to sing more? Like if someone goes, that was amazing and then they tip again. What do you have to do now? Trevor, don't ask questions like that. Trevor, we always hoped that no one like try to crack the code. I think a couple of times people did and then we would sing another song. Give me another song. That was a good song, by the way.

Thank you. Yeah, I like that. In the style of Flintstones, you know. I'm trying to remember. I don't remember. That's the main one I remember. That was like the main go-to. I think there was like a we're off to see the wizard, the wonderful Wizard of Oz,

but we did it with like ice cream words. Yeah. I don't remember something about. You still like ice cream at all? After that? Yeah? I do, but the singing was a lot, you know, in that, because I always worked with this kid who loved the singing part and he would also add dances. Oh, wow.

So then I'd be like, stop, like people, because I was always in the shift with him and people would be like, oh my God, it's the duo. And I'm like, no, I don't, I did this, when I just did this, that was him. He would be, he would go out, he would do spins, like we were on Broadway. Cold stuff. I'm like, bitch, we're all. We only got a dollar. Between us, we have to split this dollar. I was like, I just got my green card.

I'm just trying to live a normal life. How old were you when you got your green card, by the way? 17, yeah. 17. So that was my first job, yeah. Was it a big moment for you getting the green card? I didn't even, looking back, it should have been, but, you know, I didn't realize. Because of that, I got to finally work.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I wasn't like under DACA and things like that. So, you know, I had to wait till I got a green card to be able to even start, like, contributing to the family, you know, with money and stuff like that. So that was cool. And then I got to finally take a driver's license test, which I couldn't before without a social security number. So, you know, again, it was a lot. I feel like in my life, it's always a lot at a time.

I'm learning multiple languages and going to church, learning a whole new culture. You know what I mean? It's like, bitch, now, sudden. you're working, getting a driver's license, you're the only person that drives in the family, you know, and so it's just a lot. And so, yeah, was it a big moment? I don't think I had a moment to realize it was. It sounds like you had a lot of pressure at that age.

Yeah, a little bit, but I didn't even, you know, I don't think I realized it, yeah. It was just the defaults. Yeah, yeah. I was like, okay, we're, yeah, someone needs to get us around. And so, so, because you, are you still living at your uncle's house at that stage? Mm-hmm. Yeah. And so now you're contributing to the larger family.

You bring the money from Coldstone, contribute to the family. Which is very little money, by the way. Yeah, no, really. That's why I'm, you know. Very little money. But I was stoked to that. I was like, oh, I can finally do the things. I'd seen a lot of, all my classmates do, like, get the, you know, drive or working.

And then also college, too. I didn't know what would happen with college when I found out I was undocumented. And I was like, I think you need a social security number to go. And so it was just kind of very lucky that at, you know, around the time you're supposed to start applying, I got. You got your green card. Yeah, right. Where did you apply? I applied to all the UCs.

I had really bad grades. I wasn't a good student. So, yeah, I applied to everything, but got into. two schools, UC Riverside and like UC, I forget the last, Merced or something. Okay. For psychology, I just randomly chose something. I didn't really, again, I didn't really dream big, you know. I was like, why would I?

Why psychology, though, of all the random choices? I think probably because of my mom. But I guess at the time I was like, I like people. I don't know why. sometimes all the answers are there. Yeah. Yeah. I wanted to probably get to know someone like my mom more and understand her and people like her.

Yeah. And so is that what you studied? Yeah, I studied psychology. Wow. I went to UC Riverside for like a year and a half. I dropped out. Again, it was hard for me to like concentrate. I had my first boyfriend.

I was just excited. I was like, I can drive. I have a boyfriend now. You know what I mean? What am I doing? studying psychology. I don't have time for this. You know, I'm going to elope. I've made it. I'm working at Coldstone Creamery. This was the only dream I had. I've peaked. You know what I mean? What else was it going to do? So, you know, I think when my second boyfriend at 19 told me,

you're funny, you should try stand up. I was like, what? Why would I even think that was possible or available to me. Why? You know? I just got my green card. Who am I? Who would want to hear my story? Who, you know what I mean?

Like, there's nothing going on here, you know? So, yeah. Was there ever part of you that thought of or wanted to escape the family? Or was that not an option in your world? I wanted to. I think that's why, you know, once I had a boyfriend, yeah. I left the home.

and yeah I try to make him my my second family so you know when you you probably never fell into this I don't see you as a person because I feel like you're pretty self-aware from maybe a young age but you know when you date someone sometimes you take on their personalities oh yeah no no for sure no I definitely done that where you're like you're into something you pretend you're into something that's their interest so I never struggled with that but what I would do is they would sway me too much like in their vibe

But I wouldn't be interested in what they're interested in. But their energy could affect my energy. Sure. Because I'd grown up in a world and in a home where I was so hyper aware. You know, like I grew up in a pretty violent household. Yeah. And so one of the things that did to me as a child was it made me hypervigilance. Right.

Because I had to know in every moment like, oh, Jesus, my stepdad drunk. And if he's drunk, how does that change the day? And what do we do? And how do we do? and how do we keep the peace? And you know what I mean? Right. So that hypervigilance continued with me in my life.

So then when I would be in a relationship with somebody, I would pick up on their emotions sometimes before they would pick up on their emotions and then I would shift myself. Yeah. No, I totally get that. So I wouldn't pick up their interests or anything. But I think I had a similar experience in that way. I see where you would.

Yeah, just kind of walk on eggshells sometimes. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. That totally, like, I totally get that.

You know, my mom being unpredictable too. Yeah, yeah, yeah, right. But I meant like something even more basic, like, I pretended I was into like punk rock music, you know, like that. I feel like that's just love. Oh, okay. Like early love? Yeah, yeah.

