Join us for an evening of laughter, storytelling, and cultural insights with bilingual comedian and author Jesse Appell, to celebrate the launch of his new book, This Was Funnier in China. As part of his book tour, he brings his new English-language comedy show, This Show Was Funnier in China, to Asia Society. The show blends humor with personal stories from his life as a Chinese comedian’s apprentice, along with selected readings from the book.
His journey began with a Fulbright Fellowship to Beijing, where he apprenticed under Master Ding Guangquan to learn the traditional Chinese comedy art of Xiangsheng (相声) — a traditional Chinese comedic art form known for its witty dialogue, wordplay, and rapid-fire banter between performers. Often compared to Western stand-up or sketch comedy, Xiangsheng has been a cornerstone of Chinese humor for centuries. Over the next decade, Jesse became a key figure in China’s modern comedy scene, appearing on popular TV shows like Huan Le Xiju Ren (欢乐 喜剧人) and creating viral content that has garnered over 500 million views worldwide.
Following the show, stay for an engaging audience Q&A and discussion about comedy, culture, and what it means to find humor across borders with New York-based comedian Tony Chou, one of the first native Chinese comedians to tour the world performing stand-up in English.
This Was Funnier in China will be available for sale during the event, with a book signing to follow.
Speakers
Jesse Appell is a bilingual comedian, author, social media creator and entrepreneur followed by over 3 million people in both China and the West. His appearances on Chinese TV shows such as Huan Le Xiju Ren 欢乐喜剧人, and his comedy fundraisers during COVID, have led to over 500 million total views of his comedy videos around the world. In 2012, he won a Fulbright Fellowship to move to Beijing and research Chinese traditional Xiangsheng comedy, apprenticing to Master Ding Guangquan, one of the top comedians in
China and the only traditional comedy master to take foreign disciples. Over the following decade, he played a role in the rise of the modern comedy scene in China, a story chronicled in his new book, This Was Funnier in China. He is also the founder of Jesse’s Teahouse, an online tea culture video channel and e-commerce website, and is a leader in bringing Chinese tea culture to the West.
Tony Chou is one of the first native Chinese comedians to tour the world performing stand-up in English. Now based in New York, he has performed across the U.S., China, the U.K., Australia, Ireland, and Asia, appearing in leading comedy clubs and international festivals.
A pioneering figure in China's modern stand-up scene, Tony co-founded the Mandarin-language comedy platform The Humor Section (幽默小区) and co-hosted the award-winning late-night program The Vicious Liang Huan Show. His work has been featured by major global media including the BBC, CNN, The Atlantic, The New York Times, and Bloomberg. Tony has opened for internationally known comedians such as Des Bishop, Ronny Chieng, and Joe Wong. With a background in television journalism and education, he brings a sharp cross-cultural perspective to his performances, connecting audiences through humor that bridges East and West.
This Was Funnier in China: Stand-Up Comedy in China with Jesse Appell and Tony Chou
Host
Thu, Feb 12, 06:30 PM - 07:45 PM (EST)
To be shared on approval (New York)
40 attendees
Join us for an evening of laughter, storytelling, and cultural insights with bilingual comedian and author Jesse Appell, to celebrate the launch of his new book, This Was Funnier in China. As part of his book tour, he brings his new English-language comedy show, This Show Was Funnier in China, to Asia Society. The show blends humor with personal stories from his life as a Chinese comedian’s apprentice, along with selected readings from the book.
His journey began with a Fulbright Fellowship to Beijing, where he apprenticed under Master Ding Guangquan to learn the traditional Chinese comedy art of Xiangsheng (相声) — a traditional Chinese comedic art form known for its witty dialogue, wordplay, and rapid-fire banter between performers. Often compared to Western stand-up or sketch comedy, Xiangsheng has been a cornerstone of Chinese humor for centuries. Over the next decade, Jesse became a key figure in China’s modern comedy scene, appearing on popular TV shows like Huan Le Xiju Ren (欢乐 喜剧人) and creating viral content that has garnered over 500 million views worldwide.
Following the show, stay for an engaging audience Q&A and discussion about comedy, culture, and what it means to find humor across borders with New York-based comedian Tony Chou, one of the first native Chinese comedians to tour the world performing stand-up in English.
This Was Funnier in China will be available for sale during the event, with a book signing to follow.
Speakers
Jesse Appell is a bilingual comedian, author, social media creator and entrepreneur followed by over 3 million people in both China and the West. His appearances on Chinese TV shows such as Huan Le Xiju Ren 欢乐喜剧人, and his comedy fundraisers during COVID, have led to over 500 million total views of his comedy videos around the world. In 2012, he won a Fulbright Fellowship to move to Beijing and research Chinese traditional Xiangsheng comedy, apprenticing to Master Ding Guangquan, one of the top comedians in
China and the only traditional comedy master to take foreign disciples. Over the following decade, he played a role in the rise of the modern comedy scene in China, a story chronicled in his new book, This Was Funnier in China. He is also the founder of Jesse’s Teahouse, an online tea culture video channel and e-commerce website, and is a leader in bringing Chinese tea culture to the West.
Tony Chou is one of the first native Chinese comedians to tour the world performing stand-up in English. Now based in New York, he has performed across the U.S., China, the U.K., Australia, Ireland, and Asia, appearing in leading comedy clubs and international festivals.
A pioneering figure in China's modern stand-up scene, Tony co-founded the Mandarin-language comedy platform The Humor Section (幽默小区) and co-hosted the award-winning late-night program The Vicious Liang Huan Show. His work has been featured by major global media including the BBC, CNN, The Atlantic, The New York Times, and Bloomberg. Tony has opened for internationally known comedians such as Des Bishop, Ronny Chieng, and Joe Wong. With a background in television journalism and education, he brings a sharp cross-cultural perspective to his performances, connecting audiences through humor that bridges East and West.