# Robin Tran

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{{Short description|American stand-up comedian and writer (born 1986)}}
{{Use mdy|date=December 2025}}
{{Infobox comedian <!-- see Template:Infobox comedian for usage -->
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| birth_date           = {{birth date and age|1986|05|13}}
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| medium               = {{ubl|Stand-up|Television}}
| nationality          = <!-- use only when necessary per [WP:INFONAT](/source/WP%3AINFONAT) -->
| education            = University of California, Irvine
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| years_active         = 2012–present
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| genre                = {{ubl|[Observational comedy](/source/Observational_comedy)|[Improvisational comedy](/source/Improvisational_comedy)|[blue comedy](/source/blue_comedy)|[surreal humor](/source/surreal_humor)|[sarcasm](/source/sarcasm)|[satire](/source/satire)|[black comedy](/source/black_comedy)|[roast](/source/Roast_(comedy))}}
| subjects             = {{ubl|[American culture](/source/American_culture)|[everyday life](/source/everyday_life)|[human sexuality](/source/human_sexuality)|[pop culture](/source/pop_culture)|[mental health](/source/mental_health)|[religion](/source/religion)|[gender differences](/source/gender_differences)|[self-deprecation](/source/self-deprecation)|gender|Asian American culture|LGBTQ culture| Transphobia}}
| spouse               = {{marriage|Siege Gary|2013}}
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'''Robin Tran''' (born May 13, 1986) is an American stand-up comedian, writer, actress, and producer. She is known for her stand-up comedy routines and roasts.

== Early life ==
Robin Tran was born on May 13, 1986. Her parents are Vietnamese immigrants. She was raised in [Garden Grove, Orange County, California](/source/Garden_Grove%2C_California), and has stated that she grew up in "poverty".<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-08-01 |title=US comedian Robin Tran 'doesn't hide from the darkness' in her Fringe debut |url=https://www.thenational.scot/news/23694955.edinburgh-festival-comedian-robin-tran-fringe-debut/ |access-date=2023-09-30 |website=The National |language=en}}</ref> She has stated that her father "used to do comedy"<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |last=|first= |date=2021-11-04 |title=Not to Humblebrag, But Robin Tran Knows She's a Genius |url=https://www.vulture.com/article/robin-tran-comedians-you-should-know-2021.html |access-date=2023-09-30 |website=Vulture |language=en}}</ref> and "used to do a Vietnamese radio show in Little Saigon here in California, so he was paid to be funny".<ref name=":8">{{Cite web |date=2022-05-04 |title=Exclusive Interview: Netflix Is A Joke rising stand-up comedy star Robin Tran "I try to be my own hero" |url=https://thequeerreview.com/2022/05/04/exclusive-interview-netflix-is-a-joke-rising-stand-up-comedy-star-robin-tran/ |access-date=2023-09-30 |website=The Queer Review |language=en-US}}</ref>

As an adolescent, Tran was influenced by [Chris Rock](/source/Chris_Rock)’s ''[Bigger & Blacker](/source/Bigger_%26_Blacker)'' comedy special on [HBO](/source/HBO).<ref name=":8"/> She has also stated, "In terms of other people who've been influential, I try to be my own hero."<ref name=":8"/>

In 2004, Tran auditioned for her high school talent show and "bombed", but she got into the talent show because "they didn't have enough acts".<ref name=":8"/><ref name=":4">{{Cite web |last=Veitch |first=Mara |date=2022-06-09 |title=Margaret Cho and Robin Tran Are Cosplaying as Comedians |url=https://www.interviewmagazine.com/culture/margaret-cho-and-robin-tran-are-cosplaying-as-comedians |access-date=2023-09-30 |website=Interview Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Why comedian Robin Tran says comedy saved her life |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/video/why-comedian-robin-tran-says-comedy-saved-her-life-1370522179873 |access-date=2023-09-30 |website=NBC News |language=en}}</ref> She ended up receiving a standing ovation and won the talent show.<ref name=":8"/><ref name=":4"/> In 2012, she began performing stand-up comedy at open mic nights.<ref name=":8"/>

She studied English at the [University of California, Irvine](/source/University_of_California%2C_Irvine).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Seabaugh |first=Julie |date=2018-07-31 |title=Why Trans Comic Robin Tran Is OK With Transgender Jokes |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/why-trans-comic-robin-tran-is-ok-transgender-jokes-1131257/ |access-date=2023-09-30 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US}}</ref>

