A 89s viral clip taken from her performance at Manhattan's Comedy Cellar on 7 April that was posted online on June 6
Defiant comedian Jocelyn Chia taunts Malaysia over MH370 joke again
Jocelyn Chia, who has become a lightning rod for criticism and public anger in Malaysia, is revelling in her new-found notoriety. The New York-based stand-up comedian, who rose to infamy after a clip of her making jokes about the 2014 missing Malaysian Airlines flight MH370, thanked Malaysians for putting her in the spotlight.
“I’m on the front page of BBC.com now. Interviewed by @CNN, @nytimes, @BBCWorld and going to be on @FoxNews this Sat. So actually, Malaysia, you can keep going,” she tweeted on Wednesday.
“My @netflix special is writing itself. Thank you Malaysia!” she said in another tweet on Thursday. Unfazed by public outcry, Chia retweeted a clip of an interview where she laughs at a joke by the host about the number of people who died on flight MH370.
In the interview hosted by another comedian, Chrissie Mayr, Chia was seen laughing after Mayr said that the 227 people dying was “not that many”. “Honestly, if Interpol did something about this request and things escalated, can you imagine how famous it is going to make me?” Chia said in an interview with the BBC on Wednesday. “I just wish I could have seen the face of the Interpol officer who received the request.”
Singapore-born comedian based in US draws flak for joke referencing lost MH370 plane
The video clip posted on Singapore-born comedian Jocelyn Chia's Instagram account drew the ire of many Malaysians. PHOTOS: CHIACOMEDY/INSTAGRAM
Singapore-born comedian Jocelyn Chia who joked about the missing Malaysia Airlines plane MH370 during a recent stand-up comedy show in the United States, has sparked a heated discussion about whether certain topics are off limits as comedic material.
An 89-second video clip of her set posted on Instagram showed the New York-based Chia poking fun at the ongoing rivalry between Singapore and Malaysia and making several expletive-laden snipes at Malaysians in the audience:
- “When my prime minister went on TV to announce that you guys had dumped us, he cried because he thought we were not gonna survive without you,” Chia said, referring to Singapore’s first Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, who announced the island state’s separation from Malaysia in 1965.
- “But 40 years later, we became a First World country. And you guys, Malaysia, what are you now? Still a developing country,” she said to laughs at the Comedy Cellar in New York City.
- “Now, Malaysia you all are trying to come around, like, ‘Hey Singapore, you’re looking good lah.’ And we’re like, ‘I know, but why haven’t you visited me in 40 years?’,” she added.
- “And (Malaysia’s) like, ‘Yeah I tried, but you know, my airplanes cannot fly,’ ” Chia said to more laughter but also some audible gasps from the crowd.
- “Why, Malaysian Airlines going missing not funny huh? Some jokes don’t land,” she said, referring to the MH370 plane that left Kuala Lumpur for Beijing in March 2014 but never arrived. To date, the aircraft has not been located.
US comedian Jocelyn Chia calls Malaysia's reaction to MH370 joke 'ridiculous'
Jocelyn Chia, a lawyer turned comedian, is a prominent performer in New York
A US comedian who offended Malaysian authorities with a joke about missing flight MH370 says the reaction from officials has been "overblown". Jocelyn Chia told the BBC she was "not making fun of tragedy" and victims, but was trying to find humour in tragedy.
Malaysian police said they would ask Interpol to locate Ms Chia, as they investigate her for incitement and offensive online content. Ms Chia - who grew up in Singapore - called involving Interpol "ridiculous". Interpol told the BBC it had not received a request for assistance in the case from Malaysian police. Ms Chia had joked in a viral video that Malaysian jets "cannot fly", referring to the Malaysia Airlines flight that disappeared in 2014 - a sensitive topic in the country. She said her joke had been "taken out of context when consumed on social media".
"I have [performed this routine] hundreds of times and even did a shorter version of it in Singapore. It always cracks the audience up. I wouldn't have used it again if it didn't work," she said. Ms Chia said "roasting" or poking fun at the audience is part of comedy club culture in New York, where she is now based. She said American comics have in the past used the September 11 terror attacks as fodder for their jokes. "Americans can appreciate humour that is harsher, edgier and more in-your-face, as compared to in Asia where the stand-up comedy scene is still in its early days. You won't find a lot of edgy comedy in Asia," she said.
