Family gatherings can be awkward and uncomfortable, and there’s nobody who knows that better than John Luc, aka MyChonny, who became internet famous for his over-the-top portrayals of living in a loud, brash and unapologetic Chinese-Vietnamese family in Melbourne’s outer suburbs. A Youtuber for almost two decades, Luc’s charm and relatability hinged on his over the top, sometimes offensive, but often deeply relatable depictions of growing up Asian-diasporic in Australia. From B+ grades in English, to the gargantuan weight of parental expectations, Luc’s depictions were one of the first in Australian media to highlight the ridiculousness and darkly funny side of the Asian immigrant experience – without the earnestness and overachieving.

His latest show, Chonny: A Family Gathering, sets a familiar scene, which many would recognise from Luc’s many videos surrounding his ‘Asian-nese’ upbringing. Though he is wizened – now a husband and father and a far cry from his low-res family impressions on a webcam – Luc’s observations of being Asian-diasporic in white society have more or less stayed the same.

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Opening the show with a monologue on the state of Australian labelling of instant noodles, Luc notes that although 2026 purports to be inclusive period for all races, there are still hypocrisies in how Asian-diasporic people are perceived and labelled. “Oriental flavour, what is that even supposed to mean?” he wonders, asking the audience, mostly Asian-diasporic themselves, to consider how homogenisation of Asian cultures is still ever present in a so-called progressive society. Luc then explores the shallow, often problematic representations of Asian-diasporic culture on Australian television – noting network television stalwarts Neighbours and Bondi Rescue that sought at once to ridicule and other Asian-diasporic characters in front of a white audience.

Now, reclaiming the stage to a predominantly Asian-diasporic audience, Luc reverts these perceptions, highlighting the hypocrisies and often shallow invocations of the white gaze, while creating a safe space for his crowd to embrace the very multifaceted and often under-appreciated aspects of their diverse cultural identities. Through Luc’s more personal stories and anecdotes, it’s easy to feel a sense of camaraderie grow, with many reminiscing on how MyChonny acted as an unexpected unifier against the isolation and otherness felt on predominately white playgrounds in the early-2000s.

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Luc’s observations are – like his YouTube comedy – loud, exaggerated and hinge on some offensive and uncomfortable stereotypes which, at times, made the family gathering feel more like a chore. More onerous moments of the show were when Luc thrived on shocked reactions from audience members. Falling into extended tangents which lean more on edge than depth, Luc highlights why it is important for all artists to evolve from their teenage worldviews – especially if they want to tap into new demographics.

While some jokes are demonstrably stuck in the edgy YouTube humour of the 2000s, ones that land remind audience members why MyChonny was such a pillar of hope in amongst austere and subdued depictions of Asian-diasporic identity in popular culture and media. Luc uses familiar examples and imagery that many could relate to, cringe at, and see themselves deeply in. Extracurricular tutoring through Kumon, karaoke on a Wednesday night, weddings at Chinese restaurants, all brought pleasant pangs of nostalgia, which emphasise the more warm and generous feelings of spending time with family.

Over the course of his hour-long set, Luc shows why he became a pioneer in reshaping perceptions of Asian-diasporic identity in Australia: he gives himself permission to be funny, messy and unapologetically embarrassing. Nearly 20 years after finding an audience on YouTube, he has grown alongside many of the people now watching him live. Like the best, and most trying family gatherings, the show ultimately suggests that some things never change, for better or worse, familiarity can be comforting even when it makes us cringe.

Chonny: A Family Gathering was performed at the Space Theatre on Saturday September 26