Exploring Cultural Identity and Humor with Japanese-American Stand Up Comedian Michelle MaliZAki!

Uncover the candid and quirky world of Michelle MaliZAki, a stand-up comedian navigating the waters of cultural identity and humor. Our conversation with her is a delightful romp through her personal experiences from being a Japanese-American, having pets named after food items, and working in diverse fields like TV production and stand-up comedy. She opens up about her journey from Japan to America, her love for American television, and her surprising viral success with a song about napping.

The laughter continues as we follow Michelle’s career path from working as a TV production assistant in Japan to stand-up comedy. Hear about her fascinating travels with the Yankees, trying out local foods at various baseball stadiums. She shares her transition into comedy, with improv classes at the Second City and Upright Citizens Brigade, and the surprising viral success of her song about napping. Also, learn why she always stylizes her last name as MaliZAki.

The conversation gets even more interesting as we explore cultural differences and misconceptions. Discover the distinct variations between different regions of Japan and how Michelle blended in when she studied Taekwondo and developed a love for sushi. She shares a hilarious account of recognizing a Japanese person from Osaka due to their loud talking, and recounts her visits to Italy, Scotland, and England. Don't miss her funny anecdote about getting paid to see male genitalia during her sports-related job, and her first attempt at stand-up comedy in 2017. Plus, you'll hear about her encounter with the Minnesota Saints mascot, Hamlet the pig. Be sure to check out Michelle on Instagram and look into Ocean Tree Creative's post-production services and podcast coaching.

Michelle MaliZAki

The Number One Japanese Mom, Michelle MaliZAki, came from Japan to pursue her mom's dream, to become an American housewife!

Michelle MaliZAki is a musical artist and a standup comedian. Her song, Nap Time! By nap8sta is the official song for National Napping Day.

She was the second place winner at Calgary FunnyFest Comedy Competition (2023) and runner up for the US Comedy Contest in 2021 and the finalist for the Clean Comedy Challenge in 2020 and 2021.

Her play, “How Did You Get TO LA?”, co-written with Christine Blackburn, premiered at Hollywood Fringe 2022.

Connect with Michelle MaliZAki at ⁠⁠⁠MichelleMaliZAki.com⁠⁠⁠, on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ & ⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠.

HIGHLIGHTS

(0:00:01) - Cultural Identity and Stand-Up Comedy (0:08:56) - TV Production, Comedy, Viral Songs (0:18:18) - Misconceptions and Cultural Differences (0:32:18) - Gratitude, Support, and Promotion

EPISODES

(0:00:01) - Cultural Identity and Stand-Up Comedy: Michelle's experience of becoming an American citizen, her pet names, Japanese beliefs, and affinity for American TV are discussed. (0:08:56) - TV Production, Comedy, Viral Songs: Michelle travelled to Japan, visited baseball stadiums, tried local food, transitioned into stand-up comedy, and wrote a viral song about napping. (0:18:18) - Misconceptions and Cultural Differences: Michelle shared her experiences blending in in Japan, visiting Europe, stand-up comedy, and the Minnesota Saints mascot, Hamlet the pig. (0:32:18) - Gratitude, Support, and Promotion: Michelle shares her experience of forming an improv team in Chicago, exploring regional culture differences in Japan, and encourages listeners to follow her on Instagram.

PAUL VATO

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Paul Vato⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ is an actor, improvisor, comedian, poker player,