Ronny Chieng is still chasing the perfect joke

Summary

Wild Card with Rachel Martin: Ronny Chieng is Still Chasing the Perfect Joke

Release Date: February 13, 2025

In this captivating episode of NPR's Wild Card, host Rachel Martin invites acclaimed comedian Ronny Chieng to dive deep into his personal journey, creative processes, and philosophical musings. Recognized as a Top 10 Podcast of 2024 by The New York Times, Wild Card distinguishes itself by moving beyond traditional interviews, encouraging guests to explore life's profound questions through an engaging deck of cards. This episode, titled "Ronny Chieng is Still Chasing the Perfect Joke," offers listeners an intimate look into Ronny’s experiences, challenges, and insights.

---

Introduction: Setting the Stage

Rachel Martin warmly welcomes Ronny Chieng, setting the tone with a detailed introduction of his illustrious career. She highlights his role as a correspondent on The Daily Show since 2015, his performance in Hulu's Interior Chinatown, and his latest Netflix special, Love to Hate It. Rachel praises Ronny's ability to blend personal anecdotes with sharp societal observations, making his comedy both relatable and thought-provoking.

Notable Quote:

Rachel Martin [01:18]: "From stories about the challenges and absurdity of IVF to his dad's death, he weaves in and out of these intimate places in the most hilarious way possible."

---

Round One: Memories

1. First Time in Trouble

Timestamp [03:12]

Rachel kicks off the conversation with a nostalgic prompt about Ronny's earliest memories of getting into trouble. Ronny shares a heartfelt story from 1989 in Manchester, New Hampshire, where he and his sister played in the snow. Their mother, misunderstanding their flushed cheeks caused by the cold, scolds them for supposedly getting injured.

Notable Quote:

Ronny Chieng [04:36]: "That's a lot of Asian stuff is you get in trouble for not doing anything wrong."

2. Emulating Parents

Timestamp [05:26]

The discussion shifts to family dynamics, with Rachel asking how Ronny consciously tries to emulate his parents. Ronny reveals an interesting approach: by not trying to emulate them. He appreciates their grounded nature and lack of susceptibility to showbiz allure, which helps him stay realistic and driven.

Notable Quote:

Ronny Chieng [05:33]: "I try not. I don't think anything is that impressive. That's how I mimic them because they're not easily impressed by much."

3. Changing Trajectories

Timestamp [08:38]

Rachel probes into pivotal moments that altered Ronny's life path. Ronny credits a senior from his law school who transitioned into stand-up comedy. This unexpected mentorship, conveyed through a detailed email, provided Ronny with the confidence and practical steps to pursue his passion for comedy over a conventional legal career.

Notable Quote:

Ronny Chieng [10:06]: "He wrote me a manual on how to get started... this guy was way more patient than me."

---

Round Two: Insights

4. From Disappointment to Blessing

Timestamp [16:57]

Rachel explores how setbacks can transform into opportunities. Ronny discusses his inability to secure a law job post-graduation due to poor grades. Initially feeling left behind as peers thrived, he now sees this as a blessing in disguise, freeing him to fully commit to a comedy career without conflicting job obligations.

Notable Quote:

Ronny Chieng [17:05]: "I'm so glad I never got hired, because I think it would be more difficult for me to quit a job and do comedy as it was."

5. Admired Qualities

Timestamp [20:37]

When asked about qualities he admires but doesn't possess, Ronny expresses a desire for consistent positive energy. He acknowledges his own grumpiness and admits the challenge of maintaining enthusiasm, especially in the often solitary life of a comedian.

Notable Quote:

Ronny Chieng [20:54]: "People who are always able to put out good energy. I aspire to that. Oftentimes, I'm the one who's like, I don't have any enthusiasm."

---

Round Three: Beliefs

6. Evolving Views on Death

Timestamp [25:07]

Rachel delves into Ronny's philosophical views on mortality. Influenced by Buddhist teachings, Ronny contemplates the fluidity of self, viewing death not as an end but as a transition, since the self is perpetually changing. This perspective has made the concept of death more immediate and poignant for him over time.

Notable Quote:

Ronny Chieng [26:15]: "When I die, it doesn't matter because I never really existed. And that is, you know."