I was like, yes, I love a nightmare before Christmas. Oh, yes, let's watch it again. Every day. It's October. It's Halloween. This is Halloween Halloween Halloween You know I would sing along with it

I like how your life is just punctuated by painful songs Get me out of the singing nightmare I know because yeah my uncle was a choir director Yeah you just got like music the whole way Just oh my gosh ever Were you a singer? No I never was You would look good in a choir robe

Why have I pictured you in a choir robe before I don't know Have you not in like a sketch or something A choir robe? Yeah It's possible Yeah It's not impossible

I'll say that Right Yeah It's not like the most extreme thing If you said to me Trevor you've worn a choir robe At some point in your life Yeah

I'd be like yeah that's very possible Right Yeah I don't know why But it's very possible I'm putting that image I just see you in it right now Thank you very much

What's the color Well it's just like white With like the red Red Oh okay those ones Those ones Yeah I don't think I've ever worn

one of those, no. Yeah, well, I did because I was in the choir. Were you good in the choir? My uncle, I was never asked back after our big performance. The cantata. You know what a cantata is? No, I do not. Yeah, I didn't either. Guess what? It's 45 minutes of singing for Easter. There was this, it's like a short opera. Short opera, 45 minutes. Yeah, it's pretty short, right? Opas are, I think, longer. Yeah, yeah. I don't know. Timothy would know,

Shalameh. I don't know how long. I love how he's become like the punching bag of ballet and opera. I didn't say good or bad. Yeah, but like, no, no, no. But I mean, like, he was right, though. That is a dying art form? I think the way he said it might have inflamed some people's emotions.

Yeah. Because he said it in a very flippant way. Yeah. But he was having a conversation. Yeah. And then can I tell you, there's a weird thought I had when it was happening, though. I was going like, oh, is the world like trying to find its old... Like analog days back?

Yeah, like, no, no, no. Like our old outrage. Oh. I was thinking to myself, we are living in a world where World War III seems imminent every day. Yeah. Where, you know, inflation is crazy, where people are terrified of what's happening in the streets in America. it's like the most brutal immigration crackdown ever Like all these things are happening everywhere

And then in the midst of that There was outrage at Timothy Shalame Talking about ballet and opera And I was like oh remember those days Yeah you're right Remember those oh Yeah you're right It was like a throwback

Oh my God To be mad at one skinny white kid That rap sometimes That's what we wanted Do we just want a simple time Where you're like Why does he do hip hop? That was it

I was like, thank you, Timit, thank you for your service. You, you, you, you bore the brunt for what society was feeling. We needed an outlet and we chose you. I mean, unfortunately, that's what happens, you know, but I think he's okay. I think he'll be fine. He's okay. He's okay. He's got love in his life. He does indeed.

One of the most powerful families and, you know, in, around, you know, backing him. Yeah, you could say that. Backing him. Backing him. I don't think he needs them to back him. You said like they're backing him. like, you got this to me. Probably. No, no shame.

They probably did. No. You know? I think his life is probably like more normal than people think it is. His mom does ballet and his sister too. That's what people don't realize about statements. About his statement? Yeah, is that he grew up in that world.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. And so he was saying, this is what I mean by the context we remove from every statement or conversation. Yeah, yeah. Robs us of the nuance that you experience in murder documentaries that, like, helps us communicate. If Timothy Shalame had said, there's Timotei, right? But I guess you seem weird if you say Timitay, whatever. Timitie. Timothy. But if Timothy Shalame had said, you know, I grew up, my family was in ballet and my mom was a ballet dancer and my grandmother's ballet and I grew up in the ballet and I watched this and I, and seeing how that art form has died over the years

really made me grateful to work in an industry. that still has social cachet to see people still go to movie theater. Like, I'm grateful to, that's where I want to be, because I've seen what it's like when the ballet jobs dry up and when the opera dies down and when people are no longer coming out. I've seen that, and that's something I don't want for myself. And so I'm lucky. I think people would be like, oh, wow.

Trevor, people don't have the elocution that you have. You are a comedian. We are speakers. He's an actor. and so, you know. He's a speaker. He's a speaker of other people's words a lot, you know, as an actor, right? This is true, but I think like he's also like a, he's a sharp kid.

My mom and sister need jobs. They haven't danced in years. If he said it like that, then people, oh my God, oh, you're frustrated. Yes, yeah. You're frustrated for your family. My sister is always around because, you know why? No, please hire my sister. You know, it's his own.

Yeah. Yeah. I think he has a personal connection with it. For sure. Or maybe they bullied him. Who knows? Maybe he's like... Ballet bullies.

Bellet bullies. He's like, ballerinas are not all that you think they are, you know? I was raised by one and my sister gets all the attention. You know, whatever it is that he was going through, right? Which, anyway, I did a cantata and I was never asked back after that. I was an alto. I have a lower voice naturally. so I got to harmonize

harmonizing is hard Trevor you know that it's very hard I try to explain that to Uncle Paul he didn't there was no time you you mess up at an Easter performance you're not coming back for Christmas

it's yeah it's a big it's a big time oh my God he has risen and I'm out there I'm out there going singing the wrong notes aw he said let's go your thing is you love to sing.

I said, yeah, I do. He said, you love to sing loud. So we could really hear your notes that weren't on. Oh, shame. How did you feel when he was telling you this? Well, at the time, I'm able to laugh about it now, but at the time, I was really like, well, I, there's a whole crier.

I didn't think you could just, like, hear a few mistakes. Of course I'm singing loud. I don't know. I'm at church. He has risen. Damn. You should have been at Black Church. That wouldn't have been at a Black Church.

At a Black Church, they would have helped you harmonize and they would have been like sing loud girl. Yeah, yeah. They would be like, okay, okay, you just need a little more work. Yeah, yeah, but that wouldn't have happened. I think it's because there was like the nepotism. Oh, he felt guilty. He was the choir director.

I'm the niece. He probably was, you know, already like aware. Like, because my aunt, his wife was in the choir. She got all the solos. Trust me. Talk about nepotism. I know. And so I think, you know.

Was she good, though? She. She was. Trevor, they're big fans and I think they're going to watch this. And I, she was, she's a very sweet person. She's very nice. Okay. Don't press anything.

We've got more. What now after this? So when you look at your life now, I mean, it feels like, at least from the outside looking in, obviously you've said you found your voice in comedy, your vibe, your style. You're also blowing up, right? And you feel that moment.

It doesn't matter what you do in entertainment. There are these. reflection points where it feels like you're hitting, you know what I mean? And correct me if I'm wrong, but it feels like you're like hitting, you know what I mean? You're there. You're cruising. Does it feel like that to you? That I'm finally hitting certain strides?

