Today we’d like to introduce you to Asia Chardonay.
Asia, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I’ve always loved comedy. I can remember being six years old at the Dr.s office and asking, “what’s on, the Pacer game?” as I got my ears checked with the tiny instrument doctors use to exam ears that to me slightly resembles a mini TV. I can remember the way the Dr. and my mother laughed. Now, I wouldn’t say that’s when my comedy career kicked off, but the seed of my love for comedy had been planted at a young age. Growing up and throughout school, I was considered the class clown, getting in trouble for talking too much or being disruptive. In middle school, I was voted “Funniest” of my class and also “Queen of Pink Sheets” (which were disciplinary sheets) given for all the disruptions lol. But I still didn’t pursue comedy, partly because I was still a child and believed that I was too young to pursue stand-up comedy at the time. Fast forward to 21 years old Asia. One of my best friends invited me to do my first-ever open mic in 2011. He had been doing comedy for a few years at this point, but this was my very first time. Nervous as ever, I went with zero prepared material! The open mic was held at a Mexican restaurant called La Fiesta in my hometown of Indianapolis, IN. I asked the wait staff for a napkin and pen (still one of my methods I currently use) to write down ideas that came to mind as other comedians performed. Then, the host of the open mic finally calls my name, With no prepared material other than the ideas that I jotted down on the napkin, I went on stage and actually KILLED! My first time ever being on stage and I crushed. THAT was the beginning of my comedy career.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Not the smoothest, but the roughest or bumpiest either. It’s been a journey for sure! So, After doing my first-ever open mic, I started doing more open mics and local contests. From 2011-2013 I started off doing pretty well, even though I never had material or an actual routine if that makes sense. My method for coming up with jokes was still the napkin/paper and pen, and then coming up with ideas based off of what I seen in the moment or “riffing”… That worked until it didn’t lol. I had a show where I had to go first, “take the bullet”, and I didn’t have time to observe the room, come up with ideas in the moment, so guess what happened? I bombed! Of course, I know now that every comic will bomb, the greatest bomb, but at the time it crushed me! I didn’t hit the stage for some time after that. In fact, for the next couple of years, I had completely put comedy on the back burner.
2015 rolls around. Now, mind you, I was in a relationship when I started doing comedy in 2011, but in 2015 a lot of things changed now that I think about it. 2015, I was no longer in a relationship, my dad passed away, I lost my job, and had to move back in with my parents! So many things changed around me.
But in 2016, it was a complete 180, especially when it came to comedy. I came off of the hiatus I was on and I started to be serious with comedy again. I was getting on more shows, entering more contests, just being more active with comedy. Because of that, now when people ask me how long have I been doing comedy, I always say “I did my first open mic in 2011 but started taking it seriously in 2016”. 2016 was like my rebirth back into it.
Mind you, I am getting gigs, but they are mostly local. Many of them are bringer shows, selling tickets, or if you are paid, none of the gigs are quit-my-day-job type of gigs. But still staying on the comedy scene in Indianapolis.
I did as much as I could do while still working a full-time job. It wasn’t until 2018 when I got fired from a different job. Now, that may seem like it would be a rough patch, but 2018 was one of the best years of my life. Even though I was unemployed for six months, I had time! More time to focus on comedy. I wasn’t dedicating 40 hours of my week on a job. I genuinely felt like having a job was holding me back from my dreams. But I knew since I had an apartment and bills that I NEEDED a job. Having a job allowed me to have money but no time. When I was unemployed, it allowed me time but no money. So, I came up with a plan to allow me both. Van life.
Fast forward to where I am now, I’ve been in LA for 3 1/2 years. I moved here in July 2019. 2019 was the same year I turned 30 years old. And for my 30th birthday gift to myself, I decided that I no longer wanted to work a job and that I would much rather pursue my dream of being a comedian. I sold everything I had, and I purchased a van the day before my 30th birthday. My best friends and I converted my 1989 Chevy G20 van that I purchased for $1250 into my tiny studio apartment on wheels that I call “Big Baby”.
It took us two weeks to finish. After we finished, I literally walked into my job July 18, 2019 and quit with a cake that read, “fuck this job, I quit”. That same week, I packed up my things and drove from Indianapolis, IN to Los Angeles, CA. I was here in LA for 8 months before the pandemic. Luckily, I have friends that I knew from back home that live here because it made the transition easier. The pandemic alone was a major rough patch, I think for everybody. But living in a van, with no family in a huge city, and also not being able to do what you came to do in the first place, I think would get to anybody. But I got through it. I didn’t want to run back home without giving LA a chance. And I will say it’s been worth it. I have met so many people since I’ve been here. I’ve made a lot of connections. I feel like LA is serving its purpose. So again, it hasn’t been the smoothest, but not the roughest either.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a standup comedian from Indianapolis, IN. I have been ACTIVELY pursuing my comedy career for the last 6 years. That’s a good question, what am I known for? I want to simply say for being funny, but I don’t think that’s enough. LOL, I really have to ponder on that one.
Comedy is dominated with men. Specifically, white men. Even more specifically, straight white men. So what sets me apart is that I am the exact opposite. I am a woman. A black woman. A gay, black woman. A plus size, gay, black woman. All of those things are what set me apart and all of those things combined are what I would be most proud of.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
I have had a ton of support and I am extremely grateful. My mother is like one of my best friends and has supported me since I have decided to take comedy seriously and move across the country. My girlfriend has been amazing support since I embarked on this journey to LA. Making our relationship now a long-distance relationship, she has really been a trooper. My best friends and close friends have saved me so many times. Be it by helping out financially or simply being moral support. I am so thankful for my friends and family because there a lot of people who don’t have what I have. So shout out to all of my people, I love yall for real.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/alldisbody
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/alldisbody
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/alldisbody
- Youtube: https://youtu.be/U4vpuIzm64U
