Ronny Chieng: Asian Comedian Destroys America was my introduction to Chieng’s stand up. I am most familiar with his roles as a Daily Show correspondent, and in Crazy Rich Asians.

What a solid performance! I listen to a lot of stand-up comedians’ podcasts, so I understand how much “working out” it takes to perfect an hour’s worth of original material.  Spending months and months across multiples “small” crowds to perfect material is not easy, so I really appreciate seeing the thoughtfulness in the pace of performance compared to quick laughs.

Chieng provides a comprehensive view of his style, flair, and personality on stage. He uses his facial expressions in a fantastic fashion. His tailored suit and divinely coiffed hair, and his commanding voice  kept me attentive.

Chieng’s comedy style: shawty is so my type of comedian. He basically asks simple questions, and wants direct answers. He’s cynical and it totes relatable. I want to be his best friend—he’s so honest. When he speaks about his upbringing in Malaysia and Singapore, it connects with so many other immigrant family stories I hear from other comedians and artists. It brings a heightened awareness to their craft, and helps me understand the diversity of struggle.

The story about his marriage(s) to one wife was fucking hilarious, and an awesome conclusion.

Favorite joke: the one scene I’ve played for a week straight was when he described the nauseating interactions he has with his wife’s friends when they find out he does stand up. I loved it more because he basically flexed about how hard he works to make “big” and “small” shows an equal experience for his audiences, and I think that’s something lacking with the over-accessibility of content and talent these days. That he actually CARES to provide his best each time he hits the stage is admirable.

The ISIS joke was bold. So glad he said it.