Fluent in Funny: Jesse Appell on Learning, Performing, and Laughing in Chinese

What happens when an American comedian immerses himself in Chinese comedy? Jesse Appell’s journey is nothing short of extraordinary. In this episode, Jesse shares how his curiosity about language led him to study in China, become a Fulbright scholar, and apprentice under a master of Xiangsheng (traditional Chinese cross-talk comedy). He takes us through the highs and challenges of performing comedy in Chinese, founding a bilingual comedy club in Beijing, and why understanding humor is the ultimate test of language fluency.

Jesse also discusses his shift into social media and entrepreneurship with Jesse’s Tea House, his global tea business. Plus, hear his insights on learning Chinese, navigating cultural differences, and why embracing the hard parts of language learning leads to real growth. 

Links from the episode:

• Jesse’s Teahouse

• Jesse Appell Comedy | Laugh Beijing

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