If you’ve watched The Daily Show or movies such as Crazy Rich Asians and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Five Rings, you should be no stranger to the name Ronny Chieng.
Recently, the Malaysian-born actor and comedian had the privilege of having a specific day being named after him in the city of Oahu in Hawaii.
Jul 27 declared as ‘Ronny Chieng Day’ in Oahu, Hawaii
The momentous occasion was shared by Chieng via a Facebook post yesterday (Jul 28), where he was photographed receiving a certificate proclaiming that July 27 would be known as ‘Ronny Chieng Day’.
Rick Blangiardi, Oahu’s mayor who presented Chieng with the award, said the declaration of ‘Ronny Chieng Day’ was a form of “deep appreciation for his (Ronny) excellence in multi-cultural comedy and the arts and his unwavering commitment to embracing the beauty, depth, and experience of multiracial cultures”.
Upon receiving the award, Chieng said in a speech that he promises to “always give more than he takes from Hawaii as he gradually becomes a part of the ohana” (‘family’ in the Hawaiian language).
I hope with this proclamation, I can go from ‘grateful guest’ in Hawaii to a ‘member of the ohana’ here.
For context, Chieng has lived in Oahu for a period of time with his wife while filming his comedy-drama series, Doogie Kamehāloha, M.D.
The Johor-born comedian, who was brought up in both Singapore and the US, is a household name in the late-night talk show industry, where he won an Emmy for his role as a correspondent in The Daily Show.
Watch the ceremony here:
Back in March, Chieng caused a stir on social media after he claimed that Singapore was ‘a country of small island Karens’, a statement which caused many to bristle at his words:
