Dat Phan, the Original Winner of NBC's "Last Comic Standing", is a renowned headlining comedian who has been touring live across the United States. His impressive career has been marked by numerous TV and movie appearances, including "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno", "The Family Guy" voice-over, and "Cellular". Recently, Dat appeared on "The Tyra Banks Show" to discuss racial diversity.
Born in Saigon, Vietnam, Dat immigrated to San Diego, California with his mother, and his childhood was marked by financial hardships. However, after 9/11, he realized that life was short and decided to pursue his dream of becoming a comedian full-time. Dat moved to Los Angeles, where he faced numerous challenges, including having to live out of his car and being robbed at gunpoint. Despite these obstacles, he refused to give up on his dream.
Dat worked at The Improv in Hollywood, answering phones during the day and performing at night, often going on stage well after midnight when the crowds were more drunk than coherent. He later took the risk of auditioning for the experimental comedy show produced by NBC, which would eventually launch his career. On August 5, 2003, Dat was named the funniest person in America.
Dat's comedy is culturally insightful, inspecting ridiculous stereotypes and sharing his experiences as a regular American guy with a Vietnamese heritage. His youthful energy and unique life experiences, including his tough times, convey a message of living your dreams and reaching for the stars. Dat's mission is to bring a more positive portrayal of Asian-Americans to mainstream entertainment and Hollywood, saying "We want to be seen as more than just martial artists, or bad stereotype token roles in American TV & Movies."
Dat has been included in The Smithsonian Institution's exhibition of The Top 10 Most Influential Vietnamese-American Individuals. His live DVD, "Dat Phan Live", was released in January 2010 and is available on Amazon. His CDs, "You Touch, You Buy" and "Born in Saigon...California", are available on iTunes and Amazon.
