As the self-proclaimed “El Tigre Chino,” Ken Jeong‘s character on NBC’s comedy Community has always been the most outlandish out of an ensemble cast of quirky misfits, but creator Dan Harmon reveals that we’ve only just begun the journey into the “insane” mind of Ben Chang.
Returning to Greendale with a new job as a security guard, Ben will be given a more in-depth background including a story told in noir-style about his earlier life.
Harmon shares, “I wanted to tell a story of acquiring power and what it does to you. It’s a little Macbeth or Scarface. Or maybe something from The Wire…[Ben] is corrupt in the sense that the campus is less secure than if he wasn’t a security guard. But he’s mostly insane.”
Make sure to catch the new season of NBC’s Community on September 22, 2011.
To watch a montage of some of Chang’s best bits on the show, click here.
The Hangover Part II star Ken Jeong is set to return for the third season of NBC’s Community, in which he will reprise to role as Chang. After taking part in two high-grossing films this summer, the former doctor recently told BuzzSugar that this is the happiest he has been in his career and that for him, it is an “embarrassment of riches”:
As I say it out loud, it’s still surreal. I was happy being the doctor from Knocked Up, alright? That was like, amazing. If that were to be the last thing I’d do, it would be a life well spent in the arts. So to be Mr. Chow and [star in] two Hangovers, a third season of Community and to be in Transformers? Come on it’s ridiculous. It’s an embarrassment of riches.
Jeong admits his acting career is a like a dream come true for him, and he attributes a large part of his success to people like Bradley Cooper and director Todd Phillips: “Todd Phillips made me. He gave me my career.” Jeong’s incredible success comes at a meaningful point for Jeong and his wife, who has just celebrated her third year of being cancer-free.
Ken Jeong became “that” guy this year. Y’know, the guy you keep seeing in a bunch of movies but you don’t know his real name. Ken Jeong made a huge splash in the surprise summer hit, The Hangover, when he jumped out of a car’s trunk in his birthday suit. He kept on rolling with roles in The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard, All About Steve, Couples Retreat and a co-starring role as the cantankerous Senor Chang in NBC’s new show Community. He already has a full slate of work in 2010 and the future keeps looking brighter. This is pretty incredible for a guy who gave up medicine to pursue a career in comedy and acting. Ken was a doctor in residency down in New Orleans, but he decided to give it up to go to Hollywood. How many Korean parents would’ve rolled their eyes if their sons or daughters said that they were going to Hollywood after having gone through medical school and residency? Ken defied a parent’s logic and believed in his comedic abilities. Now he’s “that” guy that cracks people up in the hilarious character roles he plays. What Ken Jeong showed us was that even in Hollywood, you can still make it even without looking like Brad Pitt. As long as you have dedication and talent, the dream is possible. There are many kids out there who are doing what they’re parents want them to do because it’s the most conservative route. Ken just showed us that you can follow your passions and beat the odds, and that’s why he’s #5 on our list of top ten most influential Korean-Americans in 2009.
If you watched the new comedy “Community” on NBC last week, they introduced Ken Jeong as the Spanish teacher Señor Chang. It’s a funny monologue about breaking stereotypes and recognizing that an Asian man can teach Spanish. It’s hilarious!
This is the launch of the “Dear Johnny” Dating Column for Korean Beacon. Each Friday, I will post some thoughts and insights on the dating life of Korean Americans so that when 5pm hits every Friday, you’ll either be inspired or just know better.
Every Korean guy should mark September 24th 2009 as the start of a new beginning, especially when it comes to their dating career. From John Cho to Tim Kang to Brian Tee and even Ken Jeong, the sex appeal and marketability of Korean men has reached a new plateau thanks to the roles played by Korean Americans on major Primetime TV shows. Korean American men are portrayed as funny, sorta bad ass, smart, tough, and at times even kinda sexy. Why is this important to point out? Because ever since I can remember, the number of Korean guys dating non-Korean girls is dwarfed by the number of Korean girls dating non-Korean guys. And to be honest, for a long time, it felt as though despite being raised with solid family values, obtaining a world class education, and even picking up some manners along the way, Korean guys were an unwanted species by the female population. Sure we may not be the most gifted physically, but we are loyal, caring, and believe it or not, super charming! And big props (no pun intended) to Hollywood to finally acknowledge it!
As I was browsing through the multitude of Koreans on TV on Thursday night, I noticed Ken Jeong playing a rather funny teacher in the NBC series Community. But, in the box office hit, The Hangover, Ken pulls of a full nude frontal that probably didn’t leave the ladies drooling for more, but I guess you gotta start somewhere. I’m sure Megan Fox would have made a special appearance in the movie had it been Rain pulling off the exhibition.
Next, I noticed Brian Tee ,who is half Korean and half Japanese, in the season premiere of C.S.I. He’s been known to play the badass in many movies including Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift. In the episode, Brian plays a wealthy guy who tragically lost his white girlfriend, played by Tahnya Tozzi, of almost 1 year, to a homicide. Even though he didn’t get major airtime showing the relationship develop, I was convinced he loved her, especially when the cops came to interrogate him at the craps table and he pulled out a bling bling engagement ring and said something like “I was going to give this to her.”
Last but certainly not least, you’ve got John Cho, aka Harold, from Harold and Kumar go to White Castle. He’s an FBI agent in the new ABC series FlashForward with a pretty major role. I guess after his sword fighting scene in Star Trek, Hollywood was convinced he could fight more than Romulans. However, the reason I saved John for last is because of his break through role he can potentially play as the fiancé of the character played by Gabrielle Union. Yes, you read that correctly, the Gabrielle Union from the movies Bad Boys II and Deliver Us From Eva.
