1
In May 2015, my colleagues and I went to Las Vegas to attend an exhibition, and a “Chinese guide” was specially sent to Los Angeles to pick us up. The guide, feng Chao, was a medium-sized man wearing black-rimmed glasses, jeans and a T-shirt. He said welcome but didn’t smile at all.
The exhibition is small, with only two Chinese companies and two people from each company. After the crowd gathered, we followed Feng chao to the parking lot and got into an SUV. Feng chao briefly introduced the itinerary, and he did not talk much. The tour guide did not want to talk much, and the four of us were too embarrassed to talk.
It was a five-hour drive from THE Los Angeles airport to Las Vegas, a 10-hour flight, and I was so exhausted that I fell asleep after a little sightseeing. On the way I woke up to find a busload of people asleep, except for the guide. He looked out of the window and saw a straight road stretching ahead against a bottomless blue sky. The clouds were large and round, like those seen in a fairy-tale book. He was thinking about what language to use when the guide suddenly said, “Do you think we are heading for a dream?”
This remark made me feel that this taciturn tour guide should not be underestimated, so I tried to talk to him. As a result, I found that he was particularly forthright and outspoken.
Feng chao is a Beijing native, born in the 1980s, and his wife is An American. Speaking of this, he emphasized “white”. Because, he says, when an average Chinese guy marries an American wife, it’s always suspected that he’s married to a black man, so it’s easier for him to explain in advance when he’s asked a lot — but he and his wife are now divorced, and the children are raised by his wife, who lives in Milwaukee. He came to Los Angeles alone, he said, to fulfill a dream: to become a good stand-up comedian.
A stand-up Comedy is similar to a Chinese stand-up Comedy in that a person stands on the stage and says something funny to amuse the audience. After that, he or she causes a little thinking. This form of performance originated in Britain but flourished in the United States. Almost every city in the US has an “Open mic” where anyone interested can get on stage and perform. The American talk show industry has a solid mass base, and there are dozens or even millions of actors in related industries. It is easy to get into the industry, but difficult to become famous.
Feng Chao is doing Xiangsheng (courtesy of the author)
Feng said he would like to join “The Comedy Store,” located in Sunset Boulevard, West Hollywood, in The City of Los Angeles, The US. Founded in 1972, the “comedy house” is more popular with American audiences than Deyunshe is in China. Many Chinese people familiar with the American comedians have resident here show, including called “American chow” Jim carrey, took the Oscar for best male with robin Williams, is listed as one of the 20th century, the great movie comedian bill hicks, at present the most fire a few in the United States stand up comedian bill burr, Canadian Indian Russell Peters, yellow of the asian-american lido here on site.
The best comedians in the United States and even the world want to perform in comedy stores, so you can imagine the competition. It also made me wonder about Feng Chao — how could a Beijing man love stand-up comedy and want to make a living from it?
Before I could ask more questions, the car was in Las Vegas. Feng Chao settled us in, and the other people chose to go to the casino to see the fresh, and I particularly want to continue to listen to Feng Chao tell his story. Feng Chao said yes, but he had to “shout leaves” to speak well.
This is probably feng’s only hobby since he came to the United States – medical marijuana is legally available and inexpensive in Los Angeles, but illegal in Las Vegas. In order to listen to Feng chao’s story, I, who had never touched “leaves” before, paid $25 and let Feng chao manage to get a small box and chat with him while hiding in the car.
2
When Feng Chao was in junior high school, his parents divorced and he was sentenced to his mother, who had no time to control him and left him to his uncle, who lived alone. Feng Chao grew up with no control.
At school, Feng played a lot and did only so-so in school. Fortunately, he liked English very much. After graduation, he studied in tourism school and became a foreign tour guide.
To practice his spoken English, Feng spent his spare time hanging out in bars in Sanlitun, where he met his former wife, an American who was teaching English at Peking University. The couple married in 2008 and had a son, Feng Jinran, the following year. The family “returned” to Milwaukee because his wife was homesick and thought his son would have more opportunities in the United States.