Yeah, yeah. But like, because you, all right, I'll speak for myself. There was a time in comedy where it's like, I didn't know when the next gig would come. If it would come, how it would come. So it was very much like, do a gig. All right, let's see what happens. Do a gig. All right.

with you. And then at some point, you're booked in advance now. You know what you're going to be doing. So I don't know. Right. That's true. Yeah. How, yeah. I mean, I've, you know, I've never thought you could in the past, if you told me when I was, you know, slinging ice cream. If someone said, you know, what are you doing March? Let's see. It's 2026 right now. If someone told me, what are you doing March 28? Can I? I book you down for the 18th? I would be like, what are you talking about? What do you mean? You're going to book me out that far in advance. I'm going to have something to do and I will know it. You know, I would be like that. You're insane. But yes, to have that be a thing is cool. And for because I was being me, you know, that's really cool. Right? That's really cool. Right. To be able to do stand up, to be booked. because I got to finally be me and I'm being me. And, you know, so, you know, sometimes, like, people talk about, like, okay, you know, in the industry or in comedy, you want to be, you know, relevant.

How do you stay relevant? And I don't think you have to worry about that. You just accidentally are relevant if you care about the world and people and what's happening. So you're going to speak on that. And that's naturally just going to be you being present. And, you know, so you find your fellow weirdos, that's the audience that find you. And they keep you booked because it's a constant conversation with, right? As an artist, it's a constant conversation with your audience and you.

And so, yeah, it's really cool that, you know, I wish when I was starting out stand-up, it's like, okay, how do I start? What do I grasp at? Kind of just being you was kind of a thing you would think would. be told to you, but it wasn't, you know. It was more, maybe people were more focused on like, how do I get success

fast or something. I think. You got to have a type five or whatever. It's like, okay, but what does that mean? Like, well, you know, what are the things that tickle you and you really want to talk about? And then you can hone the craft. That's easy.

Just like, you know, I would like to think being an altar or finding the right tones to sing it is easy. But, you know, being you sometimes is harder, I think. It takes time. It's funny. I think there are two steps or two levels to it. Being you is one of the hardest things ever.

But then I find there's something that people often don't speak about enough, and that is being comfortable allowing you to change. is the second hardest thing. Being comfortable allowing you to change. So like when you're an artist or when you're a person, being you can be very difficult, like finding yourself. This is who I am. Took me forever.

Yeah. But I don't think enough people speak about how hard it is to realize that that you can change as well and should change. Yeah. And so what I've seen people do, let's say specifically in like arts, is sometimes people will stay as that thing forever because that's them. But then now they are the prisoner of the them that they became.

Right. And now like when an audience will tell you, that's not what that's go would do or that's not how she would. And you're like, oh, yeah, that's not an Oscar joke. I shouldn't say that. Like, because an audience at some point will tell you. They'll be like, I just didn't feel like this was like your kind of show. Like, what does that mean?

Yeah. I mean, musicians, I think I look at musicians a lot. Yeah. Because they probably deal with that a lot. Oh, definitely. They have to reinvent themselves. The next version, you know, Beyonce, I am now going to play with country music. Last time it was the ballroom, you know, the queer scene and the communities, you know, that inspired that album to, you know, right?

Comedians, we don't get to think of that as much or, you know, I've kept this haircut. I'm like, how long do I have to keep this haircut for? You know what I mean? But you don't, but that's the thing. Right, yeah. That's the thing that's like, it's, it is hard to remember that we shouldn't allow our freedom to become the prison that we were trying to escape in the first place. Yeah, totally, yes. Oh, that twinkle in the eye.

Yeah, that's why there's two cameras on you because we have to catch every time Trevor goes there. Oh, God. It's good. You know, these are compliments. Oh, goodness. Yeah. An extraordinary thinker. Oh, wow.

Well, artist. I sometimes think you've reached enlightenment, you know? Oh, I wish. Just you with your water. I wish. Yeah. I wish. They say when you've, what was a monk who said this to me one day?

He said, I asked him, have you reached enlightenment? Yeah. And he says, when you have reached enlightenment, that's when you know you've reached the bottom and you have to start again. Oh my God. And he genuinely, he was just like, he says literally, whenever people think they've reached enlightenment, it means they're at the very bottom of the journey and they have to start it all over again.

And I was like, damn, that's intense. Of course, because, I mean, yeah, that is your lowest point, huh? You're hungry and you're dizzy. You're probably confused. You're having the visions. You're dehydrated. Sweetie, you're near schizophrenia.

Like, you need to eat something. I know you're trying to reach like, I am nothing, I'm nothing. Sweetie. Yeah, it's when it gets hard. My aunt in Taiwan, my grandma's like younger sister is a monk. We've been like, sweetie, you have children. She just left one day to the temple, said, I'm nothing.

I have nothing. I said, actually, you're a mom and a friend and a sister and other things. Yeah. Who am I? How is this me? That's like one of the meditations. Who in my? How's this me?

Yeah. And then that's what you're talking about. It's a beautiful one because. Who am I? How is this me? Yeah, it's, it's, no, who am I, where am I, and how is this me? That's me. And you just keep saying that.

That's me most days out in the streets of New York lost, okay? That was me earlier trying to find this place. Because we walked here from the Sherry Shepherd show. Oh, okay, all right. I was like, okay, what street am I? Where are we? Oh, Trevor. But, no, but, you know, allowing yourself to change as a.

So there's two things I actually want to get to before before I forget is one on the on the family side. What has your journey been like? You know, there's a thread that I that I see that I think a lot of people can relate to and that is coming from a family of hardship and living in a world of hardship means achieving becomes so much more important. It's not just like a trophy. It's not a mantle. It's meaningful for survival, right? But then what that comes with is an excessive amount of pressure as well for that, for that success to maintain itself or to keep growing or to keep, like,

what has that journey been like for you? As somebody who was contributing and helping the family, you know, I'm assuming you're still doing that now. Does it feel like, oh, good, you know, the comedy helps me. do this or does it feel like oh man I need the comedy because I need this to keep going so that I can support the family I think it's a little yeah it's it's both happening and you know what's wild I feel more pressure from actually like um not the fans but from society more than family in what way like family knows family is like oh girl wait we got you too you know like we appreciate you

You know, my husband works for me too. So I am the main person, you know, that they're, you know, for me, my husband, my mom and grandma. Right. I'm like, me? I don't even know where my keys are at. So that's too bad for you guys. I'm the breadwinner. But, yeah, you know, I want to continue being like a good artist for the people and not let them down.

