‘Emotional damage’ creator Steven He visits ITE, says Singapore’s COE prices would shock his Asian Dad
Steven He, the comedian behind the viral “emotional damage” catchphrase, visited ITE College Central on 9 Oct to meet students and share insights into content creation, acting and filmmaking.
The Chinese-Irish American creator, 29, known for parodying stereotypical Asian parenting in his comedy sketches, also experienced Singaporean culture firsthand during his first visit to the country.
Source: @lizespero on Instagram
Speaking to MS News, He said Singapore’s Certificate of Entitlement (COE) prices would give his fictional Asian Dad character plenty of material for a skit.
“I think the car one, the COE, that is intense,” he said, after hearing how much the certificate can cost relative to the price of a car.
“That is emotional damage right there.”
‘Emotional damage’ catchphrase started as a joke about video games
On 9 Oct, he visited ITE College Central for a live talk, question-and-answer session, photo opportunities and a signing session.
He spoke with aspiring creators about what it takes to build something meaningful.
He has built a following through YouTube and TikTok sketches, particularly those featuring an exaggerated Asian father who puts pressure on his children to succeed.
Source: Steven He on Facebook
Despite the phrase becoming widely recognisable online, he said its popularity was largely accidental.
The comedian explained that he was writing a sketch about how Asian gamers were so skilled that video games needed to become more difficult to challenge them.
While brainstorming different forms of damage in the game, he came up with “physical damage”, “magical damage” and eventually “emotional damage”.
The sketch was uploaded but did not gain traction immediately.
“Overnight it popped off, four months after it was already public,” he recalled.
He credited the internet for turning the phrase into a viral sensation, adding that he did not deserve all the credit for its popularity.
“Thank you guys, if you’ve ever shared it or if you’ve ever shouted it to your parents in the kitchen, I appreciate that,” he said.
Source: @lizespero on Instagram
Singapore’s COE prices would give Asian Dad ’emotional damage’
During the interview, he was asked which uniquely Singaporean frustration would most likely upset his Asian Dad character.
His response: COE prices.
He said that he had heard that the cost of obtaining a COE could be almost as much as the car itself.
“So, you’re effectively paying double,” he said.
He then joked that Singapore might eventually introduce certificates for footwear.
“I hope they don’t tax shoes next,” he said, imagining a future where people might need to pay for shoes if traffic on the streets worsened.
He also found the local expression “can is can” amusing, saying he might start using it regularly.
Source: @lizespero on Instagram
Steven He sees similarities between Singaporean and Asian parenting
He said one of the things that surprised him most about Singapore was how distinct its cultures remained.
Rather than different communities blending into a single shared culture, he felt Singapore had retained recognisable cultural identities.
He also noticed similarities between the academic pressures faced by students here and those he experienced growing up in Asia.
“You can feel parents want the kids to become like lawyers and doctors,” he said.
Source: @lizespero on Instagram
Speaking about his conversations with ITE students, he said they were “lovely and wonderful”.
But he could also sense the pressure they faced.
He added that such expectations were relatable across cultures and could provide material for future comedy sketches with a Singaporean flavour.
For He, the familiarity of these experiences is part of what makes his comedy resonate with audiences around the world.
His advice for aspiring creators: Learn from people who have failed
He also shared advice for students who might feel discouraged after being rejected from their preferred career paths.
Drawing from his experience in media, content creation, acting and filmmaking, he encouraged them to study creators and companies they admired, including their failures.
He suggested examining the journeys of 10 people or companies to understand how common setbacks were.
“If you, for example, made your 100th video and nobody watched it, you’re not behind at all,” he said.
He pointed out that even successful creators such as PewDiePie and MrBeast had to work towards building their audiences.
His message was that an unsuccessful attempt does not mean someone is falling behind, but could instead be part of one’s process in developing their craft.
First Singapore visit coincides with hazy conditions
He said this was his first time visiting Singapore and that he had arrived three nights before the interview.
Asked about the haze, he said he had heard about the conditions and found them surprising.
Source: @lizespero on Instagram
“I can’t see very far because of it,” he said.
Despite the haze, He said he was enjoying learning more about Singapore, from its food to its local expressions and multicultural society.
He found the way “intact different cultures are” to be impactful in Singapore.
To him, other countries with diverse nationalities or races create a melting pot of culture, but in Singapore, he felt that the distinct cultures were retained.
“It is really nice seeing almost different chunks, different areas, different geographical locations [to represent different cultures],” he told MS News.
“Even within one location, like a restaurant, for example, I’ve seen an Indian section, and then I’ve seen a Chinese section, um, and I think having your whole culture represented holistically in this mixing pot is just special.”
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Featured image adapted from @lizespero on Instagram.
