Laughter Is Our Survival w/ Hella Chluy

(S2, EP 2) Meet Phanit Duong aka Hella Chluy for this week's episode.  In his first-ever interview, Phanit chatted about his early upbringing in Washington state after his parents arrived there after surviving the Khmer Rouge.  He reflected on his family's struggle in adapting to their new community, and learning to channel his own struggles through comedy, music, and martial arts.  Phanit and I discussed about how comedy plays an important part in Khmer traditions, and like music and dance, how it has also served as a healing outlet and as a bridge between elder and younger generations.  Phanit talks about what inspired his work through Hella Chluy, and what he has learned in connecting through various Khmer-American communities across the US through his comedy and music work. 

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Bio: Hella Chluy is a Cambodian American entertainer that specialize in musical parodies, comedy skits, as well as original music. Born as Phanit Duong, the second generation refugee began writing and recording music at the age of 15 in the Pacific Northwest. Duong’s stardom began in 2012 when he released the now legendary, “Shit Cambodian Folks Say” on YouTube that broke 100,000 views in 24 hours. “Chluy,” which loosely means “disrespectful” in the Khmer language, uses popular American music to depict stories of the Cambodian American experience. Today, Duong’s fan base has grown internationally and he performs regularly across America in the nation’s largest Khmer populated communities like Long Beach, Lowell, Seattle, and Philadelphia. Hella Chluy now has 6M channel views on YouTube. Hella Chluy is managed by Hella Chluy. For booking inquiries, call 253-778-6070 or info@hellachluy.com. Any other links and info you can find at my website: www.hellachluy.com