Henry Cho’s ‘Empty Nest Tour’ at the Pabst

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Photo Via Wall of Celebrities - wallofcelebrities.com

Henry Cho

To describe how he has become a stand-up comedy mainstay that remains arguably less acclaimed than some of his peers, quotes one of his late colleagues. “As Gary Shandling once said, ‘I'm the most famous unfamous guy in comedy.'” 

But Cho, whose “The Empty Nest Tour” will bring him to the Pabst Theater for an 8 p.m. show on Saturday, Sept. 20, may be underselling himself. Cho is not only popular enough to play a venue seating over 1,300 comedy lovers, he’s a big enough deal to regularly play an American radio and country music institution. 

“Me and Gary Mule Deer were invited by Marty Stuart during a Facebook Live event,” says Chi of the neo-traditionalist country singer who wanted to see Chi and another Southern comics at “The Grand Ole Opry.” “I was inducted a month later,” Cho recalls of the 2023 ceremony, “becoming the first comedian in 50 years to become a member of ‘The Grand Ole Opry.’” He is also its most prominent—and only?—member of Korean heritage, extending his pioneering status as an Asian American stand-up comedian. He entered the field after dropping out of college following his first open mic appearance nearly 40 years ago.  

Cho wasn't anticipating being enough of a hit his first time on stage to alter his career plans; he can, however, testify to the reality of the stereotype of parents of Asian descent expecting their children to seek employment at a professional level. 

High Expectations 

“Expectations in the Asian community are, for the most part, very high,” Cho observes, adding “Making a living telling jokes is not any parent's first choice, no matter what background.” But Cho's prominence has given hope to other Asian folks desiring to make a life out of making people laugh. “I get a lot of Asian comedians telling me they didn't know we were allowed to do this until they saw me on TV.”               

Though some moms and dads may not approve of their children's comedic employment (Cho's father didn't speak to him for 18 months after his comedy epiphany), Cho performs in such a manner as to be acceptable to most everyone in any given family.  

“I've always been clean,” Cho says of his profanity-free act, “a personal decision when I started. If a joke is clean and gets a laugh, I know it's due to the joke. Being clean doesn't split your crowd. Jerry Seinfeld told me decades ago that he didn't understand why a comedian would work on a joke that you couldn't do on national television.”  

Comedy Comeback 

Knoxville-born Cho has been sharing his brand of observational bits on TV and elsewhere long enough to have experienced the surges of interest in stand-up both in the ‘80s and the past several years. Of the difference, he notes, “In the 1980s wave, folks would come to a comedy club just to see the comedy. That changed in the early '90s, and people would only come to see someone they recognized.  

“I was one of the fortunate few that made it over the hump. Comedy has definitely made a comeback, and we've seen a comedy show become an event. So, lager venues are being utilized that weren't even an option back in the day," Cho shares of the growth he has seen in his field.     

Were he to start out in comedy today instead of during the Reagan administration, he would do some things differently. “I'd do more hour specials. Back in my day, we did hour specials, but in five-minute increments. With all the talk shows and comedy shows, I was on TV several times a month doing several five-minute sets.”  

Now, Cho has been around long enough as a comedian, husband and father to reference his home's absence of children. Regarding material that's often based on family interaction, he professes, “Almost all the stories about my family are true,” though he admits to some embellishment and tweaking of them to fit his act. “My goal is to never make anyone in my family look bad.” 

As for his brood inheriting their dad's talent, he reveals, “My kids have great timing and humor. They say things in everyday conversation that are very funny. They are very smart at their own things, so I don't have to worry about them doing stand-up for a living.” Is that Cho selling himself short again?! 

However humble he may be, Cho has his priorities in order. When asked why his profile has seemed low in recent years, he responds, “I never stopped touring. I just dropped out of doing movies and TV as I was raising my kids. It was more important for me to attend sporting events, recitals, etc. I toured more regionally for a long time, so I could coach my kids' baseball and basketball teams.” In telling of the many weekends' shows he missed performing in order to take his family to church on Sunday mornings, Cho succinctly summarizes the most important things to him, “Faith. Family. Fame.”  

Hear Cho make light of his wife's mistaken choice of wedding gift wrapping paper, his forced Covid break from touring, the White nature of playing croquet, and more here...