Comedian in New York jokes about Malaysia, faces heated backlash overseas
Chia told CNN that her routine has been performed “more than a hundred times” for a year and a half without an issue, but when this particular segment was taken out and condensed into a short clip for social media, some of the necessary context went missing.
“I do stand by my joke but with some caveat – I stand by it in its entirety, when viewed in a comedy club. Upon reflection I do see that having this as a clip that gets viewed out of a comedy club context was risky,” she said. She added Singaporeans have long had a friendly rivalry with Malaysia and it was what the joke was based on, adding that she bears no grudge against Malaysia. It was also a common culture for comedians to “roast” their live audience, she added.
Malaysian audience members often come up to Chia after her shows to tell her that they loved her gig, she said, which showed “they clearly didn’t take offense”. But the joke has caused a wave of controversy in both Malaysia and Singapore after it went viral online in recent days.
Are there lines that shouldn’t be crossed when it comes to stand-up comedy?
THE LONG AND SHORT OF IT
When an excerpt of a comedian’s routine is posted onto social media – as Jocelyn did when she uploaded a clip of one of her routines on her now-deleted Instagram page - the audience is no longer that same group of people in that room.
It might not even be the same demographic of audience she had been testing her material on. Now, her audience is the entire world wide web. The stakes have changed. And more importantly, the rules have changed. The rules surrounding content - official or perceived - are different for different media platforms. This is true not just for Singapore, but for countries all over the world.
Putting the merits of the jokes and the performance aside, as these are incredibly subjective, what is it that went wrong here? Jocelyn has been reported as saying by CNN that she has told the Malaysia joke “more than a hundred times” over a year and a half without any issue for a comedy club audience in New York City. But when the segment was posted online, it was extremely poorly received by an audience on the other side of the world.
Jocelyn Chia defends MH370 joke, says ‘people take jokes way too seriously’
Comedian Jocelyn Chia defended herself in some of the comments on social media calling her out for her routine on the tragic MH370 Malaysian Airlines flight
Controversial comedian Jocelyn Chia has taken to social media to defend her recent jokes about Malaysia and the missing MH370 flight.
According to screenshots taken by netizens, she had replied to a comment by local stand-up comedian Jason Leong who appeared to endorse her performance, by stating “I love this bit”. "Geez people take jokes way too seriously," she replied to him on Instagram. Instagram user @suhvrv86 commented on Jocelyn's stand-up video saying that tragedy should not be made a joke to which Jocelyn replied otherwise.
"Tragedy plus time = comedy. It's been long enough man," she said, claiming that enough time had gone by since the MH370 tragedy occurred. She added that people have the right to joke about tragic events if they can make it funny. At the time of writing (June 8), Jocelyn has deactivated her social media accounts following backlash from her stand-up comedy video.
Singaporean stand-up comedian slammed by Malaysians online for joking about MH370 tragedy
It’s a common sight to witness Malaysians and Singaporeans engaging in playful banter, which, in a twisted way, has actually strengthened our bond. Malaysians might take a dig at the subpar quality of food in Singapore, while in response, Singapore might playfully lament our ill-fated separation from them. But where exactly should we draw the line Jocelyn Chia, a stand-up comedian hailing from the lion city of Singapore, recently found herself in hot soup with Malaysians due to a video she shared on social media, showcasing her performance at New York’s Comedy Cellar.
What initially started as a blunt joke seemed to have taken a personal turn:
- In the first few minutes of the clip, Chia jests about Malaysia being the one to leave Singapore, yet it is now the struggling party.
- “My country is Singapore. After we gained independence from the British. We were a struggling little nation. In order to survive, we formed a union, with a larger, more powerful country, Malaysia.”
- “When my Prime Minister went on TV to announce you guys had dumped us, he cried because he thought we were not going to survive without you. But then, 40 years later, we became a first-world country.”
- “And you guys? Malaysia, what are you now? Still a developing country…”
Here’s where the controversy stirred. In the subsequent parts of her act, Chia jokes about Malaysia being the clingy ex attempting to rekindle ties with Singapore:
- Chia mockingly says, “Why haven’t you (Malaysia) paid me a visit in forty years?” and then impersonates Malaysia, replying, “I tried but you know our airplanes can’t fly,” making a sly reference to the MH370 incident that occurred nine years ago.
