Like many people, my first encounter with the deep wit of queer comedian Irene Tu came from her viral “Hello, I’m a girl” Comedy Central set (just watch it—no description I offer can do it justice).
It’s one of the network’s most-watched clips for a reason. Her first comedy album, We’re Done Now, debuted at number one on the iTunes comedy charts; she was featured on Netflix Is a Joke’s “Introducing” showcase; and Vulture named her a “Comedian You Should and Will Know.”
Tu’s comedy lives in the sweet spot between introspection and absurdity, shaped by her experiences as a queer Asian American who jokes that she gives off “big they energy.” Onstage, she navigates the strange rituals of contemporary life, often making jokes about gender and identity with a mix of easy warmth and razor-clean delivery. She turns even the smallest observations into sharp, memorable punchlines. At the sold-out performances I’ve been to, the room skews joyfully queer—lesbian and genderqueer audiences especially, but also straight people who simply know good comedy when they hear it.
Tu is constantly on the road, at least two weekends a month but often more, criss-crossing North America for live shows. I recently had the opportunity to videochat with her from her home in Los Angeles, to discuss all things travel.
You’ve got lots of shows coming up. Are there any cities that you like returning to?
San Francisco is probably my favourite city. It’s just the vibe. I like the food. I like the people. I went to school there, so it’s my adopted hometown at this point. Pretty much all my favourite food spots are in San Francisco. I love Souvla (758 Valencia St., San Francisco, and other locations). It’s a fast, casual Greek restaurant chain in the Bay Area, and I wish they would bring it to L.A. There’s a place called the Ramen Shop (5812 College Ave., Oakland) that’s super good. They have an incredible veggie ramen, and I’m not even vegetarian. There’s a French breakfast-y spot I go to for brunch sometimes called La Note (2377 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley). If I want a burrito or tacos, I usually go to El Farolito (1230 Grant Ave., San Francisco), that’s my spot. People always argue about which is the best taqueria in San Francisco, but I just like El Farolito.
Do you try to do anything when you visit a city for a show?
If I go back to Chicago, I’ll try to see a couple friends and check out a show. I like Zanies (1548 N. Wells St., Chicago) in Old Town. It’s historic. The Lincoln Lodge (2040 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago) is an awesome indie club there. There are a lot of good little indie shows at random bars and spaces. I usually try to go to the Paper Machete (Saturdays at The Green Mill, 4802 N. Broadway, Chicago). They have a really awesome show that they do every week.
You’ve performed in Canada several times. What have your experiences been like?
I like Canada. I think the crowds are always really great. I’ve been to the five big Canadian cities. The audiences are usually pretty smart, and they like comedy. I did Just for Laughs (February 12 to 22, 2026) in Vancouver last year, and then I was in Juste Pour Rire/Just for Laughs in Montreal (July 22 to 26, 2026). It was my first time at the Montreal festival, and I thought it was awesome. Montreal was definitely more French than I thought it was going to be.
You have a great bit on Instagram from your show in Toronto, where you accidentally found yourself locked in the Eaton Centre. What was that about?
I like to take public transit when I’m in different cities, if it’s not too inconvenient, because I like to see what the locals do. But sometimes I’ll get a little lost, and I got stuck in the mall. It was fine. I never felt like I was in any danger, so that was good. But it was pretty late at night, so I was like, I gotta get home, I’m trapped! But Toronto’s great, I absolutely love Toronto. I mean, traffic is horrible there, and there are way too many people. I never want to be in a car in Toronto. But it’s one of my favourite cities to do comedy, because they’re so smart and so good and such fun audiences. Great city, no notes. Well, minus the traffic.
You’re on the road so much. What kind of traveller are you?
I’m a reluctant traveller. I’m not a big planner. My mom, when she travels, she likes to have a whole itinerary, places where she’s going to go and things to do. I don’t really like to plan; I just like to show up and see where it takes me. I don’t like to pack too much, so I will under-pack, or maybe buy clothes when I’m there. I usually don’t pack enough. Then sometimes I’m super anxious the night before I leave for a trip, and I kind of freak out that I’m going to forget to pack something, or I can’t sleep. It’s not really for travelling’s sake, I’m just worried I’m going to forget to bring X, Y or Z.
Do you still go away on vacation?
Not often. Since I already travel so much, it feels weird to travel on top of that. It’s hard to go on vacation for a long time, because I feel like people go on vacation to take a break from their regular day-to-day lives where they’re stuck in one place. But since I travel so much for work, it doesn’t feel like much of a vacation when I do go somewhere. I would love to go to Hawaii again, or somewhere in the Caribbean. I just haven’t scheduled that in. I went with my family to Hawaii, and I really enjoyed it there, which is why I want to go back. I just like the beach. I like that it’s warm, I like going in the water, I like the sand. I usually like the food that’s near beach towns, seafood and stuff. I don’t really like to travel to see historic monuments or cities, I just like to relax at the beach.
Over the next few months, Irene Tu will be performing in Seattle, Minneapolis, New Orleans and Toronto; check out her full schedule here.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
