KYLE MURPHYStaff Writer

Continuing an annual tradition, American stand-up comedian and latest member of the Grand Ole Opry Henry Cho returns to Tullahoma this Friday, Jan. 13, for his annual comedy show at South Jackson Performing Arts Center.

Showtime is at 7 p.m. and tickets are $25 in advance and $27 at the door. According to South Jackson officials, only a few tickets for single are left. Tickets at the door will be limited. For more information about tickets, call 455-5321 or visit southjackson.org.

Cho has been performing stand-up comedy for nearly 40 years, and is known for being a “clean” comedian, where he abstains from using profanity and objectionable material in his acts. His clean routine has earned him the nickname “Mr. Clean.”

“There are subjects I don’t talk about because no one wants to hear that,” Cho said in an interview with the Grand Ole Opry. “If you are going to come to my show you are going to come and have a good time. We are not going to get up on a soapbox or talk about this or that. You already heard that on talk radio.”

Prior to his upcoming performance, Cho received a surprise this past week when he was invited to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry this past week. The invitation was presented to Cho, along with comedian and musician Gary Mule Deer, during a Facebook livestream where Friday, Jan. 6, where the two were talking with musician Marty Stuart about what makes comedy special at the Grand Ole Opry during The Opry’s return to the Ryman Auditorium for the month of January.

“I have been fortunate enough to play hundreds of venues throughout the country and what not,” Cho said in the interview, “but when you walk backstage to the Ryman, I mean just the fact there is a picture of Elvis and Johnny Cash and their kids if that doesn’t get you as a performer then you are in the wrong place. The history of the Ryman and the Grand Ole Opry is a special thing.”

Cho is The Opry’s first Asian acts who appear regularly.

Towards the end of the interview, Stuart presented the invitation to become members of The Opry to both Cho and Mule Deer, leaving them stunned. Later on in the evening, both Connie Smith and Stuart, her husband, welcomed Cho and Mule Deer to the stage where they announced to the audience of their invitation to The Opry.

Cho went to social media to announce his membership.

“Never in my wheelhouse, never on my radar but I am so excited and honored,” Cho said.

Cho and Mule Deer will become the 229th and 230th members of the cast of the near century-old program and will be the first comedians inducted into the Opry since Jerry Clower in 1973. Both comedians have given over 100 performances at The Opry each.

South Jackson Chairman Greg Gressel congratulated Cho on his membership to the Grand Ole Opry. 

“We are always excited to have Henry Cho with us at South Jackson Performing Arts Center and we are grateful to be his first venue as a member of the Grand Ole Opry,” Gressel said. 

Cho’s work can be heard throughout the week on XM Radio’s Channel 151, Laugh USA, Sirius Radio’s Blue Collar Radio Channel 103 and Pandora Radio’s PG Comedy Radio Channel. Cho was the keynote entertainer for the 59th Annual Radio & Television Correspondents’ Dinner and has worked extensively with various acts like Vince Gill, Amy Grant, Willie Nelson, Carrie Underwood, Reba and many others.

Cho has been featured on many television shows including “The Arsenio Hall Show,” “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” and “The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson.” In 2006, he had his own Comedy Central special entitled “Henry Cho: What’s That Clickin’ Noise?” which is available on iTunes and Apple TV.

He has also appeared in the feature films “Revenge of the Nerds III: The Next Generation” in 1992, “Bandit: Beauty and the Bandit” in 1994, “McHale’s Navy” in 1997, “Say It Isn’t So” in 2001 and “Material Girls” in 2006. Some of Cho’s recent works include films like “Saving Faith” in 2017, which he co-starred and co-produced, “The Farmer and the Belle: Saving Santaland” in 2020 and appearing in the television show “Stand Up Nashville!” in 2020.