Meet Teresa Lo: Writer & Comedian

We had the good fortune of connecting with Teresa Lo and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Teresa, why did you pursue a creative career?
Ever since I was a kid I loved reading and writing, and I dreamed of being a writer. My family wanted me to do something more traditional, like be a lawyer, and I tried to follow that path but I was so miserable that I made steps to pursue a creative career full-time. Working in the arts and entertainment is a constant struggle, but I love it and doing other things doesn’t fulfill me. I think that pursuing this life was something I just had to do.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’m a long-time journalist for Hustler Magazine, and I’ve published several bestselling books before that. In the past few years, I’ve ventured into standup comedy, and I think what sets me apart is that I draw upon my real-life experiences and talk about them. I’m honest about where I’ve come from, what I’ve done, what’s happened to me; and I think that the honesty is what people are drawn to. My journey has definitely not been easy, but I think because I’m so open with my failure that the lows don’t even feel that low. They feel more like a part of this big grand story for wherever I’m meant to go, and that’s the message I want to share with people. It’s okay to be honest, and the more open we are, the more likely we are to connect and understand each other.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If my best friend was visiting Los Angeles for a week, I’d take them to my comedy shows, the beach to ride bikes, and to some of my favorite restaurants. When it comes to dining, LA has so much to offer, so it’d be hard to pick just a few places, but some of my top spots are: Din Tai Fung, Sugarfish, Don Cuco in Burbank, Kura Sushi, Urth Cafe, Bottega Louie, and BCD Tofu House. The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Each step of my journey has had different people along the way help me out. One of my biggest supporters in my creative career is my younger sister, Rebecca. When my parents tried to push me into non-creative jobs, she’d say, “Stop deviating from your dreams. Keep doing what you’re doing. You’re good.” She’d always listen to me whenever I had bad experiences and needed to be talked off the ledge, and even though she was younger, she gave me money if I needed help. If I didn’t have her as a support system, I’d probably not be where I am today, and I’d be a much more miserable person.

Website: www.teresalowriter.com, www.teresalocomedy.com

Instagram: teresalowriter, teresalopresents

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/teresalowriter/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/teresalo_tweets

Facebook: http://facebook.com/teresalowriter

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/tloclub

Image Credits
Teresa Lo performs at the Ice House for Sticky Rice Comedy Show. Photo by Bob Fang. Sticky Rice lineup at The Ice House. Photo by Bob Fang. Crazy Woke Asians lineup at The Comedy Store. Photo by Crazy Woke Asians. Teresa Lo performs at Teresa Lo’s Noho Comedy Showcase at The Good Nite. Photo by Noah Eberhart. Teresa Lo hosts at Teresa Lo’s Noho Comedy Showcase at The Good Nite. Photo by Noah Eberhart.