- Her remarks earned her disapproving glances from the audience, to which she cheekily responded, “What? Malaysian airlines going missing is not funny huh? Some jokes don’t land. This joke kills in Singapore.”
- For context, MH370 was an international passenger flight operated by Malaysia Airlines that vanished on 8th March 2014 while en route from Kuala Lumpur International Airport to its intended destination in China. The ill-fated flight carried 239 passengers, all of whom remain missing to this day.
Comedian from S'pore facing backlash from M'sians after joking about MH370
- Her set started with her retelling an abridged version of Singapore's independence story, saying that Singapore "in order to survive, we joined a union with a larger more powerful country", implying Malaysia.
- This prompted a cheer from the audience, to which Chia asked where the audience member was from.
- When he replied "Malaysia", she responded with "Yeah, Malaysia. F*** you a*******", prompting the audience to burst out laughing.
- After a cut in the video, she went on to say, "When my prime minister went on TV to announce you guys had dumped us, he cried", referencing the famous broadcast of Lee Kuan Yew crying as he announced separation.
- But Singapore had gone from worrying about survival to thriving as a state.
- "40 years later, we became a first world country," she said.
- "And you guys, Malaysia, what are you now? Still a developing country?", she jokingly mocked. "Awwwwwww, boooooo," she added for good measure.
- After another Malaysia-directed round of profanity, she compared separation to a breakup, saying, "Isn't that the best breakup revenge?"
- "Now Malaysia, you're trying to come around like, 'Hey, Singapore, you're looking good lah'."
- "And we're like, 'I know', but why haven't you visit me in 40 years?"
- "And you're like, 'Aiyah, I tried, but you know my airplanes cannot fly!'"
- The TikTok came with an overlay of a MAS plane, likely a Boeing 737, in case there was any doubt over what she was referring to.
- The joke landed with a mixed reaction, some laughing, some clapping, but a very audible, "Oh. My. God!" emanated from the audience.
- Acknowledging the mixed reaction the joke got, Chia quickly pivoted to a more meta approach, asking, "What? Malaysian Airlines going missing not funny, huh?"
- "Some jokes don't land," she said, with a hand action mimicking a aircraft landing, adding, "This joke kills in Singapore."
- Someone off stage then said she was going to get a bad Yelp review, referring to an online rating service.
- Chia laughed it off saying that she would "get a bad yelp review from the Malaysians".
“Turning Tragedy Into Jokes Is Unacceptable”: Singaporeans Denounce Comedian Jocelyn Chia’s Tasteless Bit About Missing MH370 Plane
So this is what it means to put your foot in your mouth
Comedian Jocelyn Chia has become public enemy number one in Malaysia and Singapore after joking about the relationship between both countries and making a tasteless jibe at the missing MH370 plane during a stand-up comedy performance at New York’s Comedy Cellar club. The clip of her routine was shared on her Instagram and TikTok, but both accounts have been taken down following the backlash from Malaysians, who slammed the comedian for the “insensitive” and “disrespectful” joke.
Singapore’s high commissioner in Kuala Lumpur has apologised for Jocelyn’s “gratuitously offensive comments”, adding that the comedian no longer holds a Singaporean citizenship. Malaysian politician Syed Saddiq also condemned the joke in a tweet. He wrote: “I must say that turning a tragedy into a source of entertainment is just in bad taste. But I have good faith in my fellow Singaporean friends, and I’m sure all of us deeply cherish our close relations as countries. Whatever it is, let’s not allow one bad seed to tarnish our whole outlook to our neighbour. Take it as a lesson to never take lightly of other people’s misfortunes."
Singapore's Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan has since addressed the controversy in a reply to Syed Saddiq’s tweet. “I am appalled by her horrendous statements. She certainly does not speak for Singaporeans. We treasure our ties with family and friends in Malaysia, and are sorry for the offence and hurt caused to all Malaysians,” he wrote.
Jocelyn Chia deactivates social media accounts following MH370 joke backlash
Stand-up comedian Jocelyn Chia has deactivated her social media accounts following backlash received for a joke she made about the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370
Checks on Chia’s social pages on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook found them inaccessible, with users seeing blank pages instead of the usual content. However, Chia's website remains active. Prior to this, the comedian’s Instagram page in particular had been flooded with comments condemning her poor choice of joke material.