Mr Fung Chao and his mixed-race son, Mr Fung Kam-ran (photo by author)
Milwaukee is a third-tier city in the U.S., and if Yi hadn’t played for the Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA, not many Chinese would have remembered the name. With a population of just over 600,000, there were few jobs available for Chinese, so Feng ended up working as a night tally clerk in a supermarket. His wife wanted to quit teaching and went back to school to study medicine. Two people are busy, seldom see each other.
Feng was used to the hustle and bustle of Beijing when he was a child, but Milwaukee is not the place to be. After four years there, he had no friends, and his character became more and more isolated and strange. His wife became unbearable. “We were both too young when we met and married,” she told Feng. “I only now realize how big our problems are. It’s not a question of character, it’s not a question of family. There is a huge gap between us and it’s not sustainable.”
His wife filed for divorce in 2013, leaving feng alone in a foreign country without a home or a career.
During that time, Feng chao was at a loss for his future. He often went to bars to drown his sorrows in alcohol.
American bars are usually has open mic, feng was drunk, once stumbled rushed onto the stage, looked at the audience a group of unfamiliar faces, all of the appearance of live working, suddenly very angry, because fall in love with an American girl, own to the United States, into this new kind son today, cause the tragic situation now, all the people here have share, feng hate each and every one of them. So he went into the microphone and swore over a glass of wine: “What are you looking at? I’m Chinese. Why? Chinese are niubi, Chinese have plenty of money, you Mother fxxker! ! Fxxking Bitch!”
Unexpectedly, the audience responded to him, is spread a burst of happy laughter. This made Feng even angrier, pointing to the guy with the biggest smile and cursing, “Shut up! You asshole -kisser! The Chinese don’t need your applause!”
Feng Chao cursed more and more and swore all the English swear words he knew. The angrier he was, the happier the audience was, and some laughed until tears came to their eyes. In the crowd, a big man with a full body of flesh stood up and came toward him. Feng thought he must be going on stage to beat himself up, so he did the classic Bruce Lee gesture of waving to a big man.
The big guy laughs and shouts: “Crazy Chinese, you are so funny!”
At this time, the bar owner brought out a glass of wine, smiled and gave it to Feng Chao: “This is a gift from our bar, free, you are very humorous, welcome to my performance often.
Feng felt so good at that moment that he was “happier than sleeping with a pretty girl”. He began to seriously consider stand-up comedy — after four years in Milwaukee, he had a pent-up frustration and wanted to get it off his chest. So he continued to work at the supermarket, swearing and whining in Milwaukee’s bars, and was surprisingly popular.
During that time, while still living in the shadow of divorce, he often told stories about his former wife’s love affairs: “My wife is an angel. I am beautiful, blonde and blue-eyed. I am good in bed.”
The following woman was not happy: “Since your wife is so nice, why are you here if you don’t hurry home?”
Feng chao said, “Because I lost her. I’ve made my daughter-in-law cry all these years in America. Now I want to make my daughter-in-law laugh, but I don’t have the chance any more. I can only make other people’s wives laugh.”
Feng felt relieved and not so sad.
3
Milwaukee’s stand-up comedy scene is small, actors are drawn to it for love, and with so many topics in common, Feng has finally made a group of friends.
In 2014, just as stand-up comedy was booming across America, a friend of his was signed by a well-known comedy house in Chicago. Chicago is the nearest big city to Milwaukee, and it’s only an hour and a half by car. Before leaving, my friend invited me to dinner, and everyone was so excited that he was the glory of Milwaukee’s stand-up comedy scene. Feng chao said to him: “When you become a big star in the future, don’t forget to pull brother, let me be your sidekick.” His friend patted him on the shoulder: “Feng Chao, you are not the material to be a valet, you should be a star.”
Lonely Chinese talk shows in America
After my friend went to Chicago, his career took off with frequent appearances on TV shows. Feng chao recalled his friend’s parting advice and thought he should go to the big city. Milwaukee is too small to make stand-up comedy a real business, only on a better platform.
He did some research on stand-up comedy in the United States, and he thinks he’s lucky that standing comedy is so popular right now, and audiences love it, and it’s a good time to get into it. Hollywood in Los Angeles is a better choice than nearby Chicago. Feng chao decided to go there — even though leaving his son was painful.
Son Feng Jinran to Feng Chao is the most important family. Feng shares an apartment after his divorce, and whenever he has time, he takes over his son for a few days.
