Los Angeles, CA (May 8, 2024): Joel Kim Booster, an actor, stand-up comedian, screenwriter, and executive producer, epitomizes multi-hyphenate talent. His filmography includes notable roles in “Loot,” “Fire Island,” and “Search Party,” making him a talent to keep an eye on.
This week, Booster joins “Hollywood at Home” for an insightful discussion about his diverse career. He has shared laughs on screen alongside luminaries such as Maya Rudolph, Bowen Yang, and Margaret Cho, earning two Emmy nominations along the way. Booster fearlessly tackles the current state of comedy and delves into the intricacies of representation in the entertainment industry.
Whether drawing inspiration from Jane Austen, filming a comedy special, conducting E. coli tests in the Long Island Sound, starring in a hit show, or sharing TikToks with an SNL legend, Booster consistently delivers humor, incisiveness, and entertainment.
Listen now at:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/candid-comedy-with-guest-joel-kim-booster/id1521900273?i=1000654790574
For planned coverage, please link to:
http://thecreativecoalition.org/podcast
Highlights from Hollywood at Home featuring Joel Kim Booster:
With Maya Rudolph on “Loot”: “Going into the show, it was one of those things where I was like, ‘If I get there and she sucks, this will completely destroy my entire conception of her and my childhood.’ And I’m happy to report that she doesn’t. She’s an amazing boss and co-star and I’m really grateful to have someone who’s the top-line star of the show, who is really kind and also really loves her family.”
Real life vs. reel life: “Both Matt [Hubbard] and Alan [Yang] came to me early in the writing process and were sort of like, ‘Do you want your character to be adopted like you are?’ It was really nice for me to just be able to play this character with a family and a background similar to mine, and just not have it be the central focus of the story.”
BTS on the set of “Loot:” “There’s very little ego on our set…No one is hiding in their trailer in between takes. We have our own little zone where all our chairs are set up and we’re eating snacks, and I’m showing Maya [Rudolph] TikToks and Michaela [Rodriguez] is playing Pokemon.”
Jane Austen inspired Fire Island: “The inspiration came from being on Fire Island and reading Pride and Prejudice. I was really struck with how so many of [Austen’s] observations about class and how people communicate across class lines specifically felt so current, and so prescient, and so relevant still, especially in that environment.”
On Bowen Yang: “Bowen is one of my closest friends and has been for the better part of a decade. And I think for both of us, this friendship is really special because I don’t know that I ever had a close Asian friend who was also gay, who shared so many of the same experiences that I had, and was traumatized by some of the same guys in New York. And a huge motivating factor for me doing this was getting to co-star with one of my best friends.”
Casting comedy icon Margaret Cho: “It really is such a full circle moment for me. She’s so deeply important to my development as both a queer person and as an Asian person. I devoured her work growing up…Initially, that role was written to be an older gay man, and we had cast somebody, but they had to drop at the last minute. And that day, Margaret had her people reach out and say, ‘We saw the announcement about this movie. Margaret would love to cameo.’”
On the state of modern standup comedy: “I think my rule of thumb has always been: you can talk about whatever the f*** you want, as long as it’s funny. Audiences will forgive a lot of sins as long as you make the joke funny and surprising and fresh.”
More about Hollywood at Home:
Hosted by The Creative Coalition CEO Robin Bronk, “Hollywood at Home” brings listeners intimate portraits, key moments of discovery, and “art and soul” conversations with iconic entertainment industry personalities from the big screen to the boardroom, from L.A. to D.C. Listen now at http://thecreativecoalition.org/podcast.
Previous guests include Sheryl Lee Ralph (“Abbott Elementary”), Marlee Matlin (“CODA”), Jason Alexander (“Curb Your Enthusiasm”), Alan Cumming (“Schmigadoon!, “The Good Wife”), Patricia Heaton (“Everybody Loves Raymond,” “The Middle”), Eric McCormack (“Will and Grace”), Willie Garson (“And Just Like That…”), Colman Domingo (“Euphoria”), Kerry Ehrin (“The Morning Show”), Wendi McLendon-Covey (“The Goldbergs”), Ken Olin (“This is Us,” “Thirtysomething”), Anthony Rapp (“Star Trek: Discovery”), Grace Caroline Currey (Shazam!), and Alfre Woodard (Clemency, “Luke Cage”), among others.
More about The Creative Coalition:
Founded in 1989 by prominent members of the creative community, The Creative Coalition is the premier nonprofit, nonpartisan 501(c)(3) organization of the arts and entertainment community. The Creative Coalition is dedicated to educating its members on issues of public importance. The Creative Coalition also creates award-winning public service campaigns, including #RightToBearArts, to promote the efficacy of the arts. Actor Tim Daly serves as the organization’s President. For more information, visit https://thecreativecoalition.org.
Media Contact:
Max Jordan
mjordan@thecreativecoalition.org
C: 240-506-7913
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