Popular comedian Tumua Tuinei returns for new MACC shows
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Known for his hilarious videos, Tumua Tuinei keeps cracking folks up online and in his standup shows. In his 2024 special "Strictly Aloha" from the Hawaii Theatre, he opened up riffing on how folks from the mainland can't pronounce his name.
"Every time I go Starbucks, it's always a challenge," he explained. "I walk up. 'Can I get one small coffee?' 'Name for your order?' Tumua. 'Ok, so three small coffees.' No, my name is Tumua. 'Oh sorry, five small coffees.'"
Making his Maui debut in 2022 at a soldout show, Tuinei will present his "Chee Hoo Tour" show Friday and Saturday at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center's Castle Theater.
Describing his style as "observational comedy" rooted in Hawaii's local culture, he sold out the Blaisdell Concert Hall three times within a few hours in December 2021. Then he sold out the 6,500-seat Blaisdell Arena in 2022. In 2024, he performed in 24 cities and 14 states.
Back during the pandemic, he began posting a series of vignettes of colorful "local boy" characters. Providing needed comic relief, the stream of videos included a sleepy Gov. David Ige droning on about COVID measures, a waiter fumbling orders and offering to comp the water, and the bumbling Maunaloa Movers "moving everything from Mauna to lower and everything in between."
Other hit videos included Uber driver Larry needing to look up Honolulu airport's address, the dodgy Craigslist car deal with the free bell, "I see some white stuff" trainee weatherman with Hawaii News Now's Guy Hagi, teaching Josh Tatofi how to sing, and the brilliant "What Your Hawaii High School Says About You" summary.
In one of the funniest comedy bits, he transformed Costco into a playground, raiding the sample trays, sizing shorts with his neck, attempting price matching and getting "stuck" in a freezer.
"I had been doing standup for five years, and I started making video skits in March 2020 since the pandemic hit," he explained. "There was no standup, no live performances, no audiences, so I put together a few videos of hot topics that were happening during the pandemic like toilet paper, and it went viral. Now I keep popping out videos, and it helps with people coming to my shows. It all just fell into place, and I'm just thankful and blessed."
Growing up, Tuinei enjoyed entertaining family and friends with magic tricks. "From there, I found my humor being comfortable in front of an audience and realizing I love to entertain people," he recalled.
Later on, playing football at Punahou and for the University of Hawaii Rainbow Warriors, he translated some of his training to the comedy stage.
"My whole life I was into sports," he said. "The work ethic stayed with me when I switched my career to comedy. It helped me being a perfectionist and never giving up and dealing with adversity."
Tumei counted some of Hawaii's comedy greats like Andy Bumatai, Augie T. and Frank De Lima as influences. "They all paved the way for younger comics like me to find the pathway of local comedy and being clean too," he noted. "If you want to make it big in Hawaii, you've got to do clean comedy, so everyone can enjoy the show."
Like many stand-ups, Tuinei loves riffing with his audience, playfully asking questions and cracking up everyone.
"They call it crowd work," he said. "It makes the audience feel comfortable. Each show is different. You never know what's going to happen, so it's always fun. Stand-up is tough because it's just you on stage, the microphone and the audience. So, it's a great feeling to realize my material works."
In his latest YouTube special "Talk Story: The Crowd Work Special," he spent the entire show interacting with audience members, even inviting some up on stage with him.
"It's completely improvised," he added. "I don't know what I'm going to say. I don't know what you guys going to say. So, if the show sucks, it's your guys' fault. We just going to wing 'em."
Tuinei will perform at the MACC's Castle Theater at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Tickets are $62, $82 and $102 at www.MauiArts.org. A post-show meet and greet upgrade package is available for an additional $113.