Back in the United States, Jesse Appell ’12 headlined the Wednesday, April 22 International and Global Studies (IGS) department Meet the Majors event. An alumnus of the IGS department as well as the East Asian Studies (EAS) department, Appell is currently living in China, performing stand-up and other comedic activities. The event also featured kosher Chinese food and an introduction by IGS Professor Chandler Rosenberger. Throughout the talk, Appell went through his various comedic pursuits in China as well as the new culture he had to adjust to.
When Appell started at Brandeis, he was unsure what to major in. He started as an East Asian Studies major and also took some chemistry courses. “I was probably the only student in Chemistry 11A who actually enjoyed chemistry and was not pre-med,” Appell said.
It would not be until his junior year when he studied abroad in China that he would find his passion for Chinese culture. There, he enrolled in an intensive six-month Chinese language program. After returning to Brandeis, Appell knew that he would want to go back to China. What interested him the most was seeing both American and Chinese cultures doing the same things, despite cultural differences.
This led him to pursue a two-month internship in Beijing that eventually led him to receiving a Fulbright Fellowship to learn Chinese comedy. For the past two and a half years, Appell has been working as an apprentice under the wings of various important Chinese comics.
Since leaving for China after his senior year, Appell has earned various opportunities in the spotlight. For example, he has performed on Chinese television and several Chinese comedy clubs.
One thing missing from the comedy scene in China, however, were stand-up or comedic talk show programs. According to Appell, these programs were “nonexistent two years ago in China.” One of Appell’s major goals thus far has been to introduce the Chinese audience to the medium of stand-up comedy. This is contrary to regular Chinese comedy routines, where there is traditionally a back-and-forth between two comedians.
Appell continued the talk by going through some tips that he has learned studying and living abroad in China. The “strangling phenomenon” was what Appell said was his first tip. Appell saw these words on a sign talking about a special type of a tree.
Appell encouraged attendees to appreciate the different meanings present in cultures. For example, in China, six is considered a very lucky number. So lucky that Appell caught a lady in China wearing a T-shirt that said 666 as well as a restaurant room number 666. Jesse also talked about how he got dysentery from eating at a restaurant that was given a backwards “C” as a health rating. It is important to “listen to the culture, but make sure to think for ourselves,” said Appell.
Another important comedy tip that Jesse picked up was to know the audience. When preparing to perform in front of Chinese government officials. Appell was worried because in China there are many restrictions on free speech and disrespecting any government officials could land him in hot water. He decided that he would try and make the highest ranking official laugh, which would make the other officials laugh. The plan worked out and the performance was a success.
Appell was asked about what jokes he can and cannot say. He mentioned that anything about Tibet will never come out on a TV show. “If the audience is uncomfortable, they will not find the joke to be funny,” said Appell.
Appell concluded the talk by talking about the difficulties of working in China. There are no writer’s guilds and no intellectual property protection, and thus it is very hard to make it as an artist, he said.
Appell continues to work in Beijing, China where he performs his comedy routines regularly live and on television.
