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Jesse Appell

If I’ve learned anything about how to perform intercultural comedy, it is that the more absurd my life seems to be, the better a job I am doing as a comedian.
Whenever I find myself about to go onstage in front of an audience of Chinese speakers, I recall that compared to most of my fellow US college graduate friends, my life has completely descended into absurdity.
But I enjoy the absurdity, and have decided to embrace it and double down. So, it is with great pleasure that I have the chance to announce the Great LOL of China North America Tour!

I will be doing Chinese-language comedy shows at universities across the continent, as well as English-language talks about Xiangsheng, humor, and how comedy brings people together. Along the way, I aim to answer questions that many were too smart to ask, such as:
“Why should Americans and Canadians care about Chinese comedy?”
“Is this really what you do with your time?”
“Really?”
I am looking forward to sharing the experiences of this tour with my friends who read The Great LOL blog here on SCMP. There will be ups and downs, laughter and confusion, and surely at least one deathly, ringing silence.
But through it all, I hope to get the chance to share with the people of my own country and language the wonderful things I have learned about the Chinese people and their culture. There is too little knowledge about China abroad, and I hope that by making people laugh, maybe they will learn something as well.
Off to Vancouver for the first leg of the tour! Stay tuned!
Interested in the tour? For dates, times, and to book a performance, head to www.laughbeijing.com
The Great LOL of China is a blog that aims to share the topics and themes that make Chinese audiences laugh. Its creator is Jesse Appell, an intercultural comedian who performs Chinese-language comedy all around China.


The Great LOL of China North America Tour!

Jesse in a promotional image for his North America tour. Photo: Jesse Appell

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American Fulbright scholar Jesse Appell, who fancies himself an "intercultural comedian". Photo: Jesse Appell

Appell has spent the past ten months in Beijing  and currently has no plans to leave. Photo: Jesse Appell

Despite surface differences, Appell argues that Chinese and Western comedy are largely the same. Photo: Jesse Appell

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Jesse Appell performing stand-up Chinese language comedy. Photo: Jesse Appell

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The Great LOL of China

The Great LOL of China | The Great LOL of China North America Tour!