7. Sacred Spaces

Timestamp [27:28]

The conversation turns to places Ronny holds sacred. With characteristic humor, he identifies his bed as the most sacred place, emphasizing the importance of personal space and rest. This ties back to his earlier admission of needing alone time to recharge amidst the demands of a comedian's life.

Notable Quote:

Ronny Chieng [27:39]: "It's the most sacred place you could be no one else."

---

Closing Moments: Reflections and Memories

As the episode nears its end, Rachel and Ronny revisit cherished memories. Ronny shares a touching recollection of watching Sesame Street with his family, highlighting the simplicity and warmth of those moments.

Notable Quote:

Ronny Chieng [30:12]: "It was the first time I came back from school... watching Sesame Street. That was a nice moment."

Rachel commends Ronny's latest special, encouraging listeners to experience his unique blend of humor and personal storytelling.

---

Conclusion: A Journey Worth Taking

Ronny Chieng's episode on Wild Card offers a profound and humorous exploration of his life, emphasizing resilience, self-awareness, and the relentless pursuit of excellence in comedy. Through personal anecdotes and insightful discussions, Ronny provides listeners with an authentic glimpse into the mind of one of today's most talented comedians.

Notable Quote:

Ronny Chieng [31:43]: "This was a paid message from Wealthfront Cash account offered by Wealthfront Brokerage LLC."

---

Support and Further Listening

For those intrigued by Ronny's journey and seeking more enlightening conversations, Rachel recommends tuning into her episode with Seth Meyers, available on Spotify, YouTube, or NPR's website. Don’t forget to subscribe to Wild Card+ for exclusive bonus content and ad-free episodes.

---

End of Summary

---

This structured summary captures the essence of Ronny Chieng's episode on Wild Card, highlighting key discussions, personal insights, and notable quotes with appropriate timestamps. It provides a comprehensive overview for listeners who wish to grasp the depth and nuances of the conversation without having listened to the full episode.

Transcript

[Rachel]

This message comes from Pemco Mutual Insurance Company. Their mission is to help customers worry less and live more. So they're sharing prevention tips that empower you to prevent some of life's pitfalls before they happen. Visit pemco.com prevention hey, it's Rachel.

[Rachel Martin]

Just wanted to let you know that if you want to watch this episode, we've got a full video version of it. Just search for NPR Wildcard on Spotify, YouTube, or you can go to npr.org how do you consciously try to emulate your parents?

[Ronny Chieng]

Oh, I try not. I don't think anything is that impressive. That's how I mimic them because they're not easily impressed by much.

[Rachel Martin]

I'm Rachel Martin and this is Wild Card, the show where cards control the conversation. Each week my guest answers questions about their life, questions pulled from a deck of cards. They're allowed to skip one question and to flip one question back on me. My guest this week is comedian Ronny Chang.

[Ronny Chieng]

I'm just looking for the funny bit. You know, if it happens to touch upon politics, so be it. You know, if it happens to touch upon race, okay, as long as it's a funny bit.

[Rachel Martin]

When you've watched Ronny Chang's comedy, it becomes pretty clear that this is a guy who takes none of his success. He knows life could have turned out differently. What were the odds that a 20 something Chinese Malaysian guy trying to launch a comedy career after law school in Australia was going to make it big in America? Whatever the odds were, Ronny Chieng beat them to become one of the biggest names in comedy right now. He's been a regular correspondent on the Daily show since 2015 and is now a rotating host. He absolutely crushes his role as Jimmy Oyang's best friend in the Hulu show interior Chinatown. And and he's got his third Netflix comedy special out now called Love to Hate it, which made me laugh so hard I started recommending it to anyone within earshot. The comedy in his specials is always personal in some way. Like a lot of comics, it's rooted in personal experience and observation. But this one is especially so. From stories about the challenges and absurdity of IVF to his dad's death, he weaves in and out of these intimate places in the most hilarious way possible. Throw in some razor sharp observations about masculinity and YouTube in the Trump era and boom, you got yourself an epic comedic journey well worth the ride. And I was left wanting to know a whole lot more about how this guy sees the world and understands his place in it. So with that Ronny Chang, welcome to Wildcard.

[Ronny Chieng]

Hey. Thank you so much. That might be the nicest, best written intro I've had for me.

[Rachel Martin]

Are you pulling my chain?

