Ai Jiexi

Ai Jiexi Bio

Jesse Appell (stage name: Ai Jiexi) is a Fulbright Scholar Alumni whose research focuses on Chinese humor and performance. He is a disciple of master Xiangsheng performer Ding Guangquan, and regularly performs Xiangsheng, bi-lingual improv comedy, and Chinese stand-up on TV. Jesse creates comedic online videos intended for Chinese audiences which have received millions of views across multiple platforms.

Jesse’s performances and commentary on Chinese culture have been seen and heard on CBS, TEDx, PBS, NPR and PRI, as well as Chinese media such as CCTV, BTV, and CRI. He has performed Chinese comedy at Yale University, University of Washington, Brandeis University and more on his “Great LOL of China” North American tour. He was listed as one of the “People of the Year” by the Global Times in 2012. Jesse founded www.laughbeijing.com, with the focus of using comedy to bridge cultural gaps.