Diane Kawasaki

Diane Kawasaki is a 24-year-old Japanese-Korean-American little person with a mission in life: to confront ignorance and stupidity with her comedy. “Ever since I can remember,” Diane says, “strangers have either assumed I was retarded or felt that they had a right to satisfy their curiosity by asking me personal questions like ‘How do you take a shower?’ or ‘why are you like that?’ ” Anyone expecting a cute, polite response hasn’t met Diane! “I have better things to do than discuss my life story with strangers. So, to save time (and my sanity), I am using comedy as a medium to educate people and allow society a glimpse into my life…Plus I want to get really rich!” 

Diane was raised in a traditional Asian-American household, which means she was taught to suppress her feelings and refrain from asking questions. Apparently, it didn’t take! Nobody who has witnessed this feisty firebrand’s outrageous comedy would come away with the impression that she was shy or demure. Diane’s hilariously honest comedy is based on real life experiences, and she attacks ignorance with the aggressive force of comics like Margaret Cho, Chris Rock and Roseanne. “I spent most of my younger years being a polite drone, but now I’m in the process of breaking free of my sweet Asian little girl shell. I share my encounters with America’s Most Ignorant, and make sure people know that I’m not going to tolerate disrespect! My goal in comedy is to say all the stuff I didn’t have a chance to say being the sweet little Asian hybrid child.” 

Diane was born and raised in Honolulu, HI. “Everyone asks me why I left paradise,” she remembers. “I lived on a block with four major “gentlemen’s clubs” and my mom was mugged right outside of my childhood home.” Ah paradise! After getting a degree in journalism from the University of Hawaii, Diane landed a lucrative job folding brochures for the government. Unfortunately, she was soon replaced by a machine that turned out to be “faster and more economical” (and had a better attitude). In 2006, she moved to L.A. to study screenwriting at UCLA. “Like 98% of L.A.’s coffee shop patrons, I believed I would be the next Stallone and write my Rocky and star in it. I was quite disappointed when I realized I was yet another tree killer without a justified cause.” Reluctant to concede defeat, Diane took a standup writing workshop. She discovered that standup comedy was more satisfying than writing scripts, and began to pour her energy into her act. “Years and years of suppression finally started to fade away with this new opportunity.” And audiences just can’t get enough of Diane’s clever wit and firecracker personality! 

Diane’s comedy is feisty, honest and direct. She finds inspiration in the work of George Carlin, Margaret Cho, Rita Rudner, Ellen Degeneres, Roseanne and Chris Rock. She has performed at The Ice House, The Hollywood Improv, The Comedy Store, and nightclubs, bars and coffee shops throughout Southern California. She has performed in benefits for the L.A. Women’s Shakespeare Company and the Forever Free Alumni Association. Diane has appeared on Laff it Off With Grace, as well as several independent short films and webisodes. She continues to continues to make audiences laugh while confronting ignorance and demanding respect.