Andrew Limbong, host:
The actor Ronny Chien says he does not think if a subject is taboo when he writes his equipment. The correspondent “Daily Show” now has a new standing special where he talks about politics, race and death. It’s called “Ronny Chieng: likes to hate him.” He chatted with Rachel Martin on Wild Card, the interview show where guests answer big questions about their lives, taken from a card game.
(Soundbite of Music)
Rachel Martin, Byline: one, two or three?
Ronny dogg: two.
Martin: two. How do you consciously try to imitate your parents?
Dog: Oh. Wow is a good question. Consciously, I don’t try – I don’t think nothing is so impressive.
(LAUGH)
COGHG: This is how I imitate them because they are not easily impressed by many. And so – no, but in the right direction, I think. You know, they are not likely to …
Martin: Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, I understand.
COGHG: … Showbiz, as, you know, dazzling. So I think that in this way, I have a little, like – I try to see reality as they see, where it is like, oh, yes, it is not a big problem. It is not a great success (laughs).
Martin: Has it already cut the opposite to grow up? Like, if you did something, you wanted them to be proud of you, maybe you were trying a certain reaction, and they were like, huh.
CHOGK: You know, I don’t know. I don’t think I was this impressive child. I haven’t had so many great achievements anyway, so I don’t feel like they’ve been wrong with me by not being impressed (laughs). So, no, I don’t do it – I said to myself, yeah. I was like, you are right. It’s not so impressive …
(LAUGH)
CHOGK: … When I did things, then …
Martin: And do you find that people in your workline are constantly – I don’t know – I suppose, looking for this kind of statement?
Dog: Yeah.
Martin: I mean, do you find yourself falling into this trap?
CHOGG: You know, my work line being the comedy stand-up, without a doubt, we are looking for the assertion by an answer from the crowd to our jokes, right? As, it is – we are looking for a good reaction to a joke, especially laughter. So, in this way, we are – our integrity is compromised. But I also think that we do not leave – we do not believe our own marketing. I think most comics do not do so.
COGHG: Someone told me, as the best comics think their equipment is bad. And there is something about that, I think, as in I do not know a big comic strip which is, oh, my material is the best in the world, you know? You are, like – you always look at other comics and go, guy, this guy is really funny. I need to write a little. You know, it is, like, never over, you know? You never feel like you have the biggest joke in the world, do you know? You are always impressed by someone else’s joke. That’s what I feel, anyway. Yeah.
Martin: OK. Three new cards. One, two or three?
Dogg: one.
Martin: One. What has been a disappointing experience that now looks like a blessing?
Chieng: I could not find a job that comes out of the law faculty. My notes were too bad and I couldn’t be hired. But with hindsight, I am like, oh, guy, I am so happy to have never been hired because I think it would have been more difficult for me to leave a job and to do comedy. Regarding, I’m just …
Martin: Of course. Yeah.
CHOGK: I had nothing to lose, so I could just have comedy. It was not as if I had to choose between comedy and corporate work. I never had to make this decision because I was never hired (laughs). SO…
Martin: Ronny, why don’t you hire? Why were you-what was happening in these interviews?
Chieng: I was not a good student. I was not a good law student. My notes were bad. And I think I was not so smart enough.
Martin: Have your parents were disappointed that it didn’t take you around?
COGHG: No, just because I never told them.
Martin: What do you mean?
COGHG: I didn’t tell them I was doing comedy. They thought I was studying for the bar exam, that I was …
Martin: Yeah.
COGHG: … in all honesty. But at that time, I was just doing comedy. And when they discovered it, it was almost, like, too late (laughs).
Martin: It’s great.
Dog: Yeah. This is the secret.
Martin: So you have just led this separate life. But you were – I mean, assuming that you were in a place good enough for when they discovered it, they were not traumatized. You are like, I am an actor, and I can pay my rent, so it’s okay.
Dog: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
Martin: Is that where you were?
Dog: Yes. They discovered it, honestly, only when I was hired on “The Daily Show”.
Martin: What?
Dog: Yeah (laughs).
Martin: Wow. Did they know what “The Daily Show was?
Dog: No, not really. No. They didn’t know.
Martin: Like, when you called to tell them that I had this thing …
CHOGK: No, they didn’t know.
Martin: No.
Dog: They didn’t know what it was. They didn’t know what it was, but they – after telling them that I had hired, they didn’t know what it was. And then, as, a few days later, they googled it. They discovered everything. They were like, oh, you know, it’s an important spectacle. It is a very famous show. And I’m like, yes, I know. I know it’s important, yes. They somehow trained me to be like, you know, it’s just an opportunity. It doesn’t mean you’re good.
(LAUGH)
COGHG: It just means that you have a chance to do something cool, right? That’s what it was, so that’s why I took it. And that’s really what the strength to be on “The Daily Show” is, like, more than fame or something else. It is, as, this opportunity to work with extremely talented people and to really become better because everyone in this show is so good in their work that you do not want to be the weakest link, and So you lift your game. It’s really the – that’s why it’s the best job in comedy, you know? That makes you a better writer, performer, actor, satirist. You know, this show is – yes. It’s like the Harvard Business School of Comedy.
Martin: Yeah. Ok, three others. One, two or three?
Dog: three.
Martin: three.
Dog: Yeah.
Martin: What is a quality to which you are attracted but do not have?
Dog: wow. This is a very good question. People who are always able to extinguish good energy. I think it’s very invaluable, to always give good energy to other people in the room. I aspire to that. Often, I fail (laughs).
Martin: How do you know?
COGHG: ‘Because I know I’m a grumpy guy. So, often, I am the one who is like, UGH, just, you know.
Martin: Oh.
CHOGK: Sometimes – I try not to drop the atmosphere, but sometimes I am the guy who is like, oh, I have no enthusiasm for this birthday party.
Martin: (laughs).
Dog: And I can’t hide it. But I admire people who always give positive energy. For example, I think it’s a good line.
Martin: I think it’s – I know I have an intolerance – it’s difficult to admit – for really exaggerated positive people. Like, it turns me into the version either of myself.
Cog: OK, when someone is, like, too positive, it becomes boring. As I do not do – I agree with you. I don’t want that. I just say that there is an energy. You know, to answer your initial question, there is an energy that people have what is the right amount of positive, right?
Martin: Yeah.
CHOGK: And that’s what I aspire, and that’s something I think I don’t have.
Martin: I think you are a very positive and charming person.
COGHG: Oh, thank you, thank you. THANKS.
Martin: But I understand what you say, I understand what you are saying.
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Martin: Ronny dogg. His new special, “Love to Hate it”, is currently. It’s really a good time. You should check it. Ronny, thank you very much for doing this.
Chieng: No, thank you for making me.
(Soundbite of Music)
Limbong: To hear a longer version of this conversation, subscribe to the Podcast Wild Card de NPR.
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