[Ronny Chieng]

No, I'm not. That was very NPR award winning. It was very accurate. I appreciate it. Thanks so much.

[Rachel Martin]

Yeah, you're very welcome. I live in fear of someone thinking, God, you really phoned that one in. So thank you for appreciating it.

[Ronny Chieng]

Yeah. Thank you.

[Rachel Martin]

All right, let's go.

[Rachel]

Let's go.

[Rachel Martin]

Ronny Chang. Round one, memories. One, two, three.

[Ronny Chieng]

Okay, go, three.

[Rachel Martin]

Okay. When's the first time you really got in trouble?

[Ronny Chieng]

The first time I really got in trouble. Oh, man. I think there's a lot of trouble I got into. I'm trying to find the one that I can actually talk about in public. My sister and I were in Manchester, New Hampshire. This was, like, 1989, and we were kids and we were outside in the snow playing, and we would just slip and fall because the sidewalk was slippery. And we would get up and we would be all red because it was cold. Right? Like, our cheeks were red. Our hands got red. And my mom thought that we were all red because we hurt ourselves falling on the ice because we came from Malaysia and we didn't know how bodies reacted to cold. And so she yelled at us for, like, severely hurting ourselves in the snow, but we were like, no, no, we're not injured. This is just what happens when you touch something cold for too long. I think that was the first time we got in trouble with something.

[Rachel Martin]

But you didn't even do anything wrong.

[Ronny Chieng]

Yeah, but that's a lot of Asian. Asian stuff is you get in trouble for not doing anything wrong. That's a lot of the stuff you get in trouble for as a. As a Chinese kid is for like, we didn't even do anything.

[Rachel Martin]

That was your first memory.

[Ronny Chieng]

Did you.

[Rachel Martin]

She didn't punish you. She was just, like, stern with you.

[Ronny Chieng]

She yelled at us, and then we were, like, trying to tell her that, no, no, no, we're not hurt. We're just. This is what happens when you touch something that's too cold. You get a little red. And she, like, half didn't believe us, but it. It didn't. It didn't escalate further. It was just one of those, like, oh, oh, we're being. We're being wronged here. But it's okay. It's not big. I don't know.

[Rachel Martin]

You didn't get grounded.

[Ronny Chieng]

No, no. Yeah.

[Rachel Martin]

No.

[Ronny Chieng]

Yeah.

[Rachel Martin]

Second question. Three new cards.

[Ronny Chieng]

Okay.

[Rachel Martin]

One, two or three?

[Ronny Chieng]

Two, two.

[Rachel Martin]

How do you consciously try to emulate your parents?

[Ronny Chieng]

Oh, wow, that is a good question. Consciously, I, I try not. I, I don't think anything is that impressive. That's how I mimic them because they're not easily impressed by, by much. And so. No, but in a good way. I think, you know, they're not like, susceptible to showbiz, like, you know, razzle dazzle. So I think in that way, I kind of like, I try to see reality the way they see it, where it's like, oh, yeah, this isn't, this is not that big a deal. That's not that big of achievement.

[Rachel Martin]

I think that would be helpful in your line of work, actually.

[Ronny Chieng]

Yes.

[Rachel Martin]

Because of the risk that things spiral and all of a sudden you think you're really awesome or.

[Ronny Chieng]

Yeah, yeah. It also keeps you, it keeps you working. It keeps you working to, you know, pursue. To pursue perfection. Right. You never think you've achieved it, so it's good.

[Rachel Martin]

Did that ever cut the other way for you growing up? Like, if you did a thing, you wanted them to be proud of you, maybe you were trying for a certain reaction and they were like, you know, I don't know.

[Ronny Chieng]

I don't think I was that impressive a kid. I didn't have that many great achievements anyway, so I don't feel like they wronged me by not being impressed. So. No, I don't. I feel I was like, yeah, I was like, you're right, it's not that impressive when I did stuff. So.

[Rachel Martin]

And do you find that people in your line of work are constantly, I don't know, I guess, seeking that kind of affirmation? I mean, do you, do you find yourself falling into that trap?

