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What Now? with Trevor Noah

Atsuko Okatsuka: Can You Ever Really Go Home Again?

02 Apr 2026

Transcription

Chapter 1: What is discussed at the start of this section?

4.452 - 17.594 Atsuko Okatsuka

When you watch like a true crime or when you read an actual like how a serial killer killed, there's a lot of clumsiness to it because it's a human person. There's nuance. So it's not as exciting and on your toes. Is that?

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17.795 - 19.778 Trevor Noah

Do you know what I'm saying? So you know what it actually is?

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19.758 - 23.523 Atsuko Okatsuka

I thought you were saying that. No, what it actually is... It's like he dropped the knife.

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23.543 - 30.212 Trevor Noah

No, what it actually is is the formula that they tell the stories. So they start to all do the exact same thing in the exact same way.

0

30.372 - 30.632 Unknown

Right.

30.672 - 33.817 Trevor Noah

So it'll be the same music and then someone comes and sits down in a chair.

34.057 - 34.277 Unknown

Oh, yeah.

34.297 - 46.255 Trevor Noah

And then they'll be like, so the first time I met Brian, I was working at an ice cream parlor and like... He just seemed like a regular guy.

46.436 - 50.906 Unknown

Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom. Oh, I like this. Then they'll be like the local news.

Chapter 2: How do personal experiences shape Atsuko's comedy?

473.188 - 475.652 Atsuko Okatsuka

I got stuck in a long game of Scrabble. That's why.

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476.153 - 486.49 Trevor Noah

I was in this game of Scrabble. Yeah. Well, big words. Words. I don't do good with words. You know what? The words are not the problem for me. It's the letters that you can combine that aren't words that are worth something.

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486.47 - 487.411 Atsuko Okatsuka

Yes, that too.

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487.431 - 489.815 Trevor Noah

I don't understand that. That to me is like, it's not words.

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489.835 - 510.426 Atsuko Okatsuka

I'm actually not a big game person. I like conversating more. So by a door is what I like. Like, oh, kitchen, like, you know, chatting about something. That's the vibe. Getting to know a person, thoughts on something. I like that a little more than like calling out Uno, I guess, you know, or describing who I'm looking at in a game of guess who.

511.348 - 511.448

Yeah.

511.428 - 517.497 Atsuko Okatsuka

Tell me about your mom. How's your mom doing? You know, I like that more. So, yes.

517.517 - 521.723 Trevor Noah

You should make like your own games nights where all the games are just about getting to know people.

521.884 - 522.204 Atsuko Okatsuka

Yes.

Chapter 3: What insights does Atsuko share about her family dynamics?

925.964 - 947.515 Trevor Noah

Like, take me through your life. Because I... I love meeting people, especially comedians, to be honest. And then like going back through their journey to figure out like how their comedy became their comedy. Yeah. Because I feel like no comedian chooses their style of comedy. Their life is the style that then presents in their comedy.

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947.697 - 949.179 Atsuko Okatsuka

Yes, we're forced into this.

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949.519 - 950.32 Trevor Noah

We are in many ways.

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950.72 - 951.882 Atsuko Okatsuka

And our personalities.

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951.982 - 952.202 Trevor Noah

Yeah.

952.522 - 967.879 Atsuko Okatsuka

Yeah. No, for real. Nobody in my family is comedic or likes to joke. They barely even laugh. Talk. Let's be honest. They barely even talk. At like a dinner table or something. Do you have a lively family?

968.259 - 968.8 Unknown

Yeah.

968.82 - 978.372 Atsuko Okatsuka

Right? Yeah, definitely. My family will sit and eat in silence. Like, who died? You know, it's like that. That's the energy. Very tragic, yeah.

979.293 - 981.177 Trevor Noah

Wait, so where were you born in Japan?

Chapter 4: How does Atsuko describe her journey into stand-up comedy?

983.021 - 983.943 Atsuko Okatsuka

I'm half Taiwanese.

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984.023 - 985.385 Trevor Noah

I did not know this. You see?

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985.726 - 992.419 Atsuko Okatsuka

Ah, yes. I know. That's why it's good we're at this table.

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993.158 - 996.042 Trevor Noah

Okay, wait, so half born in Taiwan, half Taiwanese.

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996.062 - 1016.23 Atsuko Okatsuka

Yeah, yeah. So my grandma's side, my mom's side is Taiwanese. And so I was born there because, so my dad's Japanese. And, you know, my mom and dad had met at a speed dating event in Japan. No way. But once they, you know, they courted each other and then they got married very fast.

1016.21 - 1023.503 Trevor Noah

um from speed dating you have to i mean you want to keep the speed it's in the name yeah why would you why would you slow things down after that

1023.601 - 1048.613 Atsuko Okatsuka

No. Oh, wait, hold on. That was too fast. Let's go back to our respective countries and take it slow. No, she was like, I'm going to move here. And so once she got pregnant with me, she went back to Taiwan to give birth because her brother, my uncle, was studying to be an OBGYN. And so he said, I'll do it for you.

