Mark Twain once said, “Laughter is the greatest weapon we have and we, as humans, use it the least.”

Perhaps the Asian Pacific American Awareness Coalition has figured this out. It is teaming up with comedian Eliot Chang to bring in laughs while teaching about Asians in the media.

Kay Souvatrat, senior in journalism and mass communication and co-president of the Asian Pacific American Awareness Coalition, says Chang sent flyers that said “This is not Margaret Cho, this is not Dat Phan, this is not Asian comedy.”

Phan is the winner of the popular reality television show “Last Comic Standing” and, unlike Phan, Chang makes a point not to emphasize his ethnicity, Souvatrat says.

“He does have a hint of Asian culture in his comedy, but it is not the primary focus,” says Alex Ung, sophomore in chemical engineering and co-president of the Asian Pacific American Awareness Coalition.

Souvatrat says learning through comedy is a positive way for a message to be made while still keeping the tone light.

“When people talk about issues on race and ethnicity, sometimes people think the tone is going to be intense and people are going to want to get their issues on the table,” she says. “Doing comedy is a lighthearted way to get it out there but still understood.”

Ung says Chang will perform 40 minutes of comedy, followed by 40 minutes of a comedy workshop dealing with the portrayals of Asians in the media.

Chang’s comedic style will allow for Asians in the audience to be comfortable with the discussion while still allowing people from other cultures to be able to recognize common stereotypes and learn something new.

When watching TV, Ung says, he generally sees Asians portrayed as victims.

“Shows I’ve seen show more negative stereotypes,” he says. “In ‘Law and Order,’ they are the victims — they are not portrayed as successful people.”

Souvatrat says coverage isn’t different from any other cultural group — it is just a matter of people recognizing what they see as a stereotype. She says Chang will recognize these observations and ask for audience participation in the workshop.

The comedy show is just one event scheduled in honor of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, Souvatrat says. Although the celebration is officially in May, she says the university celebrates it a month early.

“We just want all sorts of people there, it doesn’t matter who you are or what you look like — it’s a show for everyone to enjoy, and you’ll walk away learning something,” Souvatrat says.

“Exactly — it’s not a lecture, it’s a comedy show,” Ung says. “Everyone can enjoy it.”

What: Comedy show and workshop

Where: Sun Room, Memorial Union

When: 7 p.m. Friday

Cost: Free