Feng was only 4 years old at the time of feng’s divorce. Apart from inheriting Feng’s “Chinese nose”, Feng has the same appearance and personality as local American children, and he does not speak Chinese. Although divorce when the court awarded custody of the feng’s ex-wife, but his ex-wife is a rational kind person, from beginning to end have no any feng said to the son is not, only after the son asked, “dad, why don’t live with us” when said: “daddy now there are a lot of their own problems to solve, so not convenient and live with us.”
Feng thought his parents’ divorce in his early years had no effect on him until his own marriage failed, and he realized how much — he had no sense of responsibility for marriage and family, and subconsciously felt that his marriage would fall apart sooner or later. Realizing this, Feng chao was very kind to his son and tried his best to be a good father. The son loves Feng Chao very much, also worship him very much, since Feng Chao began to perform talk show, Feng Jinran heart think father is a big star.
Before leaving, Feng had a deep talk with his son: “My father wants to go to Los Angeles to develop his career. As long as his life and work are stable, my father will take you to Los Angeles, OK?”
Unexpectedly Feng Jinran was very supportive: “Good! Dad is a big star, he should go to the big city to perform!”
Feng Chao put jin Ran in his arms, unable to stop the tears. He was determined to set a good example for his son and not give up halfway.
4
Feng moved to Los Angeles alone in 2014, and for the first half of the year, he worked as a tour guide while looking for performing opportunities.
The word “crazy” can be used to describe an amateur performer who is not trained and not recommended to make it in Hollywood. When feng first arrived in Los Angeles, he went to a small bar to perform in an open Mic. As he tried to walk up to the stage, he was stopped by a tall, fat black man who asked, “What are you doing?” Hearing that Feng chao wanted to perform, his eldest brother scoffed: “Are you Chinese? I have never seen a humorous Chinese. All the Chinese I know have long faces and can’t even smile. They don’t talk about talk shows.” Then, pointing to the dozens of people seated below, he said: “There are so many actors waiting in line for their chance to go on stage. Why do you come on stage?”
Feng Chao took a look, and sure enough, there were dozens of people sitting in the audience. The bar was not big, but the dozens of people were actors — more than the drinkers.
After this time, Feng knew that Los Angeles is the center of performing arts in the United States and even the world, and there is no shortage of performing talents in any small bar. If you want to perform in a bar in Los Angeles, you have to fill out a form describing your experience and the program you want to perform before the bar opens. You can only sign your name on a piece of paper if the bar manager approves. The manager would put these signed notes in a large box, and when the bar was open, a random piece of paper would be drawn out of the box and the chosen person could perform on stage. Because so many people want to be on stage, the probability of being chosen each night is only about 1/3.
The place Feng really wants to perform is the Comedy Store. In addition to regularly bringing in comedians to perform live, comedy shop employs more than 30 on site comedians, all of whom are talented. Best of all, every Monday night from 7pm to 8pm, the comedy store gives extras who want to perform a gig a chance to come on stage. For five minutes each, they receive no pay, but if they do a good job, they are spotted by their manager or boss and stay on as on sites.
To get the five-minute chance, you have to register between 7 and 8 a.m. on A Monday. Since June 2014, Feng has appeared at the comedy store punctually at 7 am every Monday to register and fill out a form, rain or shine. After 10 months, he was finally chosen by the managers and given a chance to perform on stage — only to be given just one minute.
In a small second-floor room with a seating capacity of 150, four judges sit in front of the stage — all the biggest names in comedy, the youngest of whom have performed on talk shows for more than a decade. Feng chao’s job is to make all 154 people laugh in less than a minute, and to embody Oriental characteristics.
The small hall on the second floor of the “Comedy Store” where Feng Chao first performed (provided by the author)
As Soon as Feng took the stage, an older, bearded judge said, “Who ordered takeout? Why didn’t you call me?”
Everyone was amused — there were so many Chinese restaurants in Los Angeles that Feng chao, wearing a white T-shirt and black pants, really looked like a take-out waiter.
Feng chao immediately picked up the burden and impromptu performance, saying, “Americans don’t always know our East Asian faces, and they think we all look the same. When I checked in this morning, the manager said to me, ‘You’ve been here several times in the morning. We can only check in once a day. We don’t cheat.’ Turns out, he took all the Koreans and Japanese who filled out the forms for me.”
