Ronny Chieng Calls US Citizenship Like Joining the “Evil Empire”
Ronny Chieng, the Malaysian-born comedian and current host of The Daily Show, recently opened up about what it felt like to officially become a United States citizen — and his description has raised a few eyebrows.
Speaking on Variety’s Awards Circuit Podcast, Chieng reflected on his long-standing ambition to live and work in America, sharing that he had wanted to be a US citizen since he was just seven years old. Born in Johor and raised across several countries, he first left the US in 1993 and spent decades trying to return.
“I’ve been trying to come back here to do stand-up comedy,” he said, “and I finally made it back in 2015. Now, nearly a decade later, I’ve become a citizen.”
Chieng explained that gaining US citizenship was a calculated move for his comedy career — not only to maintain continuity in his work but to ensure he could re-enter the country after touring or traveling. “It makes sense for me to get citizenship,” he said. “If I leave the country, I want to know I can come back to the life I’ve built here.”
But it was his characteristically sharp sense of humour that added colour to the moment. Commenting on the timing of his new citizenship status — which coincides with Donald Trump’s controversial second term — Chieng quipped that it felt a little awkward.
“It’s like joining the evil empire,” he joked. “But that’s not why I joined. It just so happens the evil empire has really great TV and does stand-up comedy in the Death Star.”
The remarks sparked mixed reactions online, with many amused by the satire while others debated the implications of renouncing Malaysian citizenship — a permanent decision that’s often emotionally and politically charged.
Chieng had previously shared that legendary actor Bill Murray personally congratulated him on his citizenship during a taping of The Daily Show, adding a surreal note to the whole experience.
Now firmly rooted in the American entertainment scene, Chieng seems to embrace the irony of his journey — chasing a dream since childhood, only to reach it at one of the most complicated times in America’s global image.
By Tarziman — 13 May 2025, 02:43 PM