Pairing a Korean-American and a Black woman as a romantic couple on TV? I hope trends like this continue so that if I ever do fall in love with the likes of Halle Berry or even Beyonce, my parents will appreciate that in America, it’s all good. More importantly, I hope everyone can embrace that if you’re attracted to someone and get along with someone, nobody should care what the norm is and what others might think, just do it.
Korean-American actors own Thursday night television this fall. On Thursday night, four Korean-American actors were in very prominent roles on four major TV shows on the major networks. It’s must see TV on Thursday night!
John Cho plays FBI agent Demetri Noh in ABC’s heavily promoted TV show FlashForward, which premiered at 8pm EST. Note: His fiancé in the series is portrayed by Gabrielle Union!
Sandra Oh plays Dr. Cristina Yang in Grey’s Anatomy. She happened to be nominated this past weekend for an Emmy Award. Grey’s Anatomy is back for its sixth season premiere at 9pm EST on ABC.
Ken Jeong is in the new NBC comedy Community as the Spanish teacher Senor Chang. It premiered last week and the show starts at 9:30pm EST on NBC. Ken Jeong was finally introduced on the show as the cantankerous Spanish teacher. Hilarious!
And finally, Tim Kang is in the second season premiere of The Mentalist, the biggest hit from last television season. He plays agent Kimball Cho and the show kicks off at 10pm on CBS.
Well, if you really want to keep it going, Elizabeth Kim is a contestant on CBS’ Survivor and Brian Tee is a guest star on the season premiere of C.S.I.
That’s right, you can watch almost all of them between 8pm to 11pm on Thursday night, with the exception of the overlap between Sandra Oh and Ken Jeong going head to head at 9:30. They’re all represented across 3 of the 4 major networks: ABC, NBC, CBS. What’s up Fox? No Love for the Koreans? I know Bobby Lee is on MADtv, but that’s Saturday night. Btw, it doesn’t stop there. More Koreans will be be seen on other shows that have yet to premiere. EXCITING!!! For more on these Korean-American actors on Korean Beacon, click on the name: Tim Kang, John Cho, Sandra Oh, and Ken Jeong. You can follow Korean Beacon on Facebook and Twitter.
Thursday night is the big premiere night for NBC and they’ve been promoting their newest TV comedy “Community” like crazy, which co-stars Ken Jeong of Hangover fame. He plays the cantankerous Spanish teacher, Señor Chang. In the promo clips that have been released over the Internet by NBC, he has a hilarious monologue in front of his Spanish class as to why an Asian guy is teaching it. It’s rather funny. Community premieres tonight on NBC at 9:30pm EST.
From Dan Harmon (“The Sarah Silverman Program”) and Emmy Award-winning directors Joe and Anthony Russo (“Arrested Development”) comes “Community,” a smart comedy series about a band of misfits who attend Greendale Community College. At the center of the group is Jeff Winger (Joel McHale, “The Soup”), a fast-talkin’ lawyer whose degree has been revoked. With some help from his fellow classmates, Winger forms a study group who eventually learn more about themselves than their course work.
Also among the series stars who comprise the group are comedy legend Chevy Chase (“Chuck”) as Pierce, a man whose life experience has brought him infinite wisdom; Gillian Jacobs (“The Book of Daniel”) as Britta, the 28-year old drop out with something to prove; Yvette Nicole Brown (“Rules of Engagement”) as Shirley, a sassy middle-aged divorcée; Danny Pudi (“Greek”) as Abed, a pop culture junkie; Alison Brie (“Mad Men”) as Annie, a high-strung perfectionist; Donald Glover (“30 Rock”) as Troy, a former high school football star trying to find his way and Ken Jeong (“The Hangover”) as Spanish professor, Señor Chang.
“Community” is a Krasnoff Foster Entertainment, Harmonious Claptrap, Russo Brothers production, Universal Media Studios production in association with Sony Pictures Television. Russ Krasnoff (“The Soloist”), Dan Harmon (“The Sarah Silverman Program”), Joe Russo (“Arrested Development”), Anthony Russo (“Arrested Development”), Garrett Donovan (“Scrubs”), Neil Goldman (“Scrubs”) and Gary Foster (“The Soloist”) serve as executive producers. Joe and Anthony Russo directed the pilot, written by Harmon.
Ken Jeong became “that” guy this year. Y’know, the guy you keep seeing in a bunch of movies but you don’t know his real name. Ken Jeong made a huge splash in the surprise summer hit, The Hangover, when he jumped out of a car’s trunk in his birthday suit. He kept on rolling with roles in The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard, All About Steve, Couples Retreat and a co-starring role as the cantankerous Senor Chang in NBC’s new show Community. He already has a full slate of work in 2010 and the future keeps looking brighter. This is pretty incredible for a guy who gave up medicine to pursue a career in comedy and acting. Ken was a doctor in residency down in New Orleans, but he decided to give it up to go to Hollywood. How many Korean parents would’ve rolled their eyes if their sons or daughters said that they were going to Hollywood after having gone through medical school and residency? Ken defied a parent’s logic and believed in his comedic abilities. Now he’s “that” guy that cracks people up in the hilarious character roles he plays. What Ken Jeong showed us was that even in Hollywood, you can still make it even without looking like Brad Pitt. As long as you have dedication and talent, the dream is possible. There are many kids out there who are doing what they’re parents want them to do because it’s the most conservative route. Ken just showed us that you can follow your passions and beat the odds, and that’s why he’s #5 on our list of top ten most influential Korean-Americans in 2009.