The judges and the audience laughed, and the first requirement was met. Feng chao saw the manager of the Comedy Store standing in the back of the crowd giving him a thumbs-up — which seemed to be a good improvise.
The first time I went to my girlfriend’s house, I was shocked to see her father, who looked almost exactly like me, only a little older. I immediately lost all respect for his father-in-law, he continued.
The audience laughed and the judges nodded again and again, which made Feng more confident.
“At that time, my girlfriend’s father was very unhappy and said to me, ‘Feng Chao, if you don’t have $30,000 in your bank account, you are not fit to date my daughter. ‘After I lost all respect for this old’ Feng Chao ‘, he said such a thing to me! So I said, ‘You’re right, I don’t have $30,000, I don’t deserve to be in a relationship with your daughter, but you know what? I slept with your daughter every day for the last 10 months. I don’t think it’s worth $30,000. ‘”
This is not the joke Feng had prepared before, but it does have the prototype of life — the first time Feng went to his girlfriend’s house, her father asked him how much he had in the bank. The one-minute joke, which reflected the different views of love and marriage between Chinese and Westerners, was featured with Oriental characteristics and won laughter and applause from the audience. The second requirement of the judges also passed the standard smoothly.
After the performance, several judges asked him some more questions. One of them asked feng why he wanted to come to Hollywood. Feng said, “Because I am a talented psychopath.
Again, the whole house laughed. After several judges discussed the matter for a while, one of the older judges said to him, “Feng Chao, you are very humorous and good. You can meet such strict requirements in one minute. But the people who are performing today are all very good, so we have to choose the best, not you — what are you going to do?”
“It doesn’t matter,” Feng replied without thinking. “I will continue to check in every Monday. You can’t kill me.”
But after that, the note with his name on it was never drawn again until it told me his story.
5
I admired this person whom I had met by chance, and after leaving the United States, I still followed feng chao’s progress.
On the night of July 7, 2015, he sent a message to my friends to drive away my sleepiness: “Starting today, I am officially working at the best comedy store in America!” Below are two pictures, including one of him standing in the hallway of the Comedy Store, which is plastered with photos of celebrities.
Feng Chao stands in the hallway of a comedy store filled with photos of celebrities.
I was so excited to see his dream come true that I immediately sent him a message of congratulations. After a while, Feng chao returned the message. Excited, he went into great detail with me about how he got the job.
After that, the comedy store did not hire Feng, but he still insisted on checking in every Monday.
Four months passed in a flash. One day, Feng Chao went to sign in as usual, but he still didn’t get the chance to go on stage again. He was about to go home when he heard someone calling his name. Following the voice, he saw a handsome young man wearing a black T-shirt with the LOGO of a comedy store printed on his chest.
The boy is here on site actor, feng chao has seen him on the stage. Smiling, he came over to shake Feng’s hand. “My name is Steven Randolph,” he said.
Feng chao shook his hand vaguely. “Hi, My name is Feng Chao.”
Stevens said he often saw Feng coming to register and thought he was too persistent. He asked feng if he would like to work as a Door Guy at the Comedy Store — if so, he could recommend Feng to his boss to perform a five-minute talk show every Monday night.
Feng had no idea what Door Guy was, but when he heard that he could perform at the Comedy Store every Monday, he was thrilled: ‘Ok, I’ll do it!’
Steven explains that Door Guy at comedy shop is actually a on site actor, but he has to do chores as well as acting. When guests come to see the show, Door Guy needs to welcome them in and take them to their places. On top of that, you’re responsible for mixing the drinks for the guests, sort of like a bartender.
With that, Steven leads Feng to the parking lot of the Comedy Store, where a van is parked with a number of painted names. Feng counts 27 of them. ‘These people used to be Door guys at comedy Stores like us,’ Mr. Stevens says. ‘Now they’re all big stars and millionaires.’
So Feng quit his job as a tour guide and started working full-time as Door Guy in a comedy shop — only instead of becoming an instant millionaire, he went hungry. Because there is no salary for doing Door Guy here, all the income is the tip given by the guests. In the entertainment industry, the later the business, the better, the more customers, the more tips, but Feng chao is a newcomer, assigned to work between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. — a time when Los Angeles nightlife is just beginning and there are not many customers.
