When we think about comedy in Hawaiʻi, names like Tumua Tuinei, Frank De Lima and Rap Reiplinger come to mind. These days, the Hawaii Comedy Festival carries on that tradition by showcasing original comedy by local performers and writers.

The festival is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. Its latest event, in partnership with Asian AF, is a variety show that aims to celebrate all things Asian American and Pacific Islander.

Hawaii Comedy Festival founder Kimee Balmilero sat down to talk about what attendees can expect at the Honolulu Museum of Art’s Doris Duke Theatre on May 17 and 18.

While many of the comedians hail from the continent, there will also be a handful of local performers.

“We have a lot of jokesters. I think it’s just in our culture to laugh here. And, you know, the history of comedy here in Hawaiʻi is to, and this is maybe a little controversial for some people, but to poke fun at everyone. But also, you have to remember that most, if not all, Hawaiʻi families, if you were born and raised here, you’re pretty mixed,” Balmilero said.

She said Hawaiʻi is interesting because saying that someone is Asian American is not really in our vocabulary. People are more specific about being Japanese, Filipino or Chinese.

“The show we actually brought out here for past comedy festivals, pre-pandemic, was Filipino AF. And of course, for me, that’s something that I wanted to be a part of, and got to be a part of in Los Angeles. And they’re some of the funniest people I know. So now with AAPI AF, it’s just perfect timing with our 10th anniversary and also for May being AAPI Heritage Month. So it’s just kind of a way for us to not only celebrate our creative voices and our culture, but also our love for comedy.”

This interview aired on The Conversation on May 15, 2024. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m. on HPR-1.