Mixed Plate: Chronicles of an All-American Combo

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A stunning, hilarious memoir from beloved comedian Jo Koy, “far and away one of the funniest people out there” (Chelsea Handler). Mixed Plate illuminates the burning drive and unique humor that make Jo Koy one of today’s most successful comedians. Includes never-before-seen photos. In all the ways I’d ever hoped, I’d made it. And yet, even as I walked down the streets of my childhood with a film crew follow- ing along, even as I realized just how much I’d accomplished, deep in my mind I could still hear my mom the very first time I told her I was gonna be a comic. I hint at it in my act. If you’re paying attention, it’s there. And I actually think that that emotional honesty is a big reason why so many people from so many cultures relate to my stories.

Of initially fitting in with other mixed-children on military bases to becoming the only half-Filipino child in his school and his of his mother’s struggles to seek out fellow Filipinos in the ’70s in a time of racial tension. There’s a little rice for Asians, there’s Korean barbecue, there’s tempura, there’s spam, there’s mac salad. So when you look at that plate, I think of me. It’s like a little bit of all these cultures just mixed up into me. I just felt like that’s a good representation of what this book is and about my life in this world.”

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Koy’s struggle with identity stems from his white father and Filipino mother divorcing when he was 10 years old. His father moved to another state, leading Koy to cling to his Filipino side. "Mixed Plate: Chronicles of an All-American Combo" by Jo Koy. Jo talks about his start in comedy, of the struggle of working three jobs and doing late night shows causing him to miss his son. He talks about the parent-child relationship, of sibling rivalry and sibling friendship. He talks about being the best dad that he can. Comedian Jo Koy is beloved around the globe for his relatable humor about his family: his overbearing Filipino mom, his rebellious sister, his “indirectly” racist American stepfather, his own smart-ass teenage son. In this funny and moving memoir, Koy uncovers the stories behind the stand-up: the conflict, the drama, and the laughter as he struggles to find his place in an industry, a country—and the world.

My mom literally had to build up the courage to walk up to people and ask them what they were,” he says. “And that's what that joke is. It's like, yeah, it's funny, but just imagine my mom's struggle at that point.”

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He shares how he became inspired to become a stand-up comic, the people in his life who have supported his dreams, and the long road it’s taken for him to reach his current perch. Koy later reconciled with his father, who encouraged him to go into stand up when he faced a lot of skeptics. His dad told him to follow his dreams and felt excited to see his son succeed, Koy says. MIXED PLATE: Chronicles of an All-American Combo by Jo Koy is the comedian’s autobiography and is written and narrated by himself. I knew the minute this came out, I had to listen to it on Audible. I normally prefer to read rather than listen to a book, but Jo Koy is such a fantastic storyteller so I really believe this is the best way to get all the nuances of the autobiography. (And besides, I love hearing him imitate his mother!)