Digital Media Center
Bryant-Denny Stadium, Gate 4
Box 870370
920 Paul Bryant Drive
Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0370
205-348-6644

© 2026 Alabama Public Radio
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Join us for APR's Fall Pledge Drive through September 18th. Make a donation by clicking here!

Jesse Appell, an American comedian in China, shares his 'cross-cultural journey' in new memoir

The cover of "This Was Funnier in China" by Jesse Appell. (Courtesy of Avid Reader Press)
Courtesy of Avid Reader Press
The cover of "This Was Funnier in China" by Jesse Appell. (Courtesy of Avid Reader Press)

Jesse Appell describes himself as an independent creative, entrepreneur and intercultural comedian based in Beijing using comedy to bridge cultural divides.

And apparently, it’s working. His own comic videos and appearances on Chinese TV have garnered more than 500 million views in China.

His new memoir, “This Was Funnier in China, An American Comedian’s Cross-Cultural Journey,” details it all.

Appell first joined Here & Now in 2020, when he returned to Massachusetts and organized a fundraiser to support COVID-19 relief efforts there. Now, he talks with host Robin Young about the book and life since COVID-19.

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.

Copyright 2026 WBUR

News from Alabama Public Radio is a public service in association with the University of Alabama. We depend on your help to keep our programming on the air and online. Please consider supporting the news you rely on with a donation today. Every contribution, no matter the size, propels our vital coverage. Thank you.