So I feel that pressure the most, actually. out of anything. Like you were saying, you know, it was very helpful that you said, you know, it's hardest to be down to with, you know, yourself changing, right? Yeah. That's, you know, as you write the next hour of show to, you know, it's like, oh gosh, what have I not talked about to, oh, this joke is very similar to that last one I had. It's same theme, you know, am I evolving as an artist?

Things like that. I'm the hardest on that. Yeah, because it happens so fast. And I was never meant to be a comedian. I don't think... I think the opposites. Or this kind of life. I think you were absolutely meant for it.

I... Like, it's the only skill I have. But I often think that's... In a perfect world, I think that's how a society would run is the only skill that people have is where they would end up doing their thing. Like I think we've created too many funnels in the world now. We've made everyone, doctor, lawyer, engineer, like all those types of things. We need engineers.

We need doctors. We need lawyers. All right, fine. But I do think it's beautiful to be in a world where everyone's one skill just happens to be the thing that they can do. And then we don't diminish that skill. Go like, oh, that's all you can do. It's like, yeah, I can only paint.

Oh, yeah, we need paintings. Sure. I can only make music. I can only lay bricks. Yeah. Have you seen beautiful masonry? Like it's, do you know what I mean? There's something.

I think we need that. So. Yeah. No, I'm, I'm into it. But I mean, I guess I didn't prep for this. So it's happening very fast. And I'm still, I've only been touring like the past four years.

Maybe, yeah, past four or five years. But I started stand up, you know, maybe like 17 years ago. I just took a lot of breaks. I didn't believe in myself. You know, I would go, oh, it's just a hobby. I'm not going to take it seriously. So, you know, it's very a lot of, you know, just in the four years, it's the touring and then doing, and then two specials, everything back to back to back. So I just don't want to mess up, you know. Yeah, no, I can imagine. Yeah, I'm like, okay, don't, yeah. Yeah, that feeling is, is one that's quite intense. When you get to a place that you never thought you would get to and when you've achieved. beyond your wildest dreams. One of the scariest things is not knowing how it will or won't go because it was never

promised. Yeah. It's like, oh, I was just supposed to work at an ice cream parlor. Okay. And then now, you know, quickly, yes or no, Riyadh Festival, for example. Well, I don't want to mess up. I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings. And my gut instinct says it's not a good idea, you know, things like.

like that. And then, you know, conversation issues. It's so funny that festival, like, became such a big conversation. I'm like, someone cares about the comedy festival that comedians, you know, only like, it's, it's like, it's like JFL comedy festival or something. You know what I mean? I'm like, what? Even, you know, my dad who just lives with his cats in Japan has heard about it, you know? It got that far. Yeah, I mean, it was international. News. Wouldn't you say? Or you think it was just like a...

No, I didn't know it had blown up that much. Yeah, I mean, everyone. Like when you're in Japan, that's the phrase, right? You know you've made it when you're big in Japan. So if the news gets all the way to Japan, then I'm like, damn, that was a big story. Man, how isolated has Japan been? No, but it was always the thing, right? Is that, yeah.

But do you tour in Japan, by the way? Yes, yeah, I tour in, yeah. And do you do shows in Japanese? Oh, no, no, no. in English, yeah. Oh, why do you say it like that? Oh, because I'm very out of practice with Japanese and Mandarin, actually. Okay.

Yeah. Yeah. I wish, that would be cool. In Japanese, my show would be 10 minutes long, you know, very like, and probably very like dad jokes, puns or something, play on words, maybe. But, yeah, I don't, I don't, I, that would be a cool goal to try to go for. But I do tour Asia, I tour, you know, Taiwan. Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, you know, all the places.

Is it, is there like a different magic that comes with touring the places that have, that were like your foundation, like going back to tour those places? Yeah. Right. Yes. Because now they're like, yes, come back, girl. We've always liked you. You know what I mean?

Yes. Now, you got, you know, it's the whole thing, right? You find success in the U.S. And then they're like, now, yes, please come. We've always believed in. you. I'm like, you don't come come get me or look for me when I was kidnapped. I was

begging to go back to Japan. I left Tokyo for this. But yeah, yes, it's really cool. In Japan, there's this, when you come home, you say, Tadai Ma, like, oh, no, sorry, when you leave

your home to go to school, it's usually like kids say it. They go, what do what do they say? Oh, God. I'm going to go, I'm going, I'm going to go,

It's like, I'm leaving, okay, go ahead now. Like, you know, and then when you come home, you say, Tadai Ma, I'm home. Oh, I like that. And then they say, O'Kaii, which means welcome home. O'Kaidi. Yeah, O'Kaerri.

And so the first time I toured Japan, just like two years ago, you know, I didn't know, it's just like thousands of people, know who I am, locals, you know, so locals. And I have, I always felt like I was kind of ripped away from Japan. I didn't get to say goodbye to my dad or my friends. I didn't know I was moving, you know.

And then I had to give up my Japanese passport when I became a U.S. citizen on Japan's side. Yeah, I didn't know that. Yeah. So I just felt like layers of my Japanese identity was being ripped away. And so for me to, you know, and I really wanted to do well in my Japanese shows, you know, like, prove that, like, I am home. And so I just decided to say to the audience, I said, you know, Tadai Ma, like, I'm home. And thousands of them, all of them said back to me, welcome home, right? In Japan, in Japanese.

And I was like, yeah, so I, oh, my God, I got so teary. Yeah, I was like, how do you not cry? Like, one way to start a show out. I was just like, oh, this is not what I expected. Yes. Yeah. Oh, wow. Like, I've been gone.

But like I am home, you know? And thank you for like also being here for this kind of homecoming. So it's really cool to be able to do that. That's beautiful. Wait, so what are those phrases again? So when you're leaving, you say? It's a lot. So maybe it's just the coming home.