In 2015, she came out as a transgender woman.<ref name=":2">{{Cite news |last=Allen |first=Samantha |date=2018-08-19 |title=Robin Tran: How You Tell an Irreverent Transgender Joke, Respectfully |language=en |work=The Daily Beast |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/robin-tran-how-you-tell-an-irreverent-transgender-joke-respectfully |access-date=2023-09-30}}</ref> She describes her experience coming out to her Vietnamese mother with a language barrier in her stand-up routine, which is known as her "born boy, brain girl" bit.<ref name=":5"/><ref>{{Cite web |title=Watch That's My Time with David Letterman {{!}} Netflix Official Site |url=https://www.netflix.com/title/81236173 |access-date=2023-09-30 |website=www.netflix.com |language=en}}</ref> She has said of her experience being the first employee at her then-employer to come out as transgender, "Don't ever be the first employee in your company to ever do anything. It was the worst experience of my life."<ref>{{Citation |title=Robin Tran {{!}} Don't Look at Me (Comedy Special) | date=18 November 2022 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Emb4jS7Yy2M |access-date=2023-09-30 |language=en}}</ref> She refers to herself as an Asian transgender lesbian.<ref name=":8"/><ref name=":5"/>

== Career ==
In 2016, Robin Tran released a self-funded comedy special on [YouTube](/source/YouTube), ''Santa Doesn't Like Every Kid''.<ref name=":6">{{Cite web |title=Comedy Invasian – Robin Tran Live |url=http://comedyinvasian.com/2017-2/robin-tran |access-date=2023-09-30 |language=en-US}}</ref> In 2018, Robin Tran's first one-hour comedy special, ''Don't Look at Me'', was released on [Hulu](/source/Hulu), [Spotify](/source/Spotify), and [iTunes](/source/iTunes).<ref name=":8"/><ref name=":2"/> She has appeared on [Jeff Ross](/source/Jeff_Ross)' [Comedy Central](/source/Comedy_Central) series ''[Roast Battle](/source/Roast_Battle)'', ''Comedy InvAsion'', [OnlyFans](/source/OnlyFans) TV's ''The Roast of Whitney Cummings'', [Logo TV](/source/Logo_TV)'s ''Logo Variety Hour'', [Netflix](/source/Netflix)'s ''That's My Time with David Letterman'', [Fuse TV](/source/Fuse_TV)'s''We Need to Talk About America'', ''[The Talk](/source/The_Talk_(talk_show)), Howie Mandel & Friends: Don't Sneeze on Me'', [Netflix](/source/Netflix)'s ''Are You Still Listening?'', and [Comedy Central](/source/Comedy_Central)'s ''[Comedy Central Stand-Up Presents](/source/Comedy_Central_Stand-Up_Presents)''.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Paul |first=Tyson |date=2022-03-03 |title=Robin Tran "Comedy Central Stand-Up Featuring" Performance [Video] - We Own The Laughs |url=https://weownthelaughs.com/2022/03/robin-tran-comedy-central-stand-up-featuring-performance-video/,%20https://weownthelaughs.com/2022/03/robin-tran-comedy-central-stand-up-featuring-performance-video/ |access-date=2023-09-30 |website=weownthelaughs.com |language=en-US}}</ref>

She has written for [Netflix](/source/Netflix)'s ''[Historical Roasts](/source/Historical_Roasts)'' and the [Just for Laughs](/source/Just_for_Laughs_(British_TV_series)) comedy series ''Straight Up, Stand Up''.

Tran has opened for comedians [Margaret Cho](/source/Margaret_Cho) and [Anthony Jeselnik](/source/Anthony_Jeselnik).<ref name=":4"/> She has performed at the [Outside Lands](/source/Outside_Lands_(festival)), [Just for Laughs](/source/Just_for_Laughs)' ''New Faces of Comedy'', [Howie Mandel](/source/Howie_Mandel)'s Just for Laughs ''All Star Comedy Gala'' on [The CW](/source/The_CW), [Comedy Central](/source/Comedy_Central)'s Mental Health Initiative, Moontower Comedy Festival, Netflix's [Netflix Is A Joke](/source/Netflix_Is_A_Joke): The Festival, and [Comedy Central](/source/Comedy_Central)'s Clusterfest Comedy Festival.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |title=Netflix Is A Joke Fest |url=https://www.netflixisajokefest.com/show/robin-tran |access-date=2023-09-30 |website=www.netflixisajokefest.com |language=en-us |archive-date=November 1, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231101193030/https://www.netflixisajokefest.com/show/robin-tran |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name=":8"/><ref name=":0"/><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Robin Tran & Stacy Cay Live – New York Comedy Festival |url=https://nycomedyfestival.com/lineup/robin-tran-stacy-cay-live/ |access-date=2023-09-30 |language=en-US |archive-date=September 29, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230929093631/https://nycomedyfestival.com/lineup/robin-tran-stacy-cay-live/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> In 2023, she performed at the [Edinburgh Festival Fringe](/source/Edinburgh_Festival_Fringe) in [Edinburgh, Scotland](/source/Edinburgh%2C_Scotland) and headlined the Asian Takeover Comedy Show in [Vancouver, Canada](/source/Vancouver%2C_Canada).<ref>{{Cite web |title= Transgender comedian Robin Tran to headline Vancouver's Asian Comedy Takeover Show  |url=https://vancouver.citynews.ca/2023/05/14/transgender-comedian-robin-tran-vancouver/ |date= May 14, 2023 |access-date=2023-09-30 |website=CityNews}}</ref> Tran's upcoming festival appearances include the [New York Comedy Festival](/source/New_York_Comedy_Festival) and San Francisco Sketchfest.<ref name=":1"/><ref>{{Cite web |last=Wertzler |first=Jay |date=2021-11-17 |title=2023 Lineup |url=https://sfsketchfest.com/2023-lineup/ |access-date=2023-09-30 |website=SF Sketchfest |language=en}}</ref>

