Vivek goes to Shenzhen for the first time since 2017, and Mohammed goes on holiday to Vietnam. They come back loaded with tales of bad crossings, motorbike adventures, and renewed love for Banh Mi.
Get tickets for Backstage Comedy shows: https://backstagecomedy.com/
Subscribe to our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/hohopod
Follow Mohammed on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theothermohammed
Follow Vivek on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/funnyvivek
We have a classic Ho Ho Hong Kong episode this week, with both hosts doing what they do best—tangents and show stories. Mohammed Magdi tells the full story of producing Ben Quinlan's Theatre Special at The Box Theatre, and Vivek Mahbubani injects his signature commentary on the story.
Get tickets for Backstage Comedy shows: https://backstagecomedy.com/
Subscribe to our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/hohopod
Follow Mohammed on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theothermohammed
Follow Vivek on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/funnyvivek
Vivek Mahbubani is finally back to the podcast with an epic play-by-play tale of how he managed to break both his ankles in a completely avoidable freak accident.
Get tickets for Backstage Comedy shows: https://backstagecomedy.com/
Subscribe to our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/hohopod
Follow Elena Gabrielle on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/elenagabrielle/
Follow Mohammed on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theothermohammed
Follow Vivek on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/funnyvivek
Australian comedian Elena Gabrielle toured 67 countries with the popular storytelling show, Story Party. Now touring the world with her own solo shows, Elena has collected so many stories from all over the world. Host Mohammed Magdi chats with Elena about performing raunchy stories in Egypt, starting in show business as a Disney princess, and meeting new people "organically."
Get tickets for Hong Kong Comedy Season shows:
http://comedyseason.hk/
Get tickets for Backstage Comedy shows: https://backstagecomedy.com/
Subscribe to our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/hohopod
Follow Elena Gabrielle on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/elenagabrielle/
Follow Mohammed on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theothermohammed
Follow Vivek on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/funnyvivek
This week's guest is Malaysian comedian Kavin Jay. Last time Kavin was on this podcast, he was a much heavier man. After going through an incredible transformation, he lost 45 kilograms in one year, with no medical intervention and no Ozempic. On this episode, Kavin shares his weight loss journey and his reasons behind not using Ozempic.
Get tickets for Hong Kong Comedy Season shows:
http://comedyseason.hk/
Get tickets for Backstage Comedy shows: https://backstagecomedy.com/
Subscribe to our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/hohopod
Follow Kavin Jay on https://www.instagram.com/kavinjay
Follow Mohammed on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theothermohammed
Follow Vivek on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/funnyvivek
If you are not familiar with Chez Trente and its legendary status among the live music scene in Hong Kong, you are missing out.
Chez Trente is a quaint, cool live music venue located in the middle of Peel Street, HK's premier bar street over the last few years, but there are no signs to guide you to Chez Trente, and if you don't know where it is, it's really hard to find. We chat with Chez Trente's founder, Joe Lung, on the origins of Chez Trente, how he came to rent an entire Star Ferry to run his music festival, and his very ambitious plans for this year's 3-day CT Music Festival on Cheung Chau from 21 to 23 Nov.
Get tickets to this year's CT Music Festival: https://www.eventbrite.hk/e/ct-music-fest-vol-3-tickets-1408256074829
Get tickets for Hong Kong Comedy Season shows:
http://comedyseason.hk/
Get tickets for Backstage Comedy shows: https://thebackstagehk.com/
Subscribe to our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/hohopodFollow Chez Trente on https://www.instagram.com/chez.trente
Follow Mohammed on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theothermohammed
Follow Vivek on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/funnyvivek
Comedian and philanthropist Maityreyi Karanth is this week's guest. Maitreyi started things late in life, and with time passing, she is doing more things, not less. She is partying harder, traveling more, and saying yes to everything coming her way.
Maitreyi headlines her own theatre show on Tuesday, Sep 23, in her biggest show to date. Get tickets here: https://www.ticketflap.com/maitreyi-theatre-25
Maitreyi Karanth Sydney shows: https://sydneyfringe.com/events/annie-louey-and-maitreyi-karanth/
Check out the SCMP's piece on Maitreyi's weight loss journey: https://shorturl.at/i7EKm
Get tickets for Hong Kong Comedy Season shows:
http://comedyseason.hk/
Get tickets for Backstage Comedy shows: https://thebackstagehk.com/
Subscribe to our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/hohopodFollow Maitreyi Karanth onhttps://www.instagram.com/maitreyi_karanth/
Follow Mohammed on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theothermohammed
Follow Vivek on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/funnyvivek
This week host Mohammed Magdi speaks with two of HK's most well-traveled couples. Cassi Thomas, founder of Chaotic HK Expats, and comedian Garron Chiu.