That's Tarima. That means like I'm home. Okay. Tadama. I'll think of it as like, Tada. Yeah, yeah, exactly. It's a very, yeah. Tadayma.

And then Okaide. Welcome home. Welcome home. Yeah. I'm going to add that to my Japanese. To your six, your sixth language. No, Japanese is just like my dream is to be able to say enough to just like, you know. Do you, wait, have you toured Asia?

Have you performed? Yeah, I've done shows in Japan. Yeah, right, Japan. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I had a great time there. Yeah. That's true. You've done, yeah, Southeast Asia.

I tried to write one joke in Japanese. You did? You did? Yeah, it was like combining everything I had. So it was like. Do you remember what it is? Like phrase, it was a, it was a joke about speaking to somebody in the airport in Japan

testing my Japanese and so it was like it was me out meet the person and then I was like the premise of it was basically like you learn a language what was it? Yeah the premise was something about like you learn a language but you never know

what no one tells you is that like at some point you run out of the language but the person you speak to doesn't know that you're going to run out right right you have to be careful Yeah, exactly. So, like, mine was like at the airport and I was like, konishua. And then the person was like, oh, konishua. And it was like, oh, damn. I was like, oh, this is working. And then what did I say? Because someone had taught me that they were, I did a comedy festival with two Japanese mime comedians, kitchen and hithopon.

Oh my gosh. They're phenomenal. Like some of the best mime performance I've ever seen in my life, funny, funny, funny, and then one of them taught me this phrase, which I butcher, but I would always try it. which was, it was, niwa, niwa, niwa, niwa, niwa, oh yeah, something about the chicken. The chickens running in the yard. Yes, yeah, yeah, yeah.

And then, so I'd throw that in the joke as well. Yeah. And then the other one which I loved from, like, anime was, oh, ma'iwa, sudeni shindere, which is you're already dead? Uh-huh, uh-huh. These are not sentences you really want to say at an airport. This is what made it a great joke. Yeah, so literally.

That's like, and I had this bit. But what was weird was when I was doing it in Japan, all the Japanese people in the audience, you see them going, does he know what he's saying? Does he like, and then like after the show, someone came up to me and they're like, oh, it's like Trevor, he's like, when you said this on a stage, he's like, who told you this a Japanese? And I was like, oh, man.

Long story, long story. Long story. I hear you try to do jokes for each local place, like for some of your, like the beginning. Not even try. I just do that. You do. You do. You do.

Yeah. I do that. I love it more than anything. So I get to a place. Yeah. I try. It means my touring is not as efficient as it should be. But I don't like getting to a place and doing a show.

Yeah. So you want to like live in it. I want to land. Yeah. And then I want to go to local spots. I want to watch local TV. I want to see what people do. I want to like everything.

And it's osmosis. I just absorb, absorb, absorb, absorb, absorb. Yeah. And then when I get to the show, something happens in my brain. And I start processing my experience. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Yeah.

So I do this everywhere I go. Yeah. What are some of your favorite places? London. Like, South Africa always wins, so I can't count it because it's home, home, places that I go to... That you like London?

London is, yeah, maybe like my number one. It's so... It's so cosmopolitan. It's so me. There's Africans and Europeans and they've lived with each other and it's a weird mix and people get each other but also don't, but there's all these accents and...

Yeah, London is... I love, love, love London. Australia's a lot of fun as well. Just because they just... They get comedy in a... really specific way. Yeah. You know?

Yeah. I find Australians have like a really, really good sense of humor and they get comedy. So just these English speaking places, these fellow English speaking places. Yeah, I guess so because I guess they've influenced, maybe because we were under this Commonwealth blankets. Our sensibilities are adjacent, but not necessarily the same. Okay, that's true. Yeah.

Singapore, I have a great time, though. That's one of my favorite places. Every chance I get, I'll go to Singapore. I mean, tiny, tiny, you could see the... I mean, you've probably seen the whole place already. Yeah, I have. I have. But I'll see it again and again and again.

And then see it on a hot day and it's very different. I made the mistake of walking through the streets of Singapore in the middle of summer. Yeah, it's hot. Most of the time. Hot is an understatement. Yeah, totally. Yeah. It's that, you know like the heat from movies?

Mm-hmm. Where you can see it. Yeah, yeah. It's that hot. No, I know. I know. Yeah. And you're walking down a block and you're like, why is no one else walking?

And then halfway down the block, I'm like, Right. That's where you're thriving on durian ice cream. Yeah, that's where... Scandinavia really surprised me. I did my first Europe tour just last year. And I was like, what a... Yeah, so I had never, you know... You loved it?

Yes, I was surprised. Oh, okay, great. Okay, great. Why were you surprised? Oh, I never met the true weird or white people. I didn't, you know, where they came from. Like, they kind of reminded me of Japanese people. Yeah, they are. Right?

They are. They really are. Finnish people. No, no, they really are. Even this fashion. Completely. A lot of the designs. Yes. I was like, this is just Tokyo.

Yeah. Right. It's minimalist and they also have a very, the culture is very much about like not standing out. Yes. Like it is not about you. They're all weird together. And yes. Yeah, it's very similar.

Yeah. I mean, come on. Also very high suicide rates, I think. Oh, is that right? Yeah. I think per capita like Japan and Scandinavia. I had heard that. it is because, you know, supposedly, because it's like smaller population, so there is

health insurance, health care and stuff like that. I think a lot of it has to do with societal pressure. Right. Yeah. From what I understand, it's like a vibe. Like, don't stand out too much. Yeah. And like if you're not happy, it's you.

Yeah, yeah. Because we're all weird and we're all doing this folk dance and we're eating salmon. Was salmon invented there? They eat so much salmon. There's a lot of salmon. Some of the best salmon. Yeah. I just salmon it's salmon for every meal.

What's crazy is? Do you know that the, do you know that, Norway spent like I think almost a decade if not more trying to convince Japan to buy salmon from them. I had heard this. You've heard this, right? Wait, yeah. Yes, how do I know this?

Yeah, because salmon wasn't that big in Japan or something and then they made it even bigger. Well, I think just in general, Japan doesn't buy food from other people in that way. They're always like, yeah, yeah, yeah, sweetie. We got salmon. You keep your food. We've seen how you guys have food. You and then like. Did they have too much salmon?

