Renegades | Asian Comedy Fest Co-Founders Celebrate Five Years of Talent & Laughs
Edward Yoo Pokropski, Kate Lee Moran, and Yao King provide their insights on the entertainment industry
Welcome to Renegades, a series spotlighting Asian Pacific leaders and creatives who are carving their own paths and defying stereotypes along the way. This week, we sat down with the executive producers and co-founders of the Asian Comedy Fest, Edward Yoo Pokropski, Kate Lee Moran, and Yao King, as they celebrate five whole years of diverse talent and laughs.
What did you want to be when you were growing up, and how does that compare to what you do today?
Kate: When I was a very young child, I wanted to be President of the United States. I was very bossy and liked the idea of being in charge of things. Imagine my dismay when I learned not too long after declaring that dream that I was ineligible, being born just outside Seoul, South Korea, and not on American soil. So I became the next best thing, a producer, haha!
Ed: I actually wanted to be a judge. Which is very different from what I got into. The closest I get to the law or a courtroom now is listening to a true crime podcast. As a kid I always thought things should be fair and impartial. I think that’s what drew me to it.
Your careers span a variety of roles in the entertainment industry. Can you each share a bit about your journey and what led you to your current positions at NBCUniversal and Yahoo News, respectively, and Yao, what led you to pursue philanthropic work in the creative spaces?
Kate: 20 years ago, I did not expect to end up where I am now at all. I originally went to school for acting, I dreamt of being on stage and in front of the camera. But once I got to college, I started directing student productions and hanging out with the Film/TV majors at my school (NYU Tisch) and realized how much I loved being behind the scenes, bringing to life a fully realized vision. After graduating, I spent about a year or so auditioning and just felt so disheartened. It was around 2009, there was a recession, I was so broke, and there were no roles for Asian women – certainly not loud, curvy Asian Americans – we weren’t even being considered for the “best friend” roles yet back then. So I decided to shift my career’s focus and take matters into my own hands. I started as an assistant in a mid-level talent agency and worked my way up, from being a PA on indie film sets and a temp receptionist to now leading 6+ figure branded multimedia campaigns for a major digital media company. It was a very winding and eventful road, and I never really expected to land here, but I’m so happy I did. I love producing and directing, creating stories with talented people, uplifting marginalized voices, finding solutions within difficult challenges, creating worlds. I’m also very grateful for all the mentors I’ve had throughout my career and try to pass along those opportunities to the next generations as much as possible.
Ed: I started out working in production in Philly. I was a freelance production assistant and camera op for a few years during and after college (Drexel University) where I studied film and television. During that time I took a job at a network called PBS Kids Sprout. I worked on a live kids show where I was part producer, part puppeteer. This network was eventually acquired by Comcast which then acquired NBCUniversal. I continued to work in kids tv for a number of years in different roles. This all evolved into a position in brand creative for a variety of cable networks owned by NBCU. I’ve worked on a variety of campaigns to help promote everything from WWE, to the Olympics, to the Fast and Furious franchise. I also became a global hub lead for NBCU’s employee led Asian Pacific American’s group. I knew I always wanted to work in media in some way, I certainly never expected to be a puppeteer or working as part of promotions but that’s kind of the exciting and honestly scary thing about this industry; it’s always changing. I’ve been fortunate to be able to adapt when needed.
Yao: Like many Asian Americans growing up in the minority, I became aware early on how media shapes our reality; not just how we’re treated by others, but also how we see ourselves. I really wanted to change that for the better. I got involved in Asian American-focused community work in HS and college, and would later hear about the #GoldOpen movement from my sister, who had friends buying out theaters for Crazy Rich Asians. I began first as a sponsor and eventually ran the East Coast effort alongside folks on the West Coast for the movement that would eventually become Gold House. From those roots in film, I expanded my involvement into adjacent creative areas, from Food to the Arts, as well as Entrepreneurship. And of course, to Comedy!
What inspired you to pursue work in the entertainment industry, and how have your personal experiences shaped your creative visions?
