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GS: What has been your family's response to the Sung Hee Park routine?
SW: My family thinks my Sung Hee Park routine is hilarious. Humor was always a big part of my upbringing. My parents and my sister Julie have been incredibly supportive of my comedy act and of my entire acting career.
GS: How did you happen to come up with that character? Is she based on anyone in particular? Does she reflect any anger toward society?
SW: The character was born in my acting class at the Beverly Hills Playhouse, where I continue to study. My teacher Richard Lawson always encourages us to write our own material, take risks, and challenge ourselves. So I decided to try stand-up comedy once. I did it in class, and my material consisted of telling stories about stupid things people have said to me during my travels across the U.S. when I was a field host for a morning show called FOX After Breakfast. It was about the things ignorant people would say to me because I'm Asian.Ê
Well I got a standing ovation in class, and Richard told me that I had a responsibility to do this in comedy clubs because my voice needed to be heard. But he said something that changed me forever — he suggested that I try embracing the stereotype of Asian women that I hate so much. I didn't understand why and I wanted to kill him. But he explained that I've spent so much energy in my life resisting that stereotype that I'm still at the effect of it. He suggested that I try embracing that stereotype as part of my artistic palette, and see what happens.
So the next day I went to Koreatown and bought a hanbok, a Corean fan, and a pair of Corean shoes. I went home, put the outfit on, and stood there in my house wondering what to do next. Then the idea came to me: What if this character were a stand-up comedian? What if she just got here from Corea and doesn't speak English well? What if she's a terrible comedian, and does it all wrong? What if she's naive and innocent and terrified of performing for the first time? That's what started what is now a double-award-winning comedy act.
Sung Hee Park is loosely based on my mom, who is terrible at telling jokes and does speak with an accent. And yes, she is a representation of people who are ignorant about racism and stereotypes, but she also has a big heart and really wants to fit in and wants to be able to make people laugh and bring them joy. I've taken my anger about racism and stereotypes and put it into my art. People might love it or hate it, but this is my way of enlightening people, including myself, about these issues.
GS: What role would you have most liked to have played in recent films?
SW: I would have liked to have played the role of Rochelle in the upcoming Queen Latifah film, Last Holiday. I got to read for it and meet Wayne Wang the director, but I didn't get the part. The character was what I would call white trash, so I played her as yellow trash — not too bright, overtly sexual, with a southern accent. It was a blast!
GS: How does your job as host of HGTV's House Hunters limit/expand your acting roles?
SW: My job as host of House Hunters expands my acting roles because a lot of industry people know me and like my work on that show. The visibility is wonderful because it's the #1 rated show on HGTV. And fans of House Hunters are always surprised to find out that I'm also a stand-up comedian, because I'm not funny on House Hunters.
GS: Which one of your roles comes closest to showcasing what you can do as an actor?
SW: My stand-up comedy act comes closest to showcasing what I can do as an actor, because I'm fully committed to the character, it shows my humor, my vulnerability, my temper, and my intelligence.
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“My stand-up comedy act comes closest to showcasing what I can do as an actor, because I'm fully committed to the character, it shows my humor, my vulnerability, my temper, and my intelligence.”
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