“I am Ronny Chieng… and I’m a comedian"

I studied law in Melbourne, lived here for 10 years and started comedy here as well. I studied law because I got in and thought it would be an easy way to make money and gain prestige.

I started in comedy in the final year of law school – I did a university campus comedy competition and I won it, and then I kept doing shows after that around Melbourne. I moved into comedy full-time when I couldn’t get a job. I graduated during the peak of the global financial crisis – thanks Gen X. I never got to practise as a lawyer, but I always knew that I wouldn’t regret it if I didn’t.

I’ve lived in a lot of different places – Asia, Australia, America. Everywhere feels like home now, although I always need to find a quiet place to rejuvenate.

I’ve got all my places in Melbourne that I usually hit up when I get back here. I have a website of recommendations in Melbourne – I’m Okay With Anything – that I personally hit up, listing all my favourite spots.

While I’m here I’ll go watch Melbourne United basketball games. I’ll also go to my favourite bar, Bar Americano, after shows.

My new [Comedy Festival] show is called Tone Issues. I don’t have overarching premises for my stand-up shows but if ever there was a premise for myself, it’d be that I have a terrible tone when talking to people. People think I’m being angry or sarcastic and everyone gets offended, even though I’m trying my best.

A typical day for me these days would be when I’m working on (US talk show) The Daily Show, which involves an intense work cycle. If I’m on the show that day, we’ve got to write the segment and hand it in around 11.30am. We get notes back at 1pm, we rehearse at 3.30pm, get more notes, rewrite and then at 6.30pm we tape the show.

After The Daily Show, I’ll rush to do maybe three stand-up sets. I get home around midnight and then try to go to sleep. That said, absolutely nothing has changed since I started on The Daily Show. I still do my own laundry. ●

Ronny Chieng plays Melbourne on July (two shows) at Hamer Hall, Arts Centre.

ronnychieng.com

imokwithanything.com