Atsuko Okatsuka Talks HBO Comedy Special, Her Grandmother and Her Love For Kewpie

OCTOBER 16, 2022  BY MICHAEL D. MONROE – Contrast Magazine

Atsuko Okatsuka, one of Variety’s “10 Comics to Watch for 2022,” graces the latest cover of Contrast Magazine, wearing the first inclusive jewelry collection by Kewpie® x ONCH. Airing this December, fans will be able to watch Atsuko’s standup comedy special on HBO Max. “After a year of touring, I’ve finally shot my HBO special, and it’s coming out in December! I’m excited for everyone to see it. It’s dedicated to all the lovers, all the beautiful weirdos.”

 

Thanks to TikTok, Atsuko soared to viral heights after posting a video with her grandmother doing what’s now known as “The Drop Challenge” to Beyonce’s track “Yoncé.” It’s been under one year since the video “dropped,” and the audio has already been recreated more than 440,000+ times on TikTok alone, including celebrities like Chelsea HandlerCamila CabelloTia MowryHeidi KlumSNLBella DoseShaq, and even J-Pop boy band STRAY KIDS and viral cosplayer Twisted Pennywise.

 

Atsuko credits Kewpie for playing such a significant role in her early childhood. “My Grandma would put Kewpie mayo on asparagus, salmon, rice; you name it. It literally nurtured my childhood!”

 

Dress by RVNG Couture. Accessories by ONCH. 

 

Illustrated 113 years ago as “a goodwill ambassador to spread love, laughter, and philanthropy,” Kewpie’s beloved character was originally illustrated by famed cartoonist Rose O’Neill, whose work was to fight for women’s right to vote, support racial equality, and advocacy for the poor. Rolling Stone credited the Kewpie brand for illustrating “pop culture cuteness.” The impact made by O’Neill’s work landed her an induction into the Women’s Hall of Fame in 2019, alongside Jane Fonda and Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, and more recently at San Diego Comic Con into the Eisner Hall of Fame.

Keep an eye out for Atsuko’s standup comedy special this December, exclusively on HBO Max. “I really took the time during the pandemic to put together my hour of standup. Stuff I’d never talked about.”

Learn more about the new Kewpie collection here: www.onch.us. Follow Atsuko on Instagram and TikTok to stay in the loop as we watch her grow and flourish along her journey.

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