How people pronounce her name in English is the least of Atsuko Okatsuka’s concerns. It’s AHT-sko o-KATS-ka, or close to that, but mention “#thedropchallenge comedian” to any of the millions of witnesses and copycats of her TikTok videos and the kinetic comic with the trademark bowl cut of jet-black hair will come to mind. Stand-up fans know her for her animated stage presence and material that draws on an unorthodox upbringing and fish-out-of-water experiences.
Okatsuka’s grandmother, who is either 90 or about to be, is her deadpan co-star in social media videos that depict the pair lip-syncing to Lil Jon as they enter a grocery store or Okatsuka bumping produce into her cart. She’s also been the source of much material during Okatsuka’s nearly 15-year career that crested in 2022 when her special The Intruder debuted on HBO.
Structured around a real-life encounter with a trespasser at the Silver Lake home she and her husband rented, Okatsuka dives deep into the culture shock she experienced as an adolescent arriving in the U.S. from Japan and living undocumented in L.A. for seven years. Born in Taiwan, she was brought to the States and raised to adulthood by her Mandarin-speaking grandmother.
She also went to church, where watching a Margaret Cho video changed her life. Okatsuka found that her autobiographical experiences and being forced to assimilate with a variety of social groups gave her an original perspective and background to mine material from. Watching Scooby-Doo cartoons, developing an appreciation for Lucille Ball and Charlie Chaplin, and cheerleading in school led to her comedy having a physical edge.
There aren’t many comedians who dance their way onto the stage, or create viral phenomena. Okatsuka’s stop-and-drop dance interpretation of a descending beat from Beyoncé’s “Partition” has been paid homage to with tribute videos by an inestimable number of people around the world. #thedropchallenge can happen anywhere, at any time, especially in the workplace.
It would not have been possible had Grandma not essentially kidnapped Okatsuka in hopes of providing her with a happier future (as Okatsuka related in a touching episode of This American Life). Now Grandma lives comfortably as Okatsuka provides comic relief for the masses, enhanced by a dance move or two.
The Mirage, 10 p.m. Jan. 20, starting at $35 plus tax and fee. ticketmaster
Click here for your free subscription to the weekly digital edition of Las Vegas Magazine, your guide to everything to do, hear, see and experience in Southern Nevada. In addition to the latest edition emailed to every week, you’ll find plenty of great, money-saving offers from some of the most exciting attractions, restaurants, properties and more! And Las Vegas Magazine is full of informative content such as restaurants to visit, cocktails to sip and attractions to enjoy.