Kate: I’ve always loved the arts, for as long as I can remember. I grew up in a suburb outside of Buffalo, NY, and I was one of the small handful of Asian Americans in our entire town. It was a very homogeneous community, where I was made acutely aware of how “different” I was from a very young age. So putting on plays, going to the theater, the movies – creating other worlds and expressing all of these big emotions I was feeling through art – became a refuge. I was also always very passionate about fighting for everyone who was ever deemed as “different” by society because of this upbringing. I grew up so angry, I didn’t understand why racism and bigotry and homophobia existed. When I went to college, I took sociology and history classes. I learned so much, I learned why our society is the way it is today, and my anger turned to action. So much of my work as a producer and director today is focused on uplifting those we don’t hear from often enough. My other side projects focus a lot on women and non-binary artists, artists of color, queer artists. I want to center as many marginalized stories as possible. The more we hear from real peoples’ experiences, the more we validate and honor those experiences. I believe within specificity lies universality, everyone can find something they can identify with in our stories.
Ed: In school, I was originally on the corporate communications track. I thought about switching to journalism. I even considered culinary school. During one of my co-ops, I met a web designer who had experience working in film for a short time. I had been involved in my high school’s AV club but I never thought of it as a career. Talking with that web designer gave me the push to go back the next semester and take a few film and tv electives. I loved them and promptly switched my track. During the next cycle, I worked for a production house which was the start of my career in media. For so much of this job you are constantly a chameleon. You morph and adapt to new projects and roles and creative. It takes a while to find your voice and find the ways you can work on your own projects. When I arrived in NYC, I knew I wanted to get into stand up comedy. I took my experience in writing and consuming media from a creator perspective to shape my own performance. I’ve currently been touring a solo show about my life as a Korean-American adoptee. It’s incredibly challenging to tell any story, let alone your own. I don’t think I’d be able to do it at this level without the experiences I’ve had over all these years of working in media.
Yao: There are so many worthy causes out there, but I focus on media and entertainment because it creates scaleable impact. I think about a classic movie like “It’s a Wonderful Life” that’s now been watched by countless families during the holidays and I think of a “what-if”: what if that movie had cast a charismatic Asian character somehow, perhaps a friend who helps the main character (George Bailey). How would that role, however small, have shaped how generations of folks think about and treat those with Asian faces. In media, it just takes a few good projects/roles to move the needle on perception and attitudes in a meaningful way, and that’s led me to look for ways to support those creatives and projects that are doing that. If we can make those changes a reality, that means that our children will grow up in a better and more accepting world for folks that look like them.
Representation is a significant topic in today's media landscape. How do you see your roles at NBCUniversal, Yahoo News, and in advocacy, contributing to advancing representation for underrepresented groups in the industry?
Kate: In the digital news and media world, representation is incredibly vital. It really permeates every single aspect of our business and everything we produce. On a personal level, I push myself to challenge myself every day with the content I’m producing. It may seem like just a fun back-to-school campaign, but I’m still considering what audience we’re targeting, who is the talent, what representation we have, what kind of messaging are we sending? I take what we do very seriously. I love working with our editorial teams too, they’re so collaborative. I’m also the global communications lead for our Asian employee resource group, elevAsian, and love working closely with my global cabinet and Yahoo’s DEI team to work on meaningful inclusion and engagement to celebrate our vast Asian diaspora across Yahoo’s many global offices. We recently added Eid al-Fitr to our yearly programming, it was way overdue and a huge success. I love learning and growing with my community. It requires a lot of research, training, strategy and thoughtfulness, but it’s so worth it.
Ed: I mentioned before being part of NBCU’s APA group. So many people criticize DEI programs and while employee resource groups have limited resources I do my best to not take this opportunity lightly. I’ve worked to create social, on-air and streaming spots that feature AANHPI talent. These spots have played on all platforms for NBCU. They are short form and a cynic would say it’s just a drop in the bucket but I really believe every small step helps. I’d rather try with something small, than do nothing and only criticize something big.
Yao: I’m not a professional creative, but I hear about how hard the journey is in the stories of every creative I talk to. It’s often painful, and lonely, with wide emotional highs and lows. For ACF, it’s about building a platform that creates opportunities for our comics, as well as creating the bonds within the community that build resilience. My hope is that ACF’s existence makes it a little easier for them to get better and keep going.
As the Asian Comedy Fest celebrates its fifth year, what have been some of the most memorable moments or achievements from the past festivals that stand out to you?