I just think the Norwegians were like, we need a market for it. And they've got some of the best quality salmon in the world. But that's so far from each other, no? Yeah. And then they were like, we've got to convince the Japanese that they would like our salmon. Uh-huh. And then now, I think Norway is one of the only places that Japan gets their salmon from. That's so wild.

It's phenomenal. It is wild salmon. It really is wild salmon. No, every minute. I said, oh, my gosh. I was so worried about, I said, oh, you know, I mean, I've been. in the States and you know I hadn't been to really even like Western Europe or whatever and so I was like and in all my life even in the States I had to teach people how to say my name Otzko Okatska I said

how how is people in Norway going to get that you know have you seen their names exactly when I went I was like oh my God they were like sweet they were like we my name is your Björgyz-john's daughter Okska Okatska is not a problem Are you kidding? I was like, oh my God, yes, I felt so seen By the weirdness In Iceland, in the green room There was fermented shark meat

You know, from like growing up Eating like weird parts of the animal In the States to like Oh, white people just needed to remember where they came from Then they wouldn't make fun of other people You guys, you know, also eat all kinds of the animal too and all these things, you know. That must have been beautiful for you.

Can I tell you, I wish more people would have that experience. And I know it's not feasible, but we take for granted on a really like, I know it's a soppy thing to say, but man, we take for granted how similar we are around the world. But we don't, like you say, we just don't know it. Yeah. And granted, you know, they don't have diversity there. But, you know, yeah, granted, they don't have that. Yeah, yeah, but I mean.

But they didn't have an issue like, you know. know. Yeah, they don't have a lack of diversity because some shit went down. They just have, it's just the way it was. Yeah. Do you know what I mean? And if you had asked, I don't know that's history as much. I just know, I just know. Yeah, there were no, there were no black people there. There was never like a thing. There was no, no one else was ever there. Yeah. That was their land and they are the people of that land and that's like how they look. My husband, who is white, it's, you know, sometimes he tells me bedtime stories because I, I'm a baby. And so, So I told him, he's like out, you know, we've been together 10 years.

He's like, I'm out of stories. I said, make one up. Just make one up. He goes, okay, do you know the one about where white people come from? I said, no. And he's tired. He's falling asleep. I was like, please, I need to tell me the story.

He goes, well, white people come from the ice rocks in Ireland. It melted. And then white people came out of there. They thawed. And then they needed to warm up. So they started moving their feet fast. And then the jig was invented. So that's a bedtime story he told me.

Oh, man. But yes, we're all more similar. I kept my eyes closed that whole time. You really did. It was good. That was a great performance. I felt like you were your husband in front of me. I was there.

Did you get sleepy? No, I was actually enthralled. I can't do bedtime stories because they keep me awake. Which European are you again? So my father is Swiss. Oh, Swiss. Yeah. Okay.

Yeah. I didn't get to. But I didn't grow up there or spend any. I'm like, yeah, 100% everything of my life has been South African. Right. Yeah. Yeah. So.

But like, does it ever come out where you're like, hmm, I'm. Where I'm like on time all of a sudden? No. Is that what they're known for? I don't know. I guess I don't know. I was trying to think of a Switzerland thing. And I was like, oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Like precision, like true precision. Yeah. Or like. Watchmaking. Yeah. Like the chocolates. even like if you look at like a Swiss chocolate Like if you look at a chocolate made

In America or many parts of the world It's just like a blob of brownness You know and then like And then you eat it Swiss chocolate Just go look at it Yeah okay Go look at the detail

I spent one day there Yeah I got in and I performed Yeah but even if you like buy some Just go look at it Yeah Look at everything from like You know even like commercial stuff Like a tablurone to anything

Go go look at the actual chocolate And you're like, who put this much effort into designing a thing that I'm just going to yum, yum, yum. Wow. Okay. So they're about precision. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. Completely. And then also being like neutral. The trains are like, yeah, neutral and precise. Neutral and precise.

Do you ever find that in you? Are you like, no, no, no, no. No, no, no. I'm like. It's recessive. Yeah, it's a recessive gene. No, no, no, no. I'm loud and chaotic and. I want to see you.

I know you have to go to lunch, but I want to see you on finding your roots. Did you do that yet? With Louis Henry Gates Jr. Yes. Have you done that? No, I haven't. I'm about to do it.

You're going to do it? Yeah. Oh, exciting. Yeah, I'm curious. What are you most afraid to find out? I'm not afraid. I'm most curious about my grandpa. My grandma's husband.

During the martial law, he was assassinated. So I want to know more. about it yeah like because his his father was running against the KMT who was the ruling party and uh in local elections and then so to prove a point they killed my grandpa but you know and then because of that my mom's like my mom was uh like five when they brought his body back and she saw it and then of course now she has schizophrenia and the boys is in her head or KMT yeah so everything's connected so I'm really curious to find out about that even with the cameras rolling I mean you know but yeah

but then I was like I mean Trevor so they can find anyone anyway like they can just they can they can definitively say

we found your story I hope so with enough like you know yeah with enough like they'll never just say to you like oh sorry ask no what we we thought we could

but no yeah I haven't known like a person who's participated who they you know I feel like they've been researching

for months oh okay yeah They've been on my case for a long time. We haven't been able to shoot it yet because they're like, we're still researching. We're still talking to people. And so, yeah. Wow. I mean, really, have you seen any of the episodes?

I have. I have. It's where, like, all the white people discover, like, their great-grandfathers were, like, slave owners. Yes, yeah. That's the show. And then, like, Edward Norton found out, like, his great, great, great-great-grandmother was Pocahontas. Things like that. What?

Yeah. Or, like, Bernie Sanders and, you know, Bernie Sanders. and Larry David are actual cousins, things like that. Yeah, yeah. And so, but they really try to, you know, find out as much as they can. It's beautiful. I'm excited for you. Yeah. What do you hope to discover from it?

I don't know. I think I really like history. I like other people's history. Yeah. I've never, you know, looked into my own as much. But I think I'm at a point where it would be, and not just insightful. I don't know.