In 2021, Tran was named on [Just for Laughs](/source/Just_for_Laughs)' New Faces of 2021 list,<ref name=":3"/> and [Screen Rant](/source/Screen_Rant)'s "10 Up-And-Coming Comedians Who Deserve To Be SNL Cast Members".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Abbott |first=Moon |date=2021-11-02 |title=10 Up-And-Coming Comedians Who Deserve To Be SNL Cast Members |url=https://screenrant.com/up-and-coming-comedians-should-join-saturday-night-live/ |access-date=2023-09-30 |website=ScreenRant |language=en}}</ref> In 2022, she was featured on [Vulture Magazine](/source/Vulture_Magazine)'s annual list, "Comedians You Should and Will Know".<ref name=":5"/> She has won three comedy competitions.<ref name=":6"/>

She has also appeared on several podcasts, including ''[This Past Weekend with Theo Von](/source/This_Past_Weekend_with_Theo_Von)'', ''[The Todd Barry Podcast](/source/Todd_Barry)'', ''[The Margaret Cho](/source/The_Margaret_Cho)'', ''[You Made It Weird with Pete Holmes](/source/You_Made_It_Weird_with_Pete_Holmes)'', ''[Queery with Cameron Esposito](/source/Cameron_Esposito)'', ''[Gettin' Better with Ron Funches](/source/Ron_Funches)'', and ''[The Pornhub Podcast with Asa Akira](/source/Asa_Akira).''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Videos - Theo Von - This Past Weekend |url=https://www.theovon.com/videos |access-date=2023-09-30 |website=Theo Von - Website |language=en |archive-date=October 3, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231003011654/https://www.theovon.com/videos |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-08-07 |title=The Todd Barry Podcast on Apple Podcasts |url=https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-todd-barry-podcast/id639914956 |access-date=2023-09-30 |website=Apple Podcasts |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-08-25 |title=Robin Tran - Top podcast episodes |url=https://www.listennotes.com/top-podcasts/robin-tran/ |access-date=2023-09-30 |website=Listen Notes |language=en}}</ref>

During the [COVID-19 pandemic](/source/COVID-19_pandemic) when live comedy venues were closed, Tran gained a social media following on [TikTok](/source/TikTok),<ref name=":5"/> [Twitter](/source/Twitter), and [Instagram](/source/Instagram).

== Personal life ==
Tran has stated that she has [bipolar II disorder](/source/bipolar_II_disorder),<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-06-11 |title='Like if you won the lottery on 9/11': How comedian Robin Tran's life changed in the last year |url=https://www.latimes.com/socal/daily-pilot/entertainment/story/2021-06-10/like-if-you-won-the-lottery-on-9-11-how-comedian-robin-trans-life-changed-in-the-last-year |access-date=2023-09-30 |website=Daily Pilot |language=en-US}}</ref> [agoraphobia](/source/agoraphobia),<ref name=":5"/> [autism](/source/autism),<ref name=":7">{{Cite web |title=Robin Tran: Don't Look at Me: 5 star review by James Macfarlane |url=https://broadwaybaby.com/shows/robin-tran-dont-look-at-me/797928 |access-date=2023-09-30 |website=broadwaybaby.com |language=en}}</ref> and [ADHD](/source/ADHD).<ref name=":7"/> In 2021, she became engaged to her long-term partner, Siege Gary, formerly known as Cate Gary. In 2023, Gary came out as nonbinary and changed their first name to Siege.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=@CateGary |url=https://twitter.com/Cate_Gary |access-date=2023-11-02 |website=(Siege Gary) on X (formerly Twitter) |language=en}}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
*{{IMDb name|6091501}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tran, Robin}}
Category:1986 births
Category:Living people
Category:American stand-up comedians
Category:American people of Vietnamese descent
Category:American comedians of Asian descent
Category:American transgender comedians
Category:American transgender actresses
Category:Transgender women entertainers
Category:American LGBTQ people of Asian descent
Category:American lesbian comedians
Category:American women comedians
Category:American writers with disabilities
Category:People with bipolar disorder
Category:Autistic LGBTQ people
Category:American autistic people
Category:Autistic writers
Category:Transgender people with disabilities
Category:People with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
Category:LGBTQ people from California
Category:Comedians from Orange County, California
Category:21st-century American comedians
Category:21st-century American LGBTQ people
Category:Transgender lesbians
Category:American actors with disabilities
Category:Autistic actors
Category:People from Garden Grove, California
Category:Actresses from Orange County, California

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Robin Tran](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robin_Tran) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robin_Tran?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.