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This Was Funnier in China: An American Comedian's Cross-Cultural Journey
A heartfelt, one-of-a-kind memoir chronicling the hilarious, absurd, and thought-provoking experiences of an American pursuing comedy in China, learning first-hand how humor does and doesn’t translate—and whether laughter transcends borders.
I marched onstage in a long robe beside my Shifu, under the curious eyes of a thousand Chinese comedy fans, armed only with a microphone and the goal to kill onstage or die trying.
Over the speakers, the host “Welcome to the Master Ding Guangquan and his American disciple, Ai Jie Xi!”
When self-proclaimed American class clown Jesse Appell signed up to study Mandarin in high school, he never imagined that one day his name would be written into the traditional family tree of Chinese comedy. But when he first moves to Beijing to apprentice to the legendary Master Ding, a single show is all it takes for Jesse and his fellow comedy misfits to understand that book learning means bombing jokes.
To truly get the big laughs, he realizes he needs to know everything, like how long the fuse is on a thirty-cent firework, what card games coal miners play over Chinese New Year, and why comedy writers in Shanghai sometimes sleep in heart-shaped beds.
The result? Asking questions that might seem simple—if they weren’t being asked by an American caught in the breakneck whirlwind of a rising China.
“What do people here find funny?”
“How do you deal with hecklers?”
And, of course, the biggest one of
“Can I say that?”
From Jesse’s first forays into the traditional teahouse performance scene to being the only American cast member and writer on a Chinese version of Saturday Night Live, This Was Funnier in China captures an American's wide-eyed, enthusiastic experiences trying to build a world where we can all laugh together.
I marched onstage in a long robe beside my Shifu, under the curious eyes of a thousand Chinese comedy fans, armed only with a microphone and the goal to kill onstage or die trying.
Over the speakers, the host “Welcome to the Master Ding Guangquan and his American disciple, Ai Jie Xi!”
When self-proclaimed American class clown Jesse Appell signed up to study Mandarin in high school, he never imagined that one day his name would be written into the traditional family tree of Chinese comedy. But when he first moves to Beijing to apprentice to the legendary Master Ding, a single show is all it takes for Jesse and his fellow comedy misfits to understand that book learning means bombing jokes.
To truly get the big laughs, he realizes he needs to know everything, like how long the fuse is on a thirty-cent firework, what card games coal miners play over Chinese New Year, and why comedy writers in Shanghai sometimes sleep in heart-shaped beds.
The result? Asking questions that might seem simple—if they weren’t being asked by an American caught in the breakneck whirlwind of a rising China.
“What do people here find funny?”
“How do you deal with hecklers?”
And, of course, the biggest one of
“Can I say that?”
From Jesse’s first forays into the traditional teahouse performance scene to being the only American cast member and writer on a Chinese version of Saturday Night Live, This Was Funnier in China captures an American's wide-eyed, enthusiastic experiences trying to build a world where we can all laugh together.
- GenresMemoirChinaNonfiction
288 pages, Hardcover
Published February 10, 2026
15 people are currently reading
87 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
February 19, 2026
I loved this book because of how much it resonated with my own life. The notes and advice Jesse’s shifu gave him are inspiring to me as a performer.
I can relate to the trials and tribulations of studying and performing an ancient art form and enjoyed learning about the comedy world in another country
I can relate to the trials and tribulations of studying and performing an ancient art form and enjoyed learning about the comedy world in another country
March 4, 2026
Het is niet een slecht boek. Ik wil eigenlijk 3,5 ster geven. Het onderwerp is echt super interessant, en met name in het eerste gedeelte van het boek weet hij echt hele leuk over de traditionele Chinese comedie scene te schrijven. Omdat hij zijn eigen verhaal vertelt vind ik alleen dat hij soms gewoon wat oppervlakkige inzichten heeft. Hij beschrijft soms een moeilijke situatie en die schrijft hij vaak af op een soort culturele verschillen, maar soms denk ik ook gewoon dat het aan hem ligt. Ik denk dat mijn oordeel van dit boek gewoon een beetje wordt beïnvloed doordat ik hem irritant vind praten.