1048.593 - 1070.527 Atsuko Okatsuka

I will practice on... Yeah, that's what I'm saying because studying means... Like he was studying. Yeah, sweetie, that doesn't mean you are it. Studying is worse. Studying is... But it was cheaper, I think, because of it. I was like, was it because of a discount? My family loves a discount. I was like, you let him practice on me?

1070.587 - 1075.815 Trevor Noah

Wait, so your uncle was the OBGYN...

Chapter 5: What insights does Atsuko share about her experience with comedy and identity?

4213.552 - 4221.805 Atsuko Okatsuka

And everyone's like fast and, you know, the killer's crushing it. So it's like meant to entertain. Right. But when you watch like a true crime or when you read...

0

4221.785 - 4249.513 Trevor Noah

an actual like how a serial killer killed there's a lot of clumsiness to it because it's a human person there's nuance so it's not as exciting and on your toes is that do you know what I'm saying no no no so you know what it actually is I thought you were saying that no what it actually is he dropped the knife no what it actually is is the formula that they tell the stories so they start to all do the exact same thing in the exact same way right so it'll be the same music and then someone comes and sits down in a chair oh yeah and then they'll be like

0

4249.493 - 4260.585 Trevor Noah

So the first time I met Brian, I was working at an ice cream parlor. And like, he just seemed like a regular guy.

0

4260.766 - 4265.23 Unknown

Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom. Oh, I like this. Then they'll be like the local news.

0

4265.251 - 4282.576 Trevor Noah

Then they'll be like, a man is searching. The police are searching for a man in connection with four women who've gone missing. This is good. Brian was a really sweet kid and... I mean, he was just a regular kid. He loved baseball. He he he loved hanging out with his friends.

4283.298 - 4286.284 Unknown

Yeah. You know what I mean?

4286.745 - 4296.865 Atsuko Okatsuka

I would watch this version this. But by the way, you know, it's very riveting. This is that's your next hour. Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom. Brian. Yeah.

Chapter 6: How does Atsuko reflect on the pressures of success and family expectations?

4296.845 - 4299.65 Trevor Noah

Yeah. So at some point, I'm just like, I get it.

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4299.671 - 4301.294 Atsuko Okatsuka

I bought ice cream from him. You know me.

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4301.514 - 4302.376 Trevor Noah

Yeah, exactly.

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4302.396 - 4302.516 Atsuko Okatsuka

Yeah.

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4302.937 - 4310.612 Trevor Noah

It's also, I don't think they need to make it as many episodes as they do. They do do that. It's always like a four part. It doesn't need to be four parts. Could be one. They do do that. It should be one.

4311.113 - 4330.027 Atsuko Okatsuka

I know. And it's like, also, you know, as like the families of the victims, you know, being like... Six episodes with boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom. My son died, bitch. My son died. Now everyone's singing the same song. Is this a game to you?

Chapter 7: What does Atsuko reveal about her journey back to Japan and its emotional significance?

4331.069 - 4362.424 Atsuko Okatsuka

Jesus Christ. Oh, a podcast? Three seasons? What about my son died? Do you not understand? Right? Jesus Christ. This is why I'm not a mother. I would stop every podcast. Oh, wow. You know? This is humanity you're playing with. You know? And then they make the narrative version of it. Who's going to play Brian, the killer? Oh, wow. You know? Wait, do you want to be a parent?

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4362.484 - 4366.311 Atsuko Okatsuka

Do you want to be a parent? Do I want to be a parent? Yeah.

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4367.133 - 4368.195 Trevor Noah

I think I go back and forth.

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4368.495 - 4370.339 Atsuko Okatsuka

Oh, okay, okay. Yeah. I'm a no.

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Chapter 8: How does Atsuko's experience with cultural identity influence her comedy?

4370.659 - 4371.24 Trevor Noah

You're a no?

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4371.32 - 4373.785 Atsuko Okatsuka

Yeah, yeah. Husband actually got a vasectomy recently.

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4374.566 - 4375.828 Trevor Noah

That's how strong your no was.

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4375.989 - 4378.393 Atsuko Okatsuka

Yeah, both of us, yeah. We were like, oh, we know.

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4378.994 - 4380.897 Trevor Noah

We know ourselves.

4380.917 - 4405.545 Atsuko Okatsuka

Tell me more. I don't think about it. I never thought about it. I was never like, you know, I don't even know how to connect with kids. I don't even know what they look like, really. They're the little ones. I see them and then, you know, toddlers, when they see me, like babies, they feel this connection. I think they think I'm a baby too. I kind of give baby, I'm a little toddler core.

4406.085 - 4406.546 Atsuko Okatsuka

Do you see it?

4406.706 - 4409.95 Trevor Noah

Like your vibe. Have you always had this like vibe to you?

4410.19 - 4410.991 Atsuko Okatsuka

A little toddler.

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