Ed: In 2021, we were just barely coming out of COVID. It was also the height of Asian Hate with many attacks happening in NYC. We managed to hold the fest in an outdoor location with a small socially distanced and masked audience. We filmed the fest and dropped it as a streaming option. We managed to raise money for our first AANHPI charity, Apex For Youth. This was also the first fest in which Yao joined the team. Asian Comedy Fest as it really exists today, truly started that year. It felt like something we all needed at that time. We needed to feel safe and feel connected to the community and we also needed to laugh.
Kate: I agree with Ed. I think 2021 was a special year, being the first year that Asian Comedy Fest began to crystalize into what it is today, with so much uncertainty all around us. We realized we had an opportunity to do something much bigger than just put on a few shows a year. We could really make a difference within our community. I will add a few more of my favorite moments:
When we find new talent and they absolutely kill it on stage and do so well, that kind of pride and joy you feel for them, that’s awesome.
I will never get tired of watching our audience and comedians laugh and just have so much fun every year, having them come up to us and tell us how much this fest means to them, how safe and happy they feel here, how seen and heard they feel.
Last year, Yao and Ed brought down these giant 15 foot-long banh mi sandwiches for our after-party, provided very generously by Chef Helen Nguyen of Saigon Social – that was so unexpected and fun – and very delicious!
Yao: For me, it’s the social events after the fest. We had two BBQs, one after Joy Ride and one “just cause”, and it was great to see the comics hanging out, cracking jokes, and talking shop. Would love to think we had a hand in helping them all get a bit closer.
Asian Comedy Fest has featured talent such as Ronny Chieng and Sabrina Wu. Do you envision it as a platform for launching new talent?
Ed: We hope it is. We want to have a balance of spotlighting AANHPI performers who are new and promising. We want to also show people performers who have been crushing it but may just be on the cusp of blowing up. We also want to create a space that feels elevated that can attract top performers like Ronny.
Kate: Yes, just as Ed said! We strive to hold that balance of being both an incubator as well as host more established names. My dream for ACF would be to have our fest grow so that we could have plenty of space for a large variety of talent, from big headliner names to up-and-comers. There’s space for all of us at the table and we really try to cultivate a supportive environment at our fest.
Yao: Same as above. We consciously make space for up-and-comers and greener talent hoping both the fest itself as well the community they meet can help them on their journey.
Kate, you juggle various roles including producing, directing, writing, and podcasting. How do you manage to balance these different responsibilities, and how do these experiences influence your work with the Asian Comedy Fest?
Kate: Oh gosh, a lot of multi-tabbed spreadsheets and Google calendars, haha! I have trained myself over the years to be meticulously organized when it comes to my work, otherwise I wouldn’t be able to function. I write everything down and take copious notes. My home office is like my chaotic sanctuary. I’ve always loved gathering folks and putting together a project. I’ve self-produced and directed my own short films, led a theater company, two sketch comedy teams, a monthly stand-up show, and two podcasts. But I’m not saying this to brag, more that I’m just kind of a crazy workaholic! I bring all of my experience to my projects, it’s all connected. Being more informed and continuously growing in multiple areas only makes me a stronger, savvier producer. I never want to stop learning and growing, and applying those lessons to ACF.
Ed, between your work at NBCUniversal and touring with your one-man show, how do you find the time and energy to also lead the Asian Comedy Fest? How do these different facets of your career complement each other?
Ed: I feel like it’s all about momentum and connection. My work at NBCU is demanding and has high stakes. Meeting that standard motivates me to bring that energy to Asian Comedy Fest. My show is kind of an outlier in the sense that if it fails, it’s just on me. There’s a liberating thing about that. There’s no approval chain. I also just try to keep moving forward. I think sometimes I’m afraid if I stop moving, I’ll go belly up like a shark haha.
In your extensive experience in the entertainment industry, what qualities or characteristics make talent stand out to you, whether it’s in comedy, writing, or production?
Ed: Just to be clear, I’m not a casting director and my solo show is small potatoes so I would never pretend to be an expert here. But even just as a general audience member sometimes you see someone who changes the air in the room. It’s definitely cliche’ but some people just have “It”. You smile or get excited on just their setup or the lead-in. I assume everyone is working hard. That’s the general admission price you have to pay to exist in this field. The talent that stands out seem to propel further with every hour they commit. Also, it is truly awesome when people are nice. That may sound silly but supportive creative people aren’t always in high supply. When you meet someone who is insanely talented but also somehow really nice and engaged, it restores your faith in the whole damn thing.