Poster made by Comedy Store for Feng Chao and his colleagues
For a long time, Feng could only earn enough money to eat one meal a day, and he had to go hungry to work every day. Even so, he was thrilled to be working at the comedy Store, which not only gets to perform on stage, but also trains him on how to improve his acting skills. Every day after work, Feng has to stay to study and watch other colleagues’ performances until after 2 am.
There is a McDonald’s on his way home, and sometimes he goes in for a midnight snack. Once he happened to be sitting next to an Unemployed American who saw Feng and said, “Asian dog, get out!”
The U.S. government has a welfare program for the poor. Each month, the unemployed or unemployed are given food stamps that can be redeemed for a meal at McDonald’s. Many of the unemployed do not leave after eating, but use McDonald’s as a resting place, lying askew on chairs. But people like Feng, who came to the United States from other countries to struggle, did not enjoy these things.
But Feng chao feels his life is much more dynamic than theirs. Temporary poverty is not to be feared by those who have dreams.
At the comedy store, Feng made many like-minded friends. Steven and he are the same blood, the best of friends. When performing, the two people cooperate well, always can push the joyful atmosphere to the climax.
Feng Chao and Steven Rudolph in the Performance (courtesy of the author)
Feng chao asked Steven why he helped him work here in the first place. Steven said he felt feng was very much like his former self. He had a true love for stand-up comedy. He was talented but confused. He was a former drug addict who spent $400 a day on drugs and kicked the habit completely after he was hired by comedy Shop. It was his love of stand-up comedy that saved him, and now he has his own radio show called “Exploring Deep Thoughts with Steven Rudolph.”
6
The two met at the end of 2015, when Feng opened the comedy Store for Russell Peters, a stand-up comedy star.
Soon after, Feng developed dental problems that required surgery, but he had no health insurance, which would be extremely expensive. Feng chao is still unable to eat three meals a day, and his friends can not take so much money. He was very worried. Dental problems would interfere with speaking, which is a big deal for a stand-up comedian.
In desperation, Feng chao tried to call Russell and explain his situation. Before he could finish, Russell said, “You go ahead and have the operation. I’ll pay for it. Don’t worry.”
Russell really paid for all of Feng’s dental treatment. Feng chao later learned that Russell had a reputation for helping others. After this incident, Russell became Feng Chao’s idol.
Russell was born in an Indian family. Although he grew up in Canada, most of his friends were still Indian. He understood Feng very well that it was not easy for immigrants to break through mountains in a new world. When Russell learned that Feng’s son lived in Milwaukee, he would ask feng if he could bring something for him whenever he went to perform there. Feng chao was very touched, but still refused his offer — he wanted to be friends with Russell on an equal footing.
During a chat, Feng chao asked Russell, “Russell, what is your motto in life?”
“Never be afraid to give. The more you give, the happier you will be.”
Feng then asked, “Russell, what do I have to do to become as famous as you?”
Russell looked at him and said, in rare earnest: “Just be Feng Chao.”
Feng Chao and Celebrity Russell perform a comedy show in Salt Lake City
Under the influence of Russell, Feng chao’s mentality gradually changed.
He has a new colleague, an Italian in his 50s, who has just come to the United States and is in poor financial condition. He doesn’t like to communicate with people. He has been working at the comedy store for a few months and doesn’t have any friends. One day feng Chao met him on the road and asked him why he was so worried. Italians say today is their birthday, but in a foreign country, no relatives and friends, so the mood is not good.
Feng chao said, “Today I am your family and friends.”
He invited the Italian to his home, bought him a birthday cake and beer snacks, the two of them drink and chat, but did not expect quite hit it off, until late into the night. In the end, Feng gave him his only $100 birthday gift. The Italian was so moved that he hugged Feng and burst into tears.
Friendship has, but the fate of love has not arrived.
The average on site actor at comedy store is basically a poor guy, with the occasional well-heeled one — like Lydia, an American girl who joined the store in 2016. Lydia’s father is a real estate developer from a wealthy family. She is very studious and smart. She acts like a standup show, which is very popular with her colleagues and audiences, and she also captures Feng Chao’s heart.