Garron and Cassi have been a couple for 11 years, and their traveling style has changed over time. They share some of their best tips, why "fighting before the trip" works better, and they share an extremely spicy story of some action they witnessed on the rooftop of an LA hotel.
Get tickets for Hong Kong Comedy Season shows:
http://comedyseason.hk/
Get tickets for Backstage Comedy shows: https://thebackstagehk.com/
Check out Chaos HK om Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chaoshongkong/
Check out Garron Chiu on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamgarron/
Subscribe to our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/hohopod
Follow Mohammed on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theothermohammed
Follow Vivek on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/funnyvivek
Vivek Mahbubani is out of commission for a few weeks as a result of an accident (he will be fine and will make a full recovery), so Mohammed Magdi takes the liberty of picking co-hosts. This week we have strategy consultant, comedian, and one of HK's best success stories, Ben Quinlan.
Mohammed and Ben chat about mega events in Hong Kong, their love for the city they both call home, and Ben's upcoming theater show on Sep 21.
Get tickets for Ben Quinlan's Theatre Show on Sep 21: https://www.ticketflap.com/benquinlanhk
Get tickets for Hong Kong Comedy Season shows:
http://comedyseason.hk/
Get tickets for Backstage Comedy shows: https://thebackstagehk.com/
Subscribe to our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/hohopod
Follow Mohammed on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theothermohammed
Follow Vivek on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/funnyvivek
Hong Kong got hit with the highest daily August rainfall since 1884! Mohammed's building gets a fancy "indoor waterfalls" feature, and he gets hired to be a tour guide for a few hours by comedy show audience members!
Get tickets for Hong Kong Comedy Season shows:
http://comedyseason.hk/
Get tickets for Backstage Comedy shows: https://thebackstagehk.com/
Subscribe to our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/hohopod
Follow Mohammed on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theothermohammed
Follow Vivek on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/funnyvivek
We are back in the studio, and we catch up on Vivek's recent tour of Malaysia and Singapore and Mohammed accidentally turning to a toothbrush head dealer for a day, and then we get into Hong Kong Comedy Season chat. What exactly is Hong Kong Comedy Season? Why start it, and why now? And what you, the audience, should expect.
Get tickets for Hong Kong Comedy Season shows:
http://comedyseason.hk/
Get tickets for Backstage Comedy shows: https://thebackstagehk.com/
Subscribe to our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/hohopod
Follow Mohammed on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theothermohammed
Follow Vivek on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/funnyvivek
Vivek took his long-awaited holiday in a fancy villa in Bali with 10 of his closest people (Mohammed Magdi didn't make the cut), but he did the holiday in the most Vivek way possible.
We also catch up on the shows Vivek did in Macau with Jimmy O. Yang. How different were they from the Hong Kong shows? And he reveals the crazy souvenir he had to take back from his dressing room.
Get tickets for Hong Kong Comedy Season shows:
http://comedyseason.hk/
Get tickets for Backstage Comedy shows: https://thebackstagehk.com/
Subscribe to our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/hohopod
Follow Mohammed on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theothermohammed
Follow Vivek on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/funnyvivek
Romanian comedian Victor Pãtrãşcan has been on the road for 5 years non-stop. He stops by Hong Kong for his first time to headline, and we catch up with him before the show. We chat about the reason he self-produces his shows, racketeering, and Europe's lack of borders.
Get tickets for Hong Kong Comedy Season shows:
http://comedyseason.hk/
Get tickets for Backstage Comedy shows: https://thebackstagehk.com/
Subscribe to our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/hohopod
Follow Victor Pãtrãşcan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/victorpatrascan/
Check out Victor's website:
https://victorpatrascan.com/
Follow Mohammed on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theothermohammed
Follow Vivek on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/funnyvivek
Host Vivek Mahbubani had the honor of opening for Jimmy O. Yang on all 5 shows in Hong Kong at the Hong Kong Coliseum, in front of 7000 people each show. Vivek shares the full story of the surreal experience.
Get tickets for Backstage Comedy shows: https://thebackstagehk.com/
Subscribe to our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/hohopod
Leave us a review: (please!) https://www.ratethispodcast.com/hohohkpod
Follow Mohammed on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theothermohammed
Follow Vivek on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/funnyvivek
Comedian Drew Fralick is a rare breed. He is a comedian, but he is also a full-time pastor and a licensed mental health counselor. He performs stand-up comedy in English and Mandarin. Host Mohammed Magdi catches up with Drew over a shisha session, and they cover everything, from the tales of living in downtown Detroit to creating what's possibly the only comedy club that's part of a church in America.