Kate: Even working in casting in a previous life, it’s still hard to pinpoint what exactly makes someone have that special thing – especially with comedy, which can be so subjective. But for me, I’m looking for Truth. I think that’s what a lot of our audiences are looking for nowadays. You hear that word a lot, “authenticity,” and it’s become almost meaningless the way it gets tossed around, but when people are real, bringing their real self to their craft, when they’re doing the work and letting you in and connecting with you – it’s just electric. It’s immediately engaging. And that doesn’t mean that I’m looking for trauma porn or that I think everyone needs to divulge their deepest secrets in their work to be successful, I think art should have boundaries. But the reason we even have art – in all its forms – is as a means of connecting. So when you see someone really willing to connect with their audience in a new and exciting, real way, it’s thrilling.
Yao: energy. It’s hard to describe but it’s something you feel when the talent on stage is drawing you in.
What are you currently working on that’s exciting you the most?
Kate: I have something new in the works but I can’t say anything yet! But it’s getting back to my roots as a film director and I’m very excited to dig in deep and get creative and collaborate with some old friends and new folks hopefully soon.
Ed: I’m continuing to tour my solo comedy storytelling show, Case 84: Adopted in the U.S.A. I’ll be performing it more in NYC, then Philly and Atlanta in September! The show explores my experience with growing up as a transracial adoptee in the U.S.
Yao: I’m starting to do more work in art, literature, and fashion, and they’re fascinating worlds to step into.
Yao, as a co-founder of the Asian Comedy Fest, how have you leveraged your background in finance and trading to support and grow this platform, and what impact do you hope it will have on the representation of Asian comedians in the entertainment industry? How has your extensive experience in finance and investment influenced your philanthropic efforts in the Asian media community, and what specific financial strategies or insights have you applied to ensure the success and sustainability of initiatives like #GoldOpen?
Yao: I think my day job helps me see philanthropy through a different lens, especially when my role is both funder and execution. For ACF and initiatives like #GoldOpen, it’s not enough just to want to help. I ask myself how to actually and impactfully help, and how to do it in a way where everyone feels good about it. For ACF, I ask “why would a comic want to perform at ACF”, and also “what else does a comic value, and how can we deliver that in a sustainable way.” For #GoldOpen, it was about how to drive impactful numbers in the box office, while also connecting our community with our creators in ways that feel authentic to both. But for most efforts, sustainability is key, and for that, it’s about identifying the right partners and delivering wins for them.
Lightning Round
Daily habit
Ed: Not exactly daily but almost. I do Muay Thai at Hinds Combat Fitness.
Kate: This is so simple but I make sure I get plenty of outside time every day.
Yao: Latte with whole milk in a ceramic mug (rather than a plastic-lined paper cup)
Role Model
Ed: Currently it’s Shohei Ohtani
Kate: There are so many women producers, directors and showrunners I respect and admire, but the name I keep coming back to is Margaret Cho.
Yao: My parents. They sacrificed a lot to make sure my sister and I had an opportunity for a better life, and I hope to do the same for my future kids.
Favorite tip or hack
Ed: And in that spirit, here are some classic gambling tips if you find yourself in a casino for the first time: Blackjack: Always split 8s. Roulette: Always bet on black Poker: Pre-flop: If your hand is good enough to call, it’s good enough to raise.
Kate: I am a big advocate of the Non-Zero Days mindset from Redditor ryans01, using these principles really helped me in so many ways.
Yao: A Schwab Amex Platinum and an Amex Gold combo gets you 6.6% on dining and groceries (not financial advice!)
Favorite city
Ed: In many ways I want to say NYC but my heart will always be with Philly.
Kate: Saying NYC is cheating, I know.
Yao: New York City
Fun fact
Ed: During that kids TV job, I puppeteered a chicken. It was the most fun job I’ve ever had.
Kate: I’ve worked countless jobs in nearly every business: retail, food, corporate, you name it, but I grew up around carnivals – it was the family business.
Yao: On the weekends, I grow crops and raise honey bees on my regenerative farm.