[Ronny Chieng]

You know, My line of work being stand up comedy? Undoubtedly. We seek affirmation through a crowd response to our jokes. Right. Like, that is, we are looking for a good reaction to a joke, specifically laughter. So in that way we are. Our integrity is compromised. But we don't let, we don't believe our own marketing. I think most comics do. Someone told me, like, the best comics think that their material is bad. And there's something to that, I think, as in, I don't know any great comic who's like, oh, my material is the best in the world. You know, you're like, you're always looking at other comics and going, man, that guy's really funny. I need to write a better vid. You know, it's like never done. You know, you never feel like you, you, you, you have The. The greatest joke in the world. You know, you're always impressed by someone else's joke. That's how I feel anyway.

[Rachel Martin]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Keeps you going.

[Ronny Chieng]

Yeah.

[Rachel Martin]

Okay, three more in this round.

[Ronny Chieng]

Three.

[Rachel Martin]

What's something someone told you that changed your tr.

[Ronny Chieng]

Change my trajectory. I get. Okay, I mean, I've never actually answered this before, but because I got in my. The biggest trajectory change in my life, I think would have been going from law school to doing comedy. And I made that decision on my own. Like, nobody said something that made me do it. But I think I will give credit, I guess, because when, just before I started doing comedy, I was. I discovered that there was someone from my law school who graduated maybe four years before me. So he was my law school senior whom I never met, but I discovered that he graduated and went into stand up comedy. And so I was considering doing it. So I emailed him, Yanis and I. He didn't know who I was, and I never met him before. And I just asked him how did he go about starting doing stand up comedy from law school? And he wrote this very long, detailed email, you know, telling me, basically, you have to go out, you have to get stage time. You know, this is how you do it. It was a very easy to follow. Okay, I just need to go get stage time.

[Rachel Martin]

He wrote you like, a little manual?

[Ronny Chieng]

Yes, he wrote me a manual on how to get started, which I really appreciate it, because if you're an experienced comic, someone asking you how to get started is a very basic question that can actually come off as quite annoying, you know, like, what do you mean, how you get started? Just go do it. But this guy didn't have. That's what I would have said. But this guy was. This guy was way more patient than me and his kind of friendly email. And him having this, being from the same kind of background as me, you know, in this. In this law school made me go like, oh, okay, he did it. This is the next step to do it. Let me go try it out. So I guess that kind of was one of the things that changed my trajectory.

[Rachel]

This message comes from Pemco Mutual Insurance Company. You know that moment when things take an unexpected turn and you get that sudden sinking feeling that maybe it could have been avoided? Pemco Insurance wants to help you avoid that feeling by sharing prevention tips that empower you to prevent some of life's preventable pitfalls. Because Pemco's commitment to their customers goes beyond the moment of acclaim. It's about being with their Customers every day. More at pemco. Com Prevention. This message comes from Thuma. Create your oasis with Thuma, a modern design company that specializes in furniture and home goods by stripping away everything but the essential. Thuma makes elevated beds with premium materials and intentional details with clean lines, subtle curves and minimalist style. The Thuma bed collection is available in four signature finishes to match any design aesthetic. To get $100 towards your first bed purchase, go to Thuma Co NPR. This message comes from Warby Parker. What makes a great pair of glasses at Warby Parker? It's all the invisible extras without the extra cost, like free adjustments for life. Find your [e-mail] or visit one of their hundreds of stores around the country.

[NPR Sponsor]

This message comes from Carvana. Sell your car the convenient way, Enter your license plate or vin, answer a few questions and get a real offer in seconds. Go to Carvana.com today.

[Rachel Martin]

Okay, round one is done. Before we start round two, I want to talk a little bit about your creative life and in particular your special congratulations, by the way.

[Ronny Chieng]

Oh, thank you so much.

[Rachel Martin]

I definitely connected to the administrative tasks associated with death and the death of a parent. Your dad died a few years ago and my dad died three years ago. And there is this. All of a sudden you're like a hacker and you're trying to break into your boomer parents email accounts and it's like hilarious.

[Ronny Chieng]

Yes. You're trying to figure out that digital lives that they barely figured out.

[Rachel Martin]

No. Because they didn't know how to work the technology anyway. So it's like password one, password two. You're just like guessing the most obvious things.

[Ronny Chieng]

Yeah. And then not to mention, you know, in addition to grief, even if you take away that digital component, you're still dealing with just dealing with the analog. Life is complicated.

