VALLEY VIEW — Kai Morgan knows he’s a little different.
He was one of the few “non-Caucasian” kids to graduate from Tri-Valley High School, and comes from a mixed ethnic background of what he describes as “Filipino” and “Pennsylvania Dutch.”
Today, at 27, Morgan’s taken a humorous approach to his Pennsylvania Dutch roots and created a comedic alter ego, “Dutch Master Morgan.”
As a part-time comedian, Morgan has been hosting stand-up events since November in Schuylkill, Dauphin and Northumberland counties, many of them to benefit volunteer fire departments. In his day job, he’s a full-time EMT with Lebanon County EMS, Cleona.
“When we were kids, we used to imitate our teachers’ accents, teachers who we didn’t like, and my dad,” Morgan, Valley View, a son of Scott and Roxanne Morgan, said.
He said his late paternal grandparents, Paul and Avice Morgan, were from Pitman and were “Dutch.” His mother is from Binan City, Philippines.
Morgan is a 2007 Tri-Valley High School graduate and a 2009 graduate of McCann School of Business and Technology, Pottsville, with an associate degree in medical assisting.
Since he and his brother, Jon, first posted their video on Facebook of driving through Valley View about a year ago, thousands have viewed his Facebook page and subsequent postings. In the videos, Morgan uses a distinct “Dutchified” accent as he spews forth his everyday observations. He said he just came up with the name “Dutch Master Morgan” and it stuck.
His character is no portrayal of any particular person, he said. He gets ideas based on his observations of relatives, neighbors, school teachers and people in the community. Part of his show includes misconceptions about normal things in life, pronunciation of words, youth, religion and racism. He also plays guitar and sings parodies.
Morgan is also a musician and has been a past member of the bands Monkey Business and Chronic Tide, as a guitarist, drummer, pianist and vocalist.
“You have to know your crowd in each situation,” Morgan said. “I’m still getting a better awareness of that and the population. I do research and I try to get to know people from the area.”
Some of the typical stereotypes people may assume about the Pennsylvania Dutch are that they’re not intelligent or are simple-minded, that they’re set in their ways and that they’re all Republicans, he said.
Morgan admits he uses profane language in his performances and tells jokes about adult-related topics.
“I try not to be too offensive, but it is out there,” he said.
Morgan does post a disclaimer on his site: “Dutch Master Morgan does not condone any expressed statements in regard to creed, race, sex or religion mentioned in this video.”
Some of his videos posted on Facebook include “Schuylkill Haven: The Little Town That Thought It Could;” “Kulpmont: The Town Where Everyone Gets Pulled Over;” “Mount Carmel: PA’s 3rd Best Place To Retire” and “Pillow Fight in Pillow, PA.”
Jen Bass, a bartender at the North End Fire Company Social Club, Pine Grove, saw Morgan’s Facebook videos and contacted him about doing stand-up as a fundraiser for the fire department last November.
“We gave him his start,” Bass said. “I reached out to him. He’s a really good guy whose goal is to help these volunteer fire companies. He puts other people first. He’s been here three times, and every time the crowd gets bigger and better.”
Other fire companies have taken note of Morgan’s surging popularity. Ricky Leese, a member of Muir Fire Company, said he scheduled Morgan’s stand-up show as a fundraiser for his department on March 26, and all 50 tickets have already sold out.
“Wow, I couldn’t believe it,” Leese said. “I thought this would bring something different to do for the firehouse, and hopefully, the second show will sell out just as quickly.”
When Morgan heard the first show had sold out, he agreed to put on a second performance at the fire company’s request.
A second show is slated for March 25 at Muir Fire Company, 107 W. Church St., Muir. There’s a $5 donation to get in. Doors open at 6 p.m., the kitchen will be open from 6 to 8 p.m., and Morgan’s show will run from 9 to 11 p.m. Tickets will be available at the door, only if the second show is not sold out, Leese said. To get tickets, email muirtickets650@yahoo.com.
Morgan gets paid by the fire departments to appear, he said.
A group of friends have also been instrumental in lending their support, according to Morgan. He said Randy Jarrell, Mount Carmel, is his opening act and someone he bounces ideas off before delivering the jokes publicly. His Valley View neighbor, Corey Conrad, has filmed many of his videos and shows.
One adoring fan recently created a T-shirt for Morgan, featuring the words “Chust Look” and a pair of sunglasses and a hat. “Chust” is the phonetic spelling for how someone would say “just,” he explained, and Morgan’s frequently seen sporting a baseball cap and sunglasses in his videos.
His sister, Jasmine, created a shirt too, with the phrase “If it ain’t Dutch, it ain’t much” and presented it to him as a Christmas gift. “Dutch Master Morgan” was emblazoned on the front.
Another compliment came from comedian Raymond, The Amish Comic.
“He messaged me and told me my accent was ‘spot on,’ ” Morgan said.
Morgan’s a bit more realistic when it comes to his comedic hobby becoming his vocation. Although he’s a fan of the late comedians Robin Williams and George Carlin, he doesn’t plan on making comedy his full-time career.
“I would never want to give up EMS. It’s something I have pride in doing,” he said.