Comedian Bao Quoc Recalls Youthful Days with Veteran Artists

Acclaimed Vietnamese comedian Bao Quoc, 77, has reminisced about his vibrant early career days, particularly the 1980s and 1990s, when he worked alongside numerous renowned artists. He fondly recalled his time performing stand-up comedy with fellow comedian Duy Phuong in Ho Chi Minh City, where they became a beloved duo entertaining large audiences. His enduring friendship with comedian Bao Chung, spanning over 40 years, was also highlighted, with the two reuniting for a performance at his 60th-anniversary show in 2022. Bao Quoc also paid tribute to veteran artists who have since passed away. He spoke of his admiration for the late comedian Van Chung (1927-2018), whom he didn't collaborate with frequently but attended his funeral in California. He remembered comedian Diep Lang (1941-2023) for his classic role as Hoi Dong Thang in "Doi Co Luu," with whom he worked on comedic cải lương video productions in the 1990s. The comedian also mentioned the late Van Tung (1934-2023), a celebrated comedian in the South during the 1960s-1970s, known as one of the "Seven Gods of Saigon Comedy." Bao Quoc shared his close bond with the late "Prince of Cải Lương," Vu Linh (1958-2023), whom he affectionately called "Brother Six." They frequently worked together on cải lương video productions in the 1990s, when Bao Quoc was already a star and Vu Linh was an emerging talent. He also recalled comedian Kim Ngoc (1944-2011), whose role as Tu "xa lang" in the 1990s television drama "Trong Nha Ngoai Pho" left a strong impression on him. "I still cherish her image even though she is gone," he stated. Bao Quoc, originally from Tay Ninh province, is the sixth of ten siblings. His father was the well-known cải lương actor Lu Hoa Nghia, and his mother, Nguyen Thi Tho, was the producer of the Thanh Minh cải lương troupe, one of the most famous in Saigon. He received the prestigious Thanh Tam Gold Medal in 1967 for cải lương and later became a leading figure in Southern comedy, earning the title "Number One Comedian" from 1991 to 2001. He was awarded the title of Meritorious Artist in 1991.