I love stories of like resilience and how people kept going. And so I don't know. I hope there's some of that. It could be dark too where it's like, yeah, and they died. Who knows? But, you know, I'm okay. Because then I go, okay, well, you know, I'll keep that going for us. Yeah.

You know, with Mike here at Trevor's show. I keep trying to get you to lunch. Do you know what I'm doing? No, I don't know what you're doing. Keep going, this man's got to eat. He's got places to go. Oh, like, slowly bring the... Oh, you're trying to wind us down?

Oh, I like this. No, no, no. I mean, because I don't know. Is there words behind me? There isn't it. How do you know which questions to ask and stuff? It's through your heart. You just read the situation through your heart.

You're really good at what you do, Trevor. I hope you're getting enough breaks. I'm so worried about you. You shouldn't know what... You shouldn't know TSA agents' schedules. Oh, no. This man. Aren't you okay?

You have like health insurance and stuff. Oh, wow. Right? You have friends. Oh, man. You have fun. Are you happy? Oh, I actually am.

Yeah, that's good. You work out every day? I do, yeah. Yeah. I play a lot of pickleball. That's every day? Almost every day, yeah. So that's a couple hours.

Yeah. Right? Yeah. Oh, so you're like, that's a good work-life balance. It's like a, just like a, just run around, sweat, get moving, you know. know, hit a ball. When do you think I could reach that point where I will be playing pickleball? When are you ready to accept that you're a middle-aged white man?

When is this journey? Yeah, there's the Swiss in you coming out. Oh, it's the further day not hitting anything pickleball. No, I think it's when do you get to that point, when you get to that, you already at that point is the way I would put it. I'm afraid to relax like that. Yeah. I don't relax like that.

I said, that's pickleball every day. that's like two hours where I'm not working. Yeah, but this is trying to think. There are a few people who've given me pieces of advice that have really, really stuck with me over the years. One was Chris Rock when I was first starting out at the Daily Show. He met, we met each other before I started on the Daily Show, but I'd just been announced as the host and we chatted about things and everything.

And he was like, if you ever need advice, reach out. I didn't know this man. Chris Rock, he's a legend, you know, and he was really kind. He still is. And where was it? Like at the cellar or something? Yeah, at the comedy seller. And then I met him again a few months later at the comedy seller.

And he was like, how are things going? What are you doing? And I was really excited. I was like, yeah, you know, I'm in it. It's really hard. I'm doing the daily show. And, you know, I work every day. And he's like, oh.

And then I was like, yeah. And then on weekends, I go do stand up. I hit the road and I do stand up. And he's like, what? Every day? And I was like, yeah, I said, I work. Monday to Friday at the daily show. And then Friday nights, I leave immediately go do a show Friday, Saturday, and then Sunday.

And then Monday I'm back at the daily show. And then I genuinely thought he was going to be like, yeah, good for you. And Chris looked at me in like that classic Chris Rock way. And he was like, he said, he said, I'll never forget. He said, you're going to be the worst comedian ever. He's like, you are going to be the worst comedian ever. I was like, what do you mean? And then he said, he said, comedy comes from life.

You ain't living. He's like, you can't make comedy doing comedy. And I was like, oh, shit. And we had a conversation about understanding that art is inspired by life. And so to be responsible as an artist is to live away from the art so that the art can become better. Right. Yes. And so in a way, it made me trick myself into learning.

that not doing it is working towards doing it. And that's how you play. When you play, you're thinking that this is for my art? No, I just go like, I have no, I don't hold it on me. I don't go like, I should be, I could be. I'm like, no, no, no. By existing, I'm always doing something that contributes to my arts. Right, it's like tax write-offs or something.

Yeah. Where you're like, hey, because I'm eating, but I'm an artist eating, this is a tax write-off, it's like that. I don't think that's a tax write-off. You might want to meet with a new tax consultant, but I think fundamentally, yes, it's in the same realm. Right, right, yeah. So you don't rest at all?

What do you do other than like sipping tequila and bedtime stories? How do you find your... Right, right. You know, I definitely am aware that I need to work on that because I play this video game on my phone where I own restaurants. So in my off time, I'm still busy Because not only do I own them I also work at them too

It's a wild game And I own so many restaurants Has the game got you to spend money? Yes, I've spent real money Sometimes They're so good at that To help you get upgrades Yeah, of course

Because you've got to speed up the upgrades What do you have to upgrade the kitchen? And when you're an entrepreneur If you're an entrepreneur You have to invest money too Make money. Thank you so much. But it's interesting how the money from the games,

they never let you turn into real money the other way around. No. Slick business. Yes, so it's like maybe I'm upgrading the counter, the look of the remodeling my restaurant. So that you can serve more customers. Yes, maybe there's another seat, you know, that I add. Or buy fresher produce, you know, more organic produce.

Those are upgrades. Of course. Sometimes you. You can upgrade your waiter, who is also me, to walk faster. Yes. So there's that too. Because then you can serve more customers. Time is money.

You know, you understand. You play this game? No, but I played a version of it. I think a healthier version. You would love it, I think, if you play this kind of game. It's a game called Dave the Diver. Dave the Diver. Oh, he dives for like clams?

A diver who gets recruited. He just loves eating good sushi. There's a story? Yeah, it's a fantastic game. I love a story art. It's one of the best games I've ever played in my life. Wow. It's a small, I think it's an indie game company.

But it's Dave the diver. Yes. And he loves eating more than anything. He loves sushi. Wow. And then the guy who like, there's a guy he meets who wants to start a sushi restaurant and he goes, you love eating and you're a good diver. Wow. You hunt the fish.

Let's go get the fish for me. Yes. Right. And that's Dave. Dave. Dave. Yeah. So Dave dives and you dive as Dave.

And then you swim around. It's the most. tranquil experience. You swim around peacefully under the ocean. Wow. And then you just catch fish. And you catch fish.

No rush. No rush at all. Is the man ever like, hurry? I'm hungry. No, no, no. Your only time limit is your oxygen tank. Oh. But there's no hurry.

And then when you go up, you give him the fish and then you get to the restaurant. And then when you're there, you meet with like a chef. And then he like walks you through like what the menu is going to be. Are you serious? Yeah. And I've learned so much about sushi playing the game. What is this on your phone?