Get tickets for Backstage Comedy shows: https://thebackstagehk.com/
Subscribe to our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/hohopod
Leave us a review: (please!) https://www.ratethispodcast.com/hohohkpod
Check out Drew Fralick's Blog: https://www.drewfralick.com/
Follow Mohammed on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theothermohammed
Follow Vivek on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/funnyvivek
Singaporean comedian Jacky Ng just proposed to his girlfriend at Hong Kong Disneyland! Host Vivek Mahbubani chats with Jacky about all the creative and clever ways people rent out their public housing units, the Singapore comedy scene, the "shock" of performing in more politically correct markets, and all the secrets to a perfect marriage proposal at Hong Kong Disneyland.
Get tickets for Backstage Comedy shows: https://thebackstagehk.com/
Subscribe to our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/hohopod
Leave us a review: (please!) https://www.ratethispodcast.com/hohohkpod
Check out Jacky Ng's website: https://www.jacky.sg/
Follow Mohammed on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theothermohammed
Follow Vivek on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/funnyvivek
Indian comedian Daniel Fernandes' profile is on the rise, as well as the threats of violence, arrest, and nasty comments on his online videos. We catch up with Daniel Fernandes while he's in Hong Kong to chat about his recent video about Kashmir, the importance of "do nothing days," and why he is not concerned at all about negative backlash.
Get tickets for Backstage Comedy shows: https://thebackstagehk.com/
Subscribe to our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/hohopod
Leave us a review: (please!) https://www.ratethispodcast.com/hohohkpod
Follow Daniel Fernandes on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/absolutelydanny/
Check out Daniel Fernandes' Youtube Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/@absolutelydanny
Follow Mohammed on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theothermohammed
Follow Vivek on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/funnyvivek
Karys Plaxe is a long time HK resident, and recently wrapped up her time as Black Sheep Restaurant Group's head pastry chef. Karys’ career before HK ranged from working in MICHELIN-starred pastry programs to overseeing top-level international bakeries where she honed her creative finesse. Apart from being the driving force behind Hong Kong's most famous cake shop, Butter, Karys has also spent the last few years cultivating her passion for yoga. She now hosts all-levels yoga classes, and is taking some time to decelerate and prepare for her next career steps.
We chat with Karys about our many issues with Vission Bakery, her work at Dominique Ansel Bakery at the height of the 'cronut' hype, and her recent decision to leave Butter Cake Shop.
Get tickets for Backstage Comedy shows: https://thebackstagehk.com/
Subscribe to our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/hohopod
Leave us a review: (please!) https://www.ratethispodcast.com/hohohkpod
Follow Karys Plaxe on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karys.loves.kale
Follow Karys Plaxe's yoga page on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yogatogether.hk/
Follow Mohammed on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theothermohammed
Follow Vivek on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/funnyvivek
Paul Taylor is an English comedian. He moved to Paris in 2009 and started doing stand-up comedy in 2013. Taylor is known in France for his TV series on Canal+, What the F*ck France, What's Up France?, and Stereotrip, but he got his onstage debut with his show #Franglais. Host Mohammed Magdi and Paul met in Shanghai in 2017 when Paul toured his show #franglais across Asia. In 2025, Paul is touring the world with his new show, "100% in English." We catch up with Paul ahead of his Hong Kong show, and we chat about going viral in France, his time working at Apple, and his jump from working in the corporate world to a world-touring comedian.
Catch Paul Taylor on tour: https://paultaylorcomedy.com/tickets
Subscribe to Paul Taylor's Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/paultaylor
Get tickets for Backstage Comedy shows: https://thebackstagehk.com/
Subscribe to our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/hohopod
Follow Paul on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ptcomedy
Follow Mohammed on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theothermohammed
Follow Vivek on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/funnyvivek
On our episode #199, dated 11 December 2024, we chatted about our wish wishlist for live shows to see in Hong Kong. Cut to May 2025, and we are sitting together watching one of the shows that was on top of that list, and it did not disappoint.
Get tickets for Backstage Comedy shows: https://thebackstagehk.com/
Subscribe to our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/hohopod
Leave us a review: (please!) https://www.ratethispodcast.com/hohohkpod
Follow Mohammed on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theothermohammed
Follow Vivek on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/funnyvivek