De inhoud zou ik zeker aanraden! Super goed inzicht in modern China.
De inhoud zou ik zeker aanraden! Super goed inzicht in modern China.
February 25, 2026
-This was such a great, informative, and enjoyable read. I've followed Jesse online for a while now and have found not only his tea videos but his bilingual ability to be inspiring. As someone who studies Chinese lang., is currently living in Beijing, and continuously interested in Chinese culture, this book was right up my alley.
- I learned a lot about xiangsheng, or "crosstalk," a topic on which I had little knowledge besides it being a traditional art form/comedy routine. So that was nice to educate myself on the topic. I also learned a lot about the stand-up culture/writing for a Chinese TV network. This is something I probably would not have explored on my own.
- I laughed reading this, and I teared up, too (okay letting out numerous tears.., especially about the picture!! UGH rip my heart out). I highlighted so many things throughout reading as well. Definitely a book that I will revisit in the future!
- I learned a lot about xiangsheng, or "crosstalk," a topic on which I had little knowledge besides it being a traditional art form/comedy routine. So that was nice to educate myself on the topic. I also learned a lot about the stand-up culture/writing for a Chinese TV network. This is something I probably would not have explored on my own.
- I laughed reading this, and I teared up, too (okay letting out numerous tears.., especially about the picture!! UGH rip my heart out). I highlighted so many things throughout reading as well. Definitely a book that I will revisit in the future!
February 28, 2026
I found this book from Jesse’s tea page on Instagram— wholly surprised to hear that he had lived an entirely different, but not separate, life beyond all the tea stuff.
As a Chinese American who grew up hearing her dad listen to 相声 in the background all the time, it took me reading Jesse’s book to really take the time to learn what 相声 was, and its deep meaning to Chinese culture.
Perhaps my bigger takeaway was how 相声could mean something different, but still the same, for everybody. As his 师傅s disciples all led their lives into different paths, these disparate meanings all came back to bring everyone together, bringing love and joy and laughter to all. Jesse’s memoir makes me truly feel that warmth and joy as a reader, even watching from outside in, and his added photos and videos make this one of my best reads so far this year.
As a Chinese American who grew up hearing her dad listen to 相声 in the background all the time, it took me reading Jesse’s book to really take the time to learn what 相声 was, and its deep meaning to Chinese culture.
Perhaps my bigger takeaway was how 相声could mean something different, but still the same, for everybody. As his 师傅s disciples all led their lives into different paths, these disparate meanings all came back to bring everyone together, bringing love and joy and laughter to all. Jesse’s memoir makes me truly feel that warmth and joy as a reader, even watching from outside in, and his added photos and videos make this one of my best reads so far this year.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Comedy is hard. It requires timing, the ability to spin stories, and a gift for finding the absurdity in everyday life. Comedy in another language and culture raises the difficulty level exponentially. In This Was Funnier in China, Jesse Appell recounts his journey to becoming a stand-up comedian thousands of miles away from his hometown in Boston. There are some funny moments in this book, but I wish that Appell had spent more effort on the history of Chinese comedy and the cultural differences between America and Chinese comedy...
Read the rest of my review at A Bookish Type. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley, for review consideration.
Read the rest of my review at A Bookish Type. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley, for review consideration.
February 21, 2026
This audiobook just sort of landed in my lap, and I thought, okay, I like books about comedians plying their trade, so why not? As someone who took four years of French classes and was nowhere near fluent, I can’t believe this guy moved to China and in short order knew Mandarin well enough to make native speakers laugh-- on purpose. I think he’d still be there, if COVID hadn’t chilled relations between our two countries to the point that his visa was revoked.
Being a US citizen of a certain age, my favorite anecdote was a story about trying to catch a cruise ship that was straight out of I Love Lucy.
Recommended if you’re the slightest bit interested in the craft of comedy, or contemporary Chinese culture.
