Esther Ku

Today I am interviewing Esther Ku, a comedian born in Chicago, IL who has been doing comedy for five years. To find out more about Esther, please visit her website.

Why did you start doing stand-up comedy?

I started out as a writer for my high school newspaper. Students would come up to me and tell me that they always read my columns first because they were funny. Then I would wonder which lines they laughed at specifically. I had a secret wish to be able to peer into every classroom the day the newspapers were delivered, which in essence is stand up comedy. I always carried a notebook and pen - even in the cafeteria, in case a fight broke out. The teacher on duty would yell at everybody to sit back down and I'd be the only one to run up to the scene of the crime to document it.

What is your secret to getting on Last Comic Standing?

Stay in character off-stage. I see a lot of comedians come out of character once they step off the stage after their initial audition. They don't want to see the real you! They want to see the persona you've created for the stage interacting with the other crazy contestants of the show.

What you do before a big performance and how do you handle stress?

I always go to the bathroom and make a bowel movement. It's a ritual I've had since my days of playing piano at church and weddings.