Similarly, the venue where the stand-up routine happened - the Comedy Cellar in New York - has seen a sudden surge in people giving it a one-star rating on Google. This comes after Chia used the disappearance of MH370 in her stand-up comedy routine.
TikTok removes Singapore-born comedian's controversial video, citing hate speech
A screengrab from the video clip that drew ire for a joke she made about the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370
TikTok has removed a viral video by controversial Singapore-born stand-up comedian Jocelyn Chia, which contained insulting remarks about Malaysia, citing a violation of its hate speech guidelines. A representative from TikTok told Malaysian online news portal Sinar Daily that the video was taken down due to its breach of community guidelines and depiction of discriminatory content.
The representative said: "TikTok is a diverse and inclusive community that does not tolerate discrimination. "We do not allow content that contains hate speech or that involves hateful behaviour. Thus, we have removed it from our platform." In the video, which gained viral attention, Ms Chia criticised Malaysia's economic development and made reference to the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 on March 8, 2014, remarking that Malaysian airplanes "can't fly".
The video was a recording of Ms Chia's stand-up performance at the Comedy Cellar Club in New York. It gained significant traction on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok on Wednesday (June 7), leading the naturalised American comedian to go offline on these platforms. It remains to be seen whether Ms Chia's social media accounts have been suspended or if she voluntarily took them down.
M'sian comedian posts classy response to Jocelyn Chia's reference to MH370
Malaysian comedian Harith Iskander has shared his response to Jocelyn Chia using MH370 as a punchline during her stand-up set in New York. Singapore's High Commissioner to Malaysia, along with Singapore's Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan, have made known their respective stances that they do not condone what Chia said.
In a Jun. 7 Instagram video, Harith said "everyone" was asking him what he thought of Chia's set, which was uploaded onto various social media platforms. Saying that it has "riled up Malaysians due to its insensitivity towards the tragedy surrounding MH370", Harith explained that what happened "was and is a deeply traumatic event for Malaysians". He stressed the importance of being aware of the potential impact of their words, and how people may react differently to what they say.
Acknowledging that Chia was performing at the Comedy Cellar in the U.S., he said she should have been "a little bit smarter to realise that in this age of social media, picking on a Malaysian in the audience and then bringing up MH370 is gonna get [posted] on the internet". Harith concluded:
- "Ultimately, as a comedian, my intention is to make people laugh, and I believe comedians and stand-up comedy should strive to create a positive and inclusive comedic environment.
- I make fun of Singapore all the time. It's part of the friendly banter that allows us to co-exist. And we're like competitive cousins, right?
- So finally, Jocelyn, before I go I just want to say one thing: Malaysia, we may be still a developing nation, but when it comes to kindness and thoughtfulness, we are definitely First World. I don't know about other countries, though."
- Now, that's a real class act.
Umno Youth to march to US embassy in protest against S’pore-born comedian’s remarks
Umno Youth chief Muhamad Akmal Saleh said they will submit a letter to the US embassy, to protest against the insults by comedian Jocelyn Chia (right). PHOTOS: THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK, GETTY IMAGES
Umno Youth plans to march to the United States embassy in Kuala Lumpur on Friday to protest against the remarks by Singapore-born comedian Jocelyn Chia.
“This is an insult that cannot be accepted by Umno Youth and Malaysians. As such, I have directed an Umno Youth exco member to lodge a police report against her later today,” Umno Youth chief Muhamad Akmal Saleh said when addressing delegates at the youth wing’s meeting on Thursday. “We call on the government to ban her from stepping foot in Malaysia.”
Dr Akmal also called on Umno Youth delegates to march and gather in front of the US embassy at 2.30pm on Friday. He said that the movement will submit a protest letter to the embassy. Earlier, the march was planned to head to the Singapore High Commission but has since changed it to the US embassy.
Jocelyn Chia
She is managed by Andy Curtain, the head of Live Nation Comedy, Asia-Pacific.
MH370: Five Years On
What Really Happened to Malaysia’s Missing Airplane
Only a few fragments of the jet have been found, all on western Indian Ocean shores, and search efforts ended last year.
The disappearance has spawned a host of theories - some credible, some outlandish. Here are five of them:
- MECHANICAL FAILURE
- ROGUE PILOT
- TERROR PLOT
- REMOTE TAKE OVER
- PUTIN PERHAPS?
