You may recognize the faces of the Lucas Brothers from their brief but show-stealing appearance in the comedy 22 Jump Street, in which they starred as the quirky twin brothers, Keith Yang and Kenny Yang, who were so eerily similar that they seemed exactly the same person. When they perform stand up comedy, however, they have a much more relaxed style. Watching them feels more like having a conversation with an entertaining friend. Yet through their breezy exteriors, a passion for comedy still shines through in their work.
“The passion comes from being able to create and make stuff. Waking up every day, having that and getting to make jokes with your brother,” Keith said in an interview with the Voice.
The brothers have learned a lot over the years on their comedy journey, especially since they dropped out of their respective law programs at Duke and NYU after realizing that they wanted to pursue something more creative. Kenny acknowledged that in the beginning, it could be difficult when sets did not go as well as they had hoped.
“We trust each other a lot more now. I think that just comes with experience and taking your bumps on the road. It’s figuring out the process that works both for each person,” Keith added.
Now, Keith and Kenny are on tour with a new show—one that is more personal.
“We hope not only to share something that’s autobiographical and emotionally relevant, but also something that’s intellectually grounded,” Kenny said.
During their daily writing process, they reflect on both their past and on what the future may hold. Their 2017 Netflix special On Drugs, reflects their takes on topics like pay inequality, police brutality, and drugs. Comparatively, in their new show, the brothers aim to evoke emotions, which, they hope, will be cathartic. The brothers want to incorporate their interest in philosophy—which they explored during their college years—into their jokes, too. The show will also show their growth; to them, it feels more organized and thoughtfully pieced together. They exhibit a deep wisdom when they say they have learned from their past performances and hope to move past the bumps along the way.
The Lucas Brothers’ ambition reaches far beyond their goals for their tour. Currently, they are hard at work with Emmy Award-winning writer, producer, and comedian Judd Apatow to develop a feature script in which they will star as well. Additionally, they are set to star in The Come Up, a comedy pitch recently purchased by Jermaine Fowler. The Lucases are planning more personal projects, too, such as a memoir and a podcast.
But for now, they join their comedic contemporaries to make sure their voices stand out.
“Right now we’re living in a golden age of comedy because there’s just so many more voices,” Keith said. “There’s more outlets for voices that have been historically marginalized, and I think that makes comedy more pure, more rich.”
Kenny echoed this statement. “I think we are all just blessed and privileged to be around right now. I mean, despite all the crazy shit that’s happening—there’s a lot of madness, of course, but we do have some good things going on for society,” Kenny said.
The Lucas Brothers will be performing at the Arlington Cinema and Drafthouse on Nov. 9. More information can be found on their website.
