{{Short description|American stand-up comic}}{{Infobox person | name = Youngmi Mayer | image = Youngmi Mayer at the National Book Awards 2025 02 (cropped).jpg | caption = Mayer in 2025 | occupation = {{hlist|author|stand-up comedian|activist|podcast host|social media influencer}} | website = {{URL|youngmimayer.com}} }} '''Youngmi Mayer''' is a Korean American author, stand-up comedian, activist, podcast host, and social media influencer.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Chee |first=Karen |date=2018-10-19 |title=Youngmi Mayer on Making Memes About Her Own World |url=https://www.vulture.com/2018/10/youngmi-mayer-follow-friday-twitter-interview.html |access-date=2022-05-19 |website=Vulture |language=en-us}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Peng |first=Chelsea |date=2022-03-16 |title=No More Changing the Subject |url=https://www.thecut.com/2022/03/stop-changing-the-subject-from-anti-asian-racism.html |access-date=2022-05-19 |website=The Cut |language=en-us}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Mayer |first=Youngmi |date=2022-05-09 |title='I'm Rediscovering What It Means To Date As An Asian Woman' |url=https://www.womenshealthmag.com/sex-and-love/a39906722/dating-asian-woman-youngmi-mayer-essay/ |access-date=2022-05-19 |website=Women's Health |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite web |title=Why Asian jokes have gotten a pass for so long |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/jay-leno-asian-jokes-gotten-pass-long-rcna578 |access-date=2022-05-19 |website=NBC News |date=8 April 2021 |language=en}}</ref> She is the author of ''I'm Laughing Because I'm Crying'' and co-host and host of ''Feeling Asian'' and ''Hairy Butthole,'' podcasts that highlight the Asian American experience.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Books, Podcasts, and Movies to Explore for Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month {{!}} Hey BU |url=https://www.bu.edu/articles/2022/books-podcasts-movies-asian-american-pacific-islander-heritage-month/ |access-date=2022-05-19 |website=Boston University |date=11 May 2022 |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":4" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Hairy Butthole on Apple Podcasts |url=https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hairy-butthole/id1614969992 |access-date=2022-05-19 |website=Apple Podcasts |language=en-US}}</ref>
== Career ==
Mayer explores her experience as a queer, divorced, Korean American single mom in her work. She is known for her funny anecdotes and memes on Instagram and Twitter.<ref name=":0" /> Additionally, Mayer writes about racism and dating, understanding Asian trauma in white-dominated spaces, dealing with generational trauma, and Asian-centered stereotypes and translation inconsistencies within popular media.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite news |title='Squid Game' is the latest example of when subtitles are a little off |language=en |work=NPR.org |url=https://www.npr.org/2021/10/10/1044830237/squid-game-is-the-latest-example-of-when-subtitles-are-a-little-off |access-date=2022-05-19}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2021-10-04 |title=Squid Game subtitles 'change meaning' of Netflix show |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-58787264 |access-date=2022-05-19}}</ref><ref name=":3" />
===''Feeling Asian''=== The podcast ''Feeling Asian'' was created in September 2019 by Youngmi Mayer and Brian Park to speak freely about their personal experience as Asian Americans.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Feeling Asian |title=Asians Have Feelings Too! – Feeling Asian – Podcast |url=https://podtail.com/en/podcast/feeling-asian/asians-have-feelings-too/ |access-date=2022-05-19 |website=Podtail |date=30 September 2019 |language=en}}</ref> Mayer and Park interview notable Asian American figures in pop culture including Michelle Zauner, Janet Yang, Lisa Ling, Bowen Yang, and Yaeji.<ref>{{Cite web |title=About |url=https://www.feelingasian.com/about |access-date=2022-05-19 |website=Feeling Asian |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=DeLuca |first=Dan |date=April 24, 2021 |title=Michelle Zauner of Philly's Japanese Breakfast has a new memoir born of grief and a new album full of joy |url=https://www.inquirer.com/entertainment/michelle-zauner-crying-in-hmart-japanese-breakfast-philadelphia-20210424.html&outputType=app-web-view |access-date=May 19, 2022 |website=Philadelphia Inquirer}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Crying in H-Mart: Michelle Zauner and Youngmi Mayer {{!}} Asian Arts Initiative |url=https://asianartsinitiative.org/events/crying-h-mart-michelle-zauner-and-youngmi-mayer |access-date=2022-05-19 |website=asianartsinitiative.org |archive-date=2022-04-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220405134520/https://asianartsinitiative.org/events/crying-h-mart-michelle-zauner-and-youngmi-mayer |url-status=dead }}</ref> ''Feeling Asian's'' episode on "Feeling Asian" was listed number three on CNN's top ten "podcasts that answered our biggest questions in 2021." The podcast was rewarded for its discussion of anti-Asian hate during the COVID-19 pandemic.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |author=Analysis By Xavier Lopez, Jordan Gass-Pooré and Eryn Mathewson |title=The podcasts that answered our biggest questions in 2021 |url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/12/24/culture/culture-politics-podcasts-2021/index.html |access-date=2022-05-19 |website=CNN|date=24 December 2021 }}</ref>
== Personal life ==
Mayer was married to Danny Bowien co-founder of Mission Chinese Food. The pair first met in a corner store when Bowien was cooking at an Italian restaurant in San Francisco, where they noticed each other due to their matching hipster clothing. Their marriage was largely secret for a few years, until they made it more public with a ceremony in South Korea.
== References == <references />
==Further reading== * [https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/the-mechanics-of/telling-jokes-and-emotional-U2YN0EtQC9L/ Telling Jokes (And Emotional Healing) with Youngmi Mayer] * [https://www.thrillist.com/news/new-york/youngmi-mayer-guide-to-nyc-chinatown-ride-with-me Youngmi Mayer's Day Off in NYC's Chinatown Feels Like Home] * [https://www.mothermag.com/youngmi-mayer-danny-bowien/ The Power Parents Behind Mission Chinese]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mayer, Youngmi}} Category:Living people Category:American stand-up comedians Category:American women podcasters Category:American podcasters Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:American women comedians Category:American LGBTQ people of Asian descent Category:21st-century American LGBTQ people Category:21st-century American comedians Category:American comedians of Korean descent