[Rachel Martin]

Oh yeah. There's a lot. There's so much stuff involved. I mean, I was just at my, my parents house going through all these photo albums and we had to decide, yeah. Which are the photo albums that we keep and which ones are we like. I don't know, we've seen. I don't know. It sounds bad to throw away pictures, but there's so many.

[Ronny Chieng]

It's tough.

[Rachel Martin]

At some point you got to be like, I guess we're not gonna keep these. And that feels sad.

[Ronny Chieng]

Yeah. But the third option, you could digitalize it, right?

[Rachel Martin]

Oh my God, Ronnie. I'm never doing that.

[Ronny Chieng]

Are you never doing that?

[Rachel Martin]

Did you do that?

[Ronny Chieng]

No, we didn't throw it away. We kept it all because it Was we didn't have to get rid of my dad's place. So it's all there still. So basically I punted the problem. It's still an issue, but I gotta go. Yeah, like decluttering your parents place is. Yeah, it's something they don't tell you about that you have to do one day.

[Rachel Martin]

One of the comics you saw your special, kind of early on, I read this in some article, suggested to you that maybe you wanted to remove a section of your special right now. Like, it starts with these very personal places and talk about your dad's death. And in the middle there's this bit about maga and masculinity and YouTube and exercise bros and the connection between all those things. And I read that one comic was like, I think you should leave that stuff out.

[Ronny Chieng]

Wow, you did your research. I can't even remember this. But I clearly, I didn't listen to them. I just left it in. Yeah, I put it in. So, yeah.

[Rachel Martin]

Is there any part of you, I mean, does this political moment expand your comedic possibilities or contract them?

[Ronny Chieng]

I think it does. It's not really about the politics of the of now. I think for me it's just what's a funny bit? You know, I think when you think about it with the politics, it's almost like the tail is wagging the dog or at the very least that's not how I go into it. Looking at comedy, I'm just looking for the funny bit. You know, if it happens to touch upon politics, so be it. You know, if it happens to touch upon race, okay, you know, as long as it's a funny bit. And so for me, I felt, as I was describing a situation that I felt was very funny to me and if it also felt very prevalent to me, like that, that idea of guys losing their minds on the Internet, it felt very funny and also real to me. Like I've seen it happen. So I wanted to talk about it. I figured out this bit, I put it in. So the question for me wasn't is it political or not? The question for me is, does it. Is it funny on stage? And then is it funny in the special? You know, and can. Does it translate to video? And that those are the only two things that really I focused on for this special.

[Rachel Martin]

Well, it was. I wasn't lying. I laughed out loud by myself in my kitchen many, many times.

[Ronny Chieng]

Thank you so much.

[Rachel Martin]

It's really good. I hope you're proud of it. Okay, we're moving on to round two insights. Three new cards, one Two or three.

[Ronny Chieng]

One.

[Rachel Martin]

One. What was a disappointing experience that now feels like a blessing.

[Ronny Chieng]

I. I couldn't get a. I couldn't get a job coming out of law school. My grades were too bad, and I couldn't get hired. And everyone around me was getting jobs because I went to a very good law school. So everyone around me was, like, this very hyper, competitive, type A people who were getting really good jobs at these big law firms. And I felt a little left out at the time, but in hindsight, I'm like, oh, man, I'm so glad I never got hired, because I think it would be more difficult for me to quit a job and do comedy as it was. I just. For sure I didn't have anything to lose, so I could just do comedy. It wasn't like I had to pick between comedy and. And a corporate job. I never had to make that decision because I never got hired.

[Rachel Martin]

So, Ronnie, why weren't you getting hired? Why were you. What was happening in those interviews?

[Ronny Chieng]

I wasn't a good student. I wasn't a good law student. My grades were bad. And I think I also was, like, just were not smart enough. Like, my wife. My. I went to law school with my wife, and she's. She was. She's like a genius. Her grades are, like, amazing. She got, like, all these job offers, but I couldn't get a single one.

[Rachel Martin]

So. Were your parents disappointed that that didn't.

[Ronny Chieng]

Pan out for you? They weren't because I never told them.

[Rachel Martin]

What do you mean?

[Ronny Chieng]

I just didn't tell them I was doing comedy. They thought I was studying for the bar exam, which I was, in fairness. But in that time, I was just doing comedy. And by the time they found out, it was almost, like, too late.

