Growing up with immigrant parents can often make you feel like you’re in the wrong room, so when the MC announced, “Please welcome Ingrid Han,” I had a minor identity crisis and wondered if I had accidentally walked into the wrong show.
Turns out, that’s just what happens when you don’t do your homework. Ingrid is Kevin’s wife, and she graced the stage with a beautiful slice of cultural history, delivered through the lovely sounds of the traditional bamboo flute. Confusion cleared and culture unlocked.
Kevin Han then opens the night with a cheeky debate: “What does political correctness mean to you?”, drawing humour from the audience with one who even admittedly that they didn’t even think they could spell it. But Kevin keeps it simple. How do you spell political correctness? Easy, ‘P.C.’.
Navigating life as a Chinese Australian from Western Sydney, Kevin often felt that he didn’t quiet belong. Blending in was never going to be easy, although especially difficult when you’re built like a skyscraper. But hey, at least his name’s easy to pronounce! Growing up in the Western Sydney suburbs already helped shape part of Kevin, yet it wasn’t until he got married and stepped into the joys of blended culture that political correctness really felt relevant.
Quirky, funny and sharp, Kevin Han breaks down his socio-economic status like a true Western Sydneysider, with grit, charm and by shoplifting prosciutto. From teaching at some of the rougher schools in the suburbs to reducing drug dealing competition by simply by giving the next generation something better to aim for, and Kevin’s making his community impact known. Street pharmacist in the making? Don’t stress, Kevin’s got better career advice and it doesn’t involve a bumbag, Nike TNs or hoodie.
Impersonations or cultural appropriation? That’s a fine line which gets the crowd laughing. Kevin tiptoes (figuratively of course, have you seen the size of his foot?) with just the right mix of charm and cheek, keeping everyone laughing instead of cancelling himself. And that’s the beauty of it, embracing the richness of diversity while daring to joke within it. I mean, look at his rat tail? Long, luscious and completely on brand.
Interracial relationships hit different when you can spin them in your favour and Kevin’s got stories to prove it. Waking up with purpose and fulfilment, or just coasting through the motions? Maybe you’re just a millennial struck with a midlife crisis but it’s okay, things will pan out. Either way, scat fetish sensations from 2 Girls 1 Cup are still in business, who is to say the dream is dead?
Concerned mother-in-law? The oxford dictionary won’t save you there. Stuck in a family debate going nowhere? Sometimes, you just need a white wife to translate the chaos back to her mum. Friends who assume and don’t realise you’re Chinese and not Thai? Can’t help you there.
Through his quirky retellings and offbeat charm, Kevin invites us into a world where the laughs land hard, but the subconscious questions hit harder. Beneath the humour lies that subtle challenge, so where do we draw the line? Kevin Han’s comedic lens onto the complexities of him growing up Extremely Tall and Incredibly Chinese makes for a bold statement. Don’t ask Kevin, he has a free pass. His wife is white.
Kevin Han delivers Extremely Tall and Incredibly Chinese with sharp honesty of a Western Sydney suburban. Through his tales of cultural identity, awkward social confrontations and the daily dance of trying to fit in without biting back, Kevin explores the themes of acceptance and self-awareness. With refreshing candour and just the right amount of chaos, is it radical or racial? Kevin’s material is as clever as it is relatable (especially if you’re from the area).
Kevin Han’s Extremely Tall and Incredibly Chinese is currently part of the 2025 Melbourne International Comedy Festival at Storyville Melbourne until April 20th.
For more information and ticketing, visit:
https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/browse-shows/extremely-tall-and-incredibly-chinese
https://www.instagram.com/kevinhancomedy
Photography supplied.