On this episode, we sit down with the one and only Jesse Appell—Chinese TV stand-up comedian, blogger, lecturer, tea entrepreneur, and passionate bridge-builder for US–China cultural exchange.
In his newly published book, Jesse shares the unlikely story of how a Fulbright Fellowship to study the traditional Chinese humor form "crosstalk" (xiangsheng) launched him from student to television star, with his video clips capturing more than half a billion views on the Chinese Internet. The conversation touches on several topics:
- How does a foreign performer develop a distinct comedic persona for Chinese audiences?
- What really separates American humor from Chinese humor—and where do they overlap?
- How do stand-up comedians in China stay funny while navigating media censorship?
- And how do audiences differ between diaspora communities in the US and viewers in mainland China?
It's a conversation about comedy, culture, tea, and the art of making people laugh across borders.
"Laowai Style" ("Gangnam Style" parody)
Jesse's book: This Was Funnier in China: An American Comedian's Cross-Cultural Journey
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