Feng Chao asked Lydia on a date with him, and Lydia agreed. The two of them went to the beach for swimming and had a big candlelight dinner at a restaurant near the sea. Feng chao drove Lydia home after 10 PM. At parting, Lydia kissed Feng and asked him if he would like to go home and have a cup of coffee with her. Feng said, “It’s too late, drinking coffee affects your sleep. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
After that day, Lydia’s attitude towards Feng Chao became very cold. Feng chao was confused and asked his American friends in the store. He realized that when a girl invited you home for coffee at the end of the date in the United States, he had a crush on you. Feng Chao refused the girl’s invitation, which meant that he did not like her, and of course she would give feng chao a cold shoulder. “Feng Chao, you have stayed in America for so many years and married an American daughter-in-law. But you don’t know anything about American girls.”
After this thing, Feng Chao understood the words that ex-wife divorce says gradually, he recalls carefully before all sorts of, indeed, two people have different processing way and view to the thing, accumulate over a long period of time, become finally irretrievable.
7
In 2017, the comedy Store introduced a new colleague, Robert, who quickly became friends with Feng. His arrival became the catalyst for His career.
Feng Chao learns how to mix wine with Robert (photo by author)
Robert was responsible for mixing drinks in the bar at the Comedy Store, and Feng once thought he was a professional bartender. Watch TV at home until one day, he suddenly saw on the screen of Robert’s face – Robert heavy, not so handsome, but shoulder wide waist fine, muscular, is the person special like the kind of figure – the show is one of evergreen play in America, is really famous, can play the lead role in the show, how should be a millionaire? Why is Robert working in a bar?
In the evening, Feng chao grabbed Robert and asked, “Brother, are you hiding something from me?”
Robert paused for a moment. “Well, I confess, I spat into the glass you were drinking, and I did it because there was no salt left.”
Feng Chao took out his mobile phone and took out the still picture of Robert. He put his mobile phone in front of him and asked, “You are a TV star and a millionaire. Please give me back the money for the fried chicken you ate that day!”
Robert looked and couldn’t help laughing.
Robert is indeed a famous actor. He has acted in many TV series. His girlfriend comes from a film family. But Robert’s real dream was to become a comedy star, so he settled for a part in a comedy shop.
Inspired by Robert, Feng has since signed on with a film and television agency, which helps him land roles in Hollywood movies and TV shows.
In early 2019, an American cable network Show Time filmed a documentary for The comedy store. One segment was called “The Door Guy Show”. Twelve on site actors were selected to perform on stage, and feng chao’s performance was The finale.
Feng’s Show is called the Kinison Show, in honor of Sam Kinison, who performed at on site, the comedy store, in the 1980s. Kinnisson was a man of character. He was a womanizer, unafraid of controversy and willing to challenge convention. Feng chao, like Kinnissen, is a special presence in the American entertainment industry. Unlike the average Chinese immigrant, who is either obsessed with lucrative careers like being a doctor or running a restaurant, or a utilitarian Tiger mom who pushes his children to succeed, feng chao has chosen a different path.
In August, Feng Jinran came to Los Angeles to visit his father. Feng was so happy that he took his son to have hot pot first and the best MILK ice cream in Los Angeles. When he got home, he found that there were 25 missed calls on his mobile phone, all of which were from his manager Mike.
It turned out that Mike had given Feng Chao a good job — to play a gangster in a Hollywood blockbuster. Although it’s only a cameo, the movie will be released in North America in a year’s time, and audiences will surely notice the flamboyant Chinese actor.
Feng chao also runs his own independent radio show, “The Mandarin Dream.” In fact, the original intention of orange Dream producers was to create a program to teach Chinese, but a growing audience became interested in Feng chao and his unusual life experience. The producers also plan to make a documentary for Feng, who will return to Beijing with the crew next year to start shooting where his dream began.
Feng Chao’s Radio Broadcast of His Orange Dream
I remembered that when I left the United States, Feng Chao had sent us to the airport. He had said to me with a smile, “Just wait. When I become famous, I will give you free tickets to listen to my cross talk.
That’s not so far away, I think.
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