Johor-born funnyman Ronny Chieng is easily one of the most notable local faces to have earned a big break internationally, what with his work on The Daily Show and Crazy Rich Asians. He can now look forward to adding yet another feather to his cap, what with the latest accolade that the city of Oahu in Hawaii has conferred upon him.
The Malaysian comic will now bear the distinction of being one of the few people in the world and indeed, the only Malaysian to date, to have a day named after him by Oahu city officials.
June 27th named ‘Ronny Chieng Day’ in tribute to Malaysian comic
As shared on his official social media account, July 27th will now officially be dubbed ‘Ronny Chieng Day’, with Chieng receiving a proclamation certificate from Rick Blangiardi, the mayor of Oahu, to commemorate the occasion.
Speaking on the matter, the 38-year-old expressed his heartfelt gratitude for the award, “Mahalo Hawaii and Mayor Rick Blangiardi! I hope I always give more than I take here.”
According to the proclamation, Chieng received the award for his work in multi-cultural comedy and the arts, as well as his unwavering commitment to embracing the beauty, depth, and experience of multiracial cultures, which closely align with ‘the City (Oahu) and County of Honolulu,’ home to the ‘largest share of multiracial Americans’ in the United States. According to Censuscope, 24.1 percent of Hawaiian residents identify with two or more races.
Born in Johor Bahru, Chieng first got his start in the world of professional comedy when he shared a stage with fellow stand-up comic Trevor Noah in 2013, during a comedy show held in Melbourne. He would later be invited to audition for the role of senior correspondent on The Daily Show two years later, where his work involving interviews with Chinatown residents in New York City bagged him further exposure to global audiences.
Further successes followed, with his show, Ronny Chieng: International Student, being picked up by Comedy Central. But his true breakout role arrived in 2018, when he was tapped to play intolerable banker Edison “Eddie” Cheng in Crazy Rich Asians opposite fellow Malaysian actor Henry Golding. Since then, he has made appearances in Marvel’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Joy Ride, as well as Kung Fu Panda 4.
Feature and hero image credit: Ronny Chieng/Facebook
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Written by
Benjamin Wong
Senior Editor, Fashion and Dining
Armed with an Advertising major from Lancaster University, Benjamin is a senior editor who has spent his time oscillating between the social media and digital media landscape since 2018. With a keen interest in haute fashion and gastronomy, he has written for publications such as ERROR Digital, WORLD OF BUZZ, and KL Foodie. Beyond the keyboard, you can find him arms-deep in a thrift pile.
