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 ...

Jesse Appell left everything behind to pursue a comedy career in China, where Western-style club comedy was just finding its footing. By Sopan Deb Becoming a successful comedian in the United States ...

With her short hair and unshowy clothing, Fan Chunli looks every bit the middle-aged woman from rural China. Among a crowd of youngsters vying to become the next breakout star in one of China’s most ...

American comic Appell debuts with a funny and insightful memoir about his Chinese comedy career. While in college, Appell became fascinated with xiangsheng, a traditional Chinese comedy method ...

Comedian Xi Diao says he knows he should avoid talking politics on stage, but sharing a family name with Chinese President Xi Jinping makes it hard to resist. Even his name is politically sensitive, ...

BEIJING (AP) — Under rotating ceiling fans in hot, crowded bars, an edgier form of entertainment is emerging in China that reflects greater cultural freedom: stand-up comedy. The jokes told in these ...

Comedy has become a way for women to skewer China’s gender inequality. Some men aren’t happy about it. By Vivian Wang Reporting from Beijing On the list of topics best avoided by China’s comedians, ...

Elon Musk thrilled social media during his China visit with his playful antics. From touristy shots of filming 360-degree ...

NEW YORK, February 12, 2026 — Bilingual comedian and author Jesse Appell speaks with New York-based comedian Tony Chou about comedy, culture, and what it means to find humor across borders. Having ...