[Rachel Martin]

That's awesome. That's the secret led this separate life. But you were. I mean, assuming you were in a good enough place that when they found out, they weren't traumatized, you're like, I'm a comedian and I can pay my rent, so it's okay.

[Ronny Chieng]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Rachel Martin]

Is that where you were?

[Ronny Chieng]

Yes. They only found out, honestly, when I got hired on a Daily Show.

[Rachel Martin]

What?

[Ronny Chieng]

Yeah.

[Rachel Martin]

Wow. Did they know what the Daily show was?

[Ronny Chieng]

No. No, right? No.

[Rachel Martin]

When you call to tell them I got this thing.

[Ronny Chieng]

No, they didn't know. They didn't know what it was. They. They didn't know what it was, but they. They. After I told them I got hired, they didn't know what it was. And then, like, a couple days later, they Googled it. They found out all about It. They were like, oh, you know, this is an important show. It's a very famous show. I'm like, yeah, I know, I know. Yeah. They kind of trained me to be like, it's a. It's. You know, it's just an opportunity. It doesn't mean you're good. It just means. It just means you have a chance to do something cool. Right? Like, that's what it was. So that. That's what I took it for. And that's really what the strength of being on the Daily show is like, more so than fame or whatever. It's like this opportunity to work with extremely talented people and really become better yourself, because everyone at that show is so good at their jobs that you don't want to be the weakest link, and so you lift your game. So that's really the. That's why it's the best job in comedy. You know, it just makes you a better writer, performer, comedian, satirist. You know, that show is. Yeah, it's just. It's like the Harvard Business School of Comedy.

[Rachel Martin]

Yeah. Okay, three more. One, two or three?

[Ronny Chieng]

Three.

[Rachel Martin]

Three.

[Ronny Chieng]

Yep.

[Rachel Martin]

What's a quality you're drawn to but don't possess?

[Ronny Chieng]

Wow, that's a really good question.

[Rachel Martin]

I know. I like this one.

[Ronny Chieng]

Yeah. People who are always able to put out good energy. I think that's very invaluable to always be able to give good energy to other people in the room. I aspire to that. Oftentimes I fail. Oftentimes, I'm the one, because I know I'm a grumpy dude. So oftentimes I'm the one who's like, just. You know, I'm. I. Sometimes I try not to bring the mood down, but sometimes I'm the guy who's just like, oh, I just. I don't have any enthusiasm for this birthday party, and I can't hide it. And. But I admire the people who are always giving out positive energy. Like, I think that's a good trait.

[Rachel Martin]

Yeah.

[Ronny Chieng]

I think guys and girls are a little different as well. I think girls want positivity from their friends all the time. I don't think guys need that. I don't think guys need.

[Rachel Martin]

No, dude, I'm calling you out on that.

[Ronny Chieng]

Okay. I might be wrong. No, not that we don't appreciate it. We don't hate positivity. I. I'm just saying we don't need it. Like oxygen, you know? Like, we don't need someone next to us just being like, yeah, we can do it, you know, like, cheering for us.

[Rachel Martin]

Bonnie Chang.

[Ronny Chieng]

Yeah, we don't.

[Rachel Martin]

No, no, no. Denied.

[Ronny Chieng]

Okay.

[Rachel Martin]

No, I don't want that. I'm a. I'm a lady and I. And I don't want, like a positive cheerleader next to me.

[Ronny Chieng]

Okay. No. Good. Okay.

[Rachel Martin]

Like hard, cynical.

[Ronny Chieng]

Okay. Sure.

[Rachel Martin]

Trash talking.

[Ronny Chieng]

Okay. Yeah. I'm off. I'm off base, then. I'm off base with. I was more asking the question than making a statement.

[Rachel Martin]

I think it's. I. I know that I actually have an intolerance. This is hard to admit for really over the top positive people. It turns me into the not great version of myself.

[Ronny Chieng]

Okay. When someone's being over the top positive, it becomes annoying. I agree with you. I don't want that. I'm just saying that there's an energy. To answer your original question, there's an energy that people have which is the right amount of positive. And that's what I aspire to. And that's something I think I don't have.

[Rachel Martin]

I think you're a very positive and lovely person. But I get what you're saying. I get what you're saying.