Is this a VR game? I think it's a, I think it's on computer and console as well. Wow. Yeah, but it's really lovely. What I like about it, though, is unlike the game you play, it finishes. Okay, it does. Yeah, and you can't spend any real money in it.

Because you go, hey, I finished my meal. That was tasty. Thank you. You do it. It plays out, and then you finish the story, and then it ends, and there's a beautiful story. But you get to do all these things you love doing. Right. Upgrading the restaurant, hiring more waiters, getting better, like sushi chef.

and sous chefs, et cetera. Yeah, but you should try it. Okay, yeah, because this is never ending. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm like, okay. If you do have ADD, that's probably one of the worst things for your brain. This? Yeah, yeah, because it's...

Oh, probably because I go, okay, and then more stimulus. Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's the worst. It's the worst thing ever. Oh, my God. I just opened a caveman restaurant. Like themed? Yes. Oh, no, it's actually of the time.

Oh, wow. My sous chef is a dinosaur. This is a big move you've made I am so busy I have one out of an igloo Where you You ever try to You ever run

To cook in a building made of ice Where the stove That's a rush against time You know what I mean It's not good for me This game You're right But you know

Yes I want to try this sushi Dave the diver Dave the diver David a diver I'm excited for you I think you strike me as the kind of person

who will who will find it because you always naturally find things I think you'll you'll find that rest you'll find that you know

Oh yes no I think slowly Yeah I've been trying out nature for example Oh trying out nature I like this Oh my God

me and my husband went hiking recently Yeah and we did try that It was my biggest fear You know I said

What am I going to do with just you know what happens when we get to the destination

which was we were trying to get to a waterfall okay and they said well then you walk back you know

and that that scared me I said just and then see everything that I just saw again

I know I sound insane but I haven't like hiking is not something I grew up with oh yeah did you grow up with it

no but we just walked out sides. That's what I'm saying. Right? Like, I feel like single moms didn't really take their kids hiking. There is no time. Yeah. Hiking is not a thing in that way. Yeah. Depends on where you are. Maybe if you're like a single mom in Denver, Colorado, maybe you do it. That's true. That's true. Like in Japan, it wasn't. No. With what? I don't, there was no hiking trails near us. It was a very American thing, just like eating salads, you know? It was all stuff I discovered here. I said, oh, so people just walk towards like a thing

and then they walk back in nature. And how was it? They get back in their car, right? It was good. I guess, you know, we're very new. I didn't really even know how to dress for it. I guess I dressed improperly for it because I, you know, posted it in my Instagram stories

and all my fans were like, that is not an outfit for, why are you wearing a winter coat? We brought sparkling water to drink. And they said this was a moderate hike. Oh my God. Me and my husband, we were out of breath the whole time uphill. Oh my God.

And then we got thirsty with sparkling water to just wet our lips. That's not, you can't quench your thirst. There were mothers with newborns, like lapping us. This we were like, because we were like, oh, we were like walking slow. We saw multiple people pass us. And so it was a lot. But then like once we got to like the waterfall, it was pretty, I guess. And I was like, let me try to take in, you know, why people talk about nature and all that.

So I. Apparently the waterfall is prettier because of the walk. This is like a weird psychological thing. Yeah, where you go. If you stress yourself before. Is that, is this true? Yeah. If you stress yourself like.

physically. If you tax yourself, I should say rather, before you get something or observe something, then you will be more likely to appreciate it because it appears to be the product of hard work. That makes sense. Yeah. So we're just mind-tricking ourselves the whole time. We are hiking. Yeah.

Right? And so I think I was trying to do that too to be like, yes, I'll take. Yeah, why not take this moment? That was intense. Yeah. Because we have to go back and see all the same stuff again to go back. you know and me and ryan my husband talked about that was that was nice let's try to do that more you know this is good because we both are on our phones playing our games he's at war most times

okay i like this he's at war in his game and you're running the kitchens yeah yeah Mexican restaurant sushi dimsum what's your favorite kind of food favorite it changes okay but right now off the top of your head what are you craving Now I'm craving very boring foods. No, please. No, it's just like salads and mixed vegetables and not even like a cuisine right now. I went through a big pizza phase. Curry was like Indian food is still probably like, you know, top.

But if I was to choose one cuisine for the rest of my life, I would probably say Japanese, not just because you hear. Because I think they've hacked everyone else's cuisine. So Japanese curry, I can live on that for the rest of my life. And then there's sushi. and then, you know, there's tempura, and then there's like, it's like, it's a whole wide range of everythingness in one.

It's so interesting. I'm listening to speak on this, and I actually own all these restaurants. I have a restaurant and all the cuisines you just think. So. Oh, man. This has been so much fun. Oh, my God.

Thank you so much for having it. This has really been great. Thanks for having my unhinged energy. I was like, I hope. This is, to me, this is hinged. Okay. Yeah. This is more.

This is so chill for me. Like the way your brain works, I'm just like, ah, this makes sense. Oh, yeah. Oh, this is lovely. Oh. And I'm slowly going to get to your Zen place. When I'm playing pickleball for four hours a day,

oh, you won't even recognize me anymore. You will you say, is that the arts school I knew? This, when I, when I'm the Marty Supreme. Of pickleball. Oh, yeah. I've done it. I was like, is that out school? It must be her.

No one plays pickleball in a winter coat. It must be her. It must be her. But really, this has been great. Thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. And congratulations on everything.

Oh my God. You too. Yeah. You're an inspiration. You and you are so brave. You are brave. Braver than anyone I know. Thanks for leaving your house today.

That's always like the next thing. You are so brave, Trevor. I just want to commend you for leaving that house today, even though, you know, you know. It's like, what, what? You know what I'm talking about. This would be great. Thank you. Thank you.

Oh, wow. What Now with Trevor Noah is produced by Day Zero Productions in partnership with Sirius XM. The show is executive produced by Trevor Noah, Sanaziamin, and Jess Hackle. Chain is our producer. Our development researcher is Marcia Robiou. Music, mixing and mastering by Hannes Brown. Random Other Stuff by Ryan Hardoof. Thank you so much for listening. Join me next week for another episode of What Now?