Today we’d like to introduce you to Ethel Tan
Hi Ethel, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve always wanted to act. I joined my school’s drama club at 15. I also started modeling shortly after that and was a finalist in Miss Singapore Universe at 18. Then I studied at a theater company for 2 years at a theater company in Singapore.
From there, I acted in tv and film and commercials and got to travel the world to do hosting for television shows.
Most recently, I moved to LA a few years ago and enrolled myself in improv classes. I performed with a team for a while and then started doing stand up comedy in 2023. Since then, I’ve been performing on stages around the country and most recently placed 3rd at The Golden Laughs Comedy Festival.
It’s been such a fun journey so far. 15-year-old me never expected to be where I am today. My favorite part of all of this is to be able to make people laugh and entertain them. That was what I wanted to do when I was younger, I loved watching movies and shows and being entertained and all I want is to bring that joy to others. I also love writing jokes and sharing my stories with other people.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has most definitely not been a smooth road for me. I think the thing that comes to mind is that I was raised by a single parent, and I’m also the oldest child.
When it came time for me to go to university, I was told that there wouldn’t be enough money for school. So I had to find a way to pay for school and to keep doing what I love. In the end I worked 4 jobs (acting and modeling was one of them) and finished my business undergrad at the same time.
I think financial stability is always a struggle for most artists. This largely remains a hobby until you can find enough work to sustain yourself. So a lot of artists have to do all sorts of jobs in order to make ends meet just so we can continue to do what we love.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’m an actress, producer and comedian. I act and produce and perform in comedy shows all around LA. I’ve been acting for a really long time, almost 2 decades now.
But producer and comedian are new hats that I wear. I would say that I am most proud of being a producer. When I produce my shows, I do everything from sourcing for venue, choosing my lineup, marketing and then curating the show.
I have a show concept called Comedy & Magic where I have a good friend and award-winning magician perform close-up magic halfway through the show. And when I select the lineup, I put a lot of thought into the comedian’s style and energy levels and adjust the lineup to optimize that. I’ve been told by many people who attend that they enjoy my produced shows a lot.
I think what sets me apart from others is my professionalism and organization. I come from a corporate background and I treat all of this like a business, from the way I work with people and comedy clubs, as well as how I manage myself as an artist.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/etheltan
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/officialetheltan?igsh=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@officialetheltan?si=qs2RA3MaNBZWho6f