[NPR Sponsor]

Support for NPR comes from Universal Pictures presenting Dreamworks Animations. The Wild Robot Written and directed by Chris Sanders. The Wild Robot is now nominated for three Academy Awards, including Best Sound, Best Original Score by Chris Bowers, and Best Animated Feature. Now playing in theaters and available to watch at home on Peacock.

[Rachel]

This message comes from Warby Parker. If you wear glasses, you know how hard it is to find the perfect pair. But step into a Warby Parker store and you'll see it doesn't have to be. Find a Warby Parker store near [e-mail] retail.

[NPR Sponsor]

This message comes from NetSuite by Oracle the 1 Cloud ERP bringing accounting, financial management, inventory and HR into one platform. Download the CFO's guide to AI and machine learning for free at netsuite.com story this message comes from Wealthfront. Get 4% APY on your cash from partner banks with Wealthfront's cash account. Go to wealthfront.com NPR for a $50 bonus with a $500 deposit when you open your first cash account. This has been a paid message from Wealthfront Cash account offered by Wealthfront Brokerage LLC. Member FINRA SIPC. Not a bank. APY on deposits as of December 27, 2024 is representative, subject to change and requires no minimum. Funds are swept to partner banks where they Earn the variable APY.

[Rachel Martin]

This is the beliefs round. Okay, 1, 2 or 3?

[Ronny Chieng]

2.

[Rachel Martin]

How have your feelings about Death changed over time.

[Ronny Chieng]

Oh, yeah. It's become more real. The older you get, the more people you know who have died. So that is a bit of a bummer. It is. So that's changed. You know, it used to be this kind of. For me, it was this kind of conceptual, abstract, Right. And then it's become very real the last couple of years. Relatives and friends, unfortunately, seeing it up close and I think. So it becoming more real was kind of frightening.

[Rachel Martin]

But.

[Ronny Chieng]

But I was studying Buddhism recently, and there was this very interesting concept that I'm going to butcher because I'm going to give you the Cliff Notes of it in, like, five seconds. But the idea was something like, we are a different person in every moment anyway. Our thoughts are different. Our cellular.

[Rachel Martin]

Makeup.

[Ronny Chieng]

Makeup is different in every second, every moment. Meaning we are different people in every second of every moment anyway. So the concept of me doesn't really exist because I'm constantly changing anyway. And so when I die, it doesn't matter because I never really existed. And that is, you know. So that is kind of like the Buddhist answer, I think one of the Buddhist answers to that.

[Rachel Martin]

I like that idea. Does that mean that when a person dies, you think that it's just another transition or are they gone?

[Ronny Chieng]

I think, unfortunately, as a person observing someone dying, that person is gone. I'm just talking about me personally. For me to come to terms with my own mortality, that's how I view it anyway, that I never really existed. I'm different every moment. So if I go, that's just another change. Right. That's how I deal. I. Dealing with other people, that's tough, that. I think that requires a different concept.

[Rachel Martin]

Yeah. Last question, Ronnie Chang.

[Ronny Chieng]

Okay, 1, 2 or 3? 3.

[Rachel Martin]

What's a place you consider sacred?

[Ronny Chieng]

Oh, wow. So many new places. Yeah, so many new places. In bed. In bed. Don't disturb me unless you're my wife. You can disturb me.

[Rachel Martin]

Come on.

[Ronny Chieng]

What do you mean? It's the most sacred place you could be no one else. Like, how many people are you going to let into your bed?

[Rachel Martin]

Explain why.

[Ronny Chieng]

How many people are you going to let into your bed? Also, when you're there, you're usually resting, if not outright unconscious and asleep. So isn't that a sacred thing for yourself to be like, this is just for me and my wife. Don't no one else come in. I'm not going to let press into my bed.

[Rachel Martin]

Yeah, I get it. I should not have dismissed that answer.

[Ronny Chieng]

Also, it's where you go to recharge. Literally, right? You go a bit tired, you wake up, hopefully not tired. So it's energizing. Clears your head. Right. It's very. I think it's a sacred place.

[Rachel Martin]

But especially as you have admitted to being sort of a grump.

[Ronny Chieng]

Yes.

[Rachel Martin]

You strike me as the kind of person who needs alone time to just to be you, to be funny or whatever, to do your job, but just to live. You need to.