February 11, 2026
This book was a fascinating glimpse into a world I didn't even know existed. I laughed and I cried. Jessie's extreme dedication and loyalty to his craft is inspiring but also gets him into weird and stressful situations wich mad left me bitting my nails.
It is an amazing life and story he hase managed to so beautifully depict and this book have made me want to learn mandarin and go to China and watch Xiangsheng❤️
It is an amazing life and story he hase managed to so beautifully depict and this book have made me want to learn mandarin and go to China and watch Xiangsheng❤️
February 14, 2026
I was only familiar with Jesse's love of tea from Youtube, so this was an interesting look at his obsessive dive into Chinese comedy traditions. I think it delivers exactly on its subtitle, and there were a few times I laughed audibly at his cruise ship misadventures. As someone else said it is not a deep dive history book, it is an examination of Jesse's love of the game and his practice of comedy in Chain.
March 9, 2026
I've been following Jesse's tea career for a while and I was very excited when he announced preorders for this. It's a very touching and entertaining picture of his life and career studying traditional Chinese comedy theater. Appell's humor and canny ability to make the inherently untranslateable essentially comprehendable despite the vast language and cultural barrier that would otherwise make a lot of the book difficult to parse really shine here.
March 3, 2026
Honestly I had low expectations starting this book. I have followed Jesse on social media for years and figured I'd just pirate the book, read 20-30 pages and call it a day. However, I found the entire book to be well written, humorous, and informative.
Jesse, for what it's worth, I did buy a legit copy after being called out in a footnote.
Jesse, for what it's worth, I did buy a legit copy after being called out in a footnote.
February 24, 2026
I cried! I laughed! It was thought provoking! Why did a young boy from Boston run away to China to write for the Beijing equivalent of SNL? And could he make them laugh? Yes! Yes he did!
March 16, 2026
A really unique story that anyone who's ever lived in China should check out!
October 24, 2025
I was drawn to This Was Funnier in China by Jesse Appell because of its focus on China. I recognised so much about life there and found myself laughing at some of the vivid, funny descriptions.
The book begins with Jesse’s decision to study Xiangsheng (Chinese comic dialogue) through the Fulbright programme, and while I appreciated his dedication, I wasn’t as engaged in the technical details or the long transcripts of performances. What I did enjoy was learning about comedy in China as this is something I’d never really considered before. It was fascinating to see how humour translates across cultures and how Jesse immersed himself in such a unique art form.
The author’s passion really shines through. He worked incredibly hard to master something complex and deeply rooted in Chinese tradition, and his respect for his mentor, Master Ding, is moving.
The second half of the book, where Jesse reflects on performing on cruise ships, running a comedy club, and appearing on Chinese TV, felt livelier and more engaging. The short chapters made it an easy, fast-paced read.
Overall, This Was Funnier in China is an inspiring and unusual memoir. Even though some sections weren’t quite for me, I’m glad I read it as it offered a rare and thoughtful glimpse into a side of Chinese culture I hadn’t seen before. I received a free advanced copy from NetGalley, and this is my honest review.
The book begins with Jesse’s decision to study Xiangsheng (Chinese comic dialogue) through the Fulbright programme, and while I appreciated his dedication, I wasn’t as engaged in the technical details or the long transcripts of performances. What I did enjoy was learning about comedy in China as this is something I’d never really considered before. It was fascinating to see how humour translates across cultures and how Jesse immersed himself in such a unique art form.
The author’s passion really shines through. He worked incredibly hard to master something complex and deeply rooted in Chinese tradition, and his respect for his mentor, Master Ding, is moving.
The second half of the book, where Jesse reflects on performing on cruise ships, running a comedy club, and appearing on Chinese TV, felt livelier and more engaging. The short chapters made it an easy, fast-paced read.
Overall, This Was Funnier in China is an inspiring and unusual memoir. Even though some sections weren’t quite for me, I’m glad I read it as it offered a rare and thoughtful glimpse into a side of Chinese culture I hadn’t seen before. I received a free advanced copy from NetGalley, and this is my honest review.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews