Female, Asian, funny Female, Asian, funny (March 11, 2005)

Young comedienne works hard to find a niche on stage

By Allison Gerard

Leah Eva does not mind the fact that female Asian comedians are almost unheard of. For the past two years she has put in her time on the road -- driving from Mountain View to Idaho, begging for stage time and even working for free.

Her struggle is typical for a beginning comic, and Eva says she has happily done it.

"A lot of people did not believe in me, but I said 'I know I'm funny and I'm going to work at it and work at it and work at it,'" said Eva. "I just wanted the opportunity to perform."

Eva, who has been taken her show on the road from Idaho to New York City, will bring her act back home this week. She is producing and performing Detention Hall at Estrellita Lounge and Restaurant in Los Altos March 12 at 9 p.m.

The Mountain View resident has been honing her craft ever since she moved to the U.S. at age 12. Having trouble making friends at Crittenden Middle School, she learned to use comedy as her outlet and way of dealing with her situation. A 1995 graduate of Los Altos High School, Eva wound up being elected homecoming queen her senior year. She attributes it to her sense of humor, but her exotic good looks and bubbly personality probably did not hurt.

"People expect comedians to look different than I do," said Eva. She still list her bust on her resume -- "36C (It's real)" -- but she has learned to dress the part of a comedian.

Laughing at herself, she recalled how her friends tried to get her to stop wearing such risqué clothing on stage.

"Guys will not listen to your jokes," she noted

Once, when she still dressed "like I was Mariah Carey or something," Eva was performing at an African American fraternity at UC-Berkeley. Though she says she thinks of herself as a diva, she learned a valuable lesson from all the booing she got that night -- that comedians should never follow a musical act, especially not rappers at frat parties.

Eva has played at 30 different comedy clubs around the country as well as produced shows, but she has higher visions.

"I'll know I made it when I perform for about 45 minutes for a huge audience in an auditorium as the headliner," Eva said.

As she works her way there, she says she is still constantly perfecting her craft.

"The bottom line is funny is funny and it does not matter who it comes from," Eva said.

Tickets for Detention Hall are $8 in advance and $10 at the door. Call (650) 694-4777 for tickets and information.

E-mail Allison Gerard at agerard@mv-voice.com

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