[Ronny Chieng]

Yeah.

[Rachel Martin]

Be alone a little.

[Ronny Chieng]

Be alone. Yeah. I think also, I mean, take it outside the context of a bed. I think stand up comics spend a lot of time on the road, unfortunately, and we spend a lot of time on the road by ourselves. So, you know, I don't know whether we develop that or that's a characteristic that, you know, lends itself to stamp comedy. But either way, I think comics are quite okay with being kind of loners, you know, most of the time. So I think that's. Yeah. Doesn't. It doesn't lead to healthy mental health. But I'm just saying that's something that you can't get used to.

[Rachel Martin]

Okay, so we end the show the same way every time. It's a trip in our memory. Time machine.

[Ronny Chieng]

Oh, no.

[Rachel Martin]

Okay.

[Ronny Chieng]

Tried very hard to lock that stuff away, but here we go.

[Rachel Martin]

We're gonna go down there.

[Ronny Chieng]

Okay. Npr hit me.

[Rachel Martin]

I want you to pick one moment that you would go back to in your past that you would not change anything about. You would just linger there a little longer.

[Ronny Chieng]

Oh, I can't pass on. I kept one pass. Right. Can I pass on this thing? It's just. I can't. Yeah, this, it's. This goes against my religion. I'm supposed to stay in the moment. I can't go back and do that. It's not. I don't know. I can't think of what something I go back to. I don't know. I can't. How about the first time I. I watched Came back from school and watched Sesame Street? Is that lame? I don't know.

[Rachel Martin]

It's your memory. It's not lame. No, sure.

[Ronny Chieng]

I go. First time I came back from school.

[Rachel Martin]

How old were you?

[Ronny Chieng]

How old were you? Five years old. My mom and my dad were there. My sister was there. I was watching Sesame Street. That was a nice moment.

[Rachel Martin]

Was it Big Bird? Was it Oscar? One more. I need, like, one more detail.

[Ronny Chieng]

It was definitely Big Bird. I'm pretty sure all the guys were there. Burn early, Oscar. Grouch. I'm pretty sure. Yeah, it was the. There was the, you know, the 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. Is that it was probably that that was playing.

[Rachel Martin]

Okay. That is a lovely memory.

[Ronny Chieng]

Okay. Thank you so much.

[Rachel Martin]

Thank you for sharing it.

[Ronny Chieng]

Thank you. Thank you.

[Rachel Martin]

Ronny Chang. His new special Love to Hate it is out right now. It is definitely a good time. You should check it out. Ronnie, thank you so much for doing this.

[Ronny Chieng]

No, thanks for having me. Hope I gave you some non psychotic answers.

[Rachel Martin]

I mean a couple. If you like that conversation, you should go back and listen to my episode with Seth Meyers. He was so funny and deeply thoughtful in talking about the lessons that he has learned from another institution of late night Saturday Night Live. You can listen to that episode or you can watch it. Hello. Just search for NPR Wildcard on Spotify, YouTube or check out npr.org this episode was produced by Summer Tamad with help from Rommel Wood. It was edited by Dave Blanchard. It was mastered by Patrick Murray. Wildcard's executive producer is Yolanda Sangweni. Our theme music is by Ramtin Arablouei. You can reach out to us@wildcard NPR.org we're going to shuffle the deck and we will be back with more next week. Talk to you then.

[Rachel]

This message comes from NPR sponsor Betterment. The drama of having an enemy turned lover is never chill, but your investing portfolio should be. Betterment is the investing app that lets you be totally chill about your finances. Their automated tech makes it easy to get in the market and stay in the market. Save the drama for that moment when you realize your mortal enemy is actually your soulmate. Betterment. Be invested and totally chill. Learn [e-mail] Investing involves risk. Performance is not guaranteed.

[NPR Sponsor]

This message comes from American Express. With Amex Business Platinum, you have a flexible spending limit that adapts with your business. That's the powerful backing of American Express. Not all purchases will be approved. Terms apply. Learn more@American Express.com MXBusiness this message comes from Supermicro and Nvidia accelerating AI With a wide range of AI servers, networking and the Nvidia AI Enterprise software platform, Supermicro is committed to driving AI infrastructure breakthroughs with Rack scale innovations.