Thursday, 19 December 2024

STAND-UP REVIEW: RONNY CHIENG - LOVE TO HATE IT


4/5

Hawaiian Punchline

65 Mins. Starring: Ronny Chieng. Director: Cameron Barnett. On: Netflix.

It's been five years since an 'An Asian Comedian (Destroyed) America' (the perfect way to spend my first night after moving to Japan), and yet I'm still reviewing Ronny Chieng shows (I guess I didn't listen and take not to 'Speakeasy' two years back). Just like Netflix is still a joke, falling for the end of year laughs from the likes of Ali Wong ('Single Lady') and Jamie Foxx telling everybody 'What Had Happened Was...', to tears of more than just laughter. After a year dominated by John Mulaney's own return in 'Everybody's In LA' (which Chieng was a guest on), not to mention the greats, like 'The Dreamer' of Dave Chappelle and the Ricky Gervais 'Armageddon', it's time to give Ronny his flower necklace too. Getting off the plane for a Hawaiian special, 'Love To Hate It', directed by Cameron Barnett. Just don't give them to his mother.

You must be filled with all kinds of hate if you don't love this show dedicated to his dear Dad, who, upon learning about his gig on 'The Daily Show' (via a Twitter refresh), discovered his son was "just a sidekick". Yet he and we all really know that the 'Shang-Chi' star is much more of a marvel than all that. Especially when he poses for fans with his arms well and truly tucked and folded. Chieng will tell you like it is when it comes to the idea that his own son may want to take up his microphone one day. But how his boy will make it here in the first place is an origin story worthy of an ESPN 30 For 30 the way he beats the buzzer with one shot you don't want right between the eyes. But this is far from the last dance of Ronny and his lovely wife (who we get to see in the Cadillac drive opening to the theatre) of almost a decade. They've still got plenty of years to enjoy life, before they get like their friends who, "look like s###!"

And maybe think like it too, as the razor-sharp comedian tells us he has a few friends whose preference for baseball cap colours stray a little too close to a Los Angeles Angel. No Shohei. Dodge this, all you want, but a few of your own closest friends might have opinions even closer to the bone. He sees their point too, although he still knows how to poke fun, all whilst prodding the cancel culture crowd with some real clickbait. He says all men are Jordan Peterson closer to that awful way of thinking when algorithms take us from dumbbells to dumba##es. With America destroying himself, this stand-up guy who speaks anything but easy tells us we should do like the Koreans and enjoy life. Even when we're 'Squid Game' killing each other, like the Western reality show version of the landmark TV show, whose second season comes this Boxing Day. This genius monologue, like his taxing one on the US, is more of a Netflix and K-Pop plug than Taika Waititi's 'The Boy & The Octopus' short is a Disney one, but at a plus, it still reaches you like anime in the face of a reserved Japan. Can't hate on that. TIM DAVID HARVEY.

Further Filming: Ronny Chieng - 'Speakeasy', Ronny Chieng - 'Asian Comedian Destroys America', Ali Wong - 'Single Lady'

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