Dr Jason Leong proves that laughter is the best medicine

Medical doctor turned stand-up comedian Dr Jason Leong is proving that his big career change is paying off.

This hugely popular stand-up comedian, content creator and viral video star was selected for the New Faces International Showcase at the Just For Laughs Montreal 2022 Comedy Festival in late July.

He was the only comic from the Southeast Asian comedy scene in the line-up this year.

“The first night we were supposed to go to a taping but there was a fire at the theatre so we evacuated. We did the taping the next day.

“One minute before we were supposed to get on stage, the fire alarm went off,” said Leong about the JFL show to Malaysiakini.

This was his first trip to Canada and, in the past, he has visited comedy clubs in North American cities such as New York, where he hopes to be able to perform soon once he gets a proper work visa.

His Netflix special Hashtag Blessed (2020) was a global success and his latest live show HEATY completed a sold-out run at Melbourne International Comedy Festival 2022 and sold out two shows at the Esplanade Theatre in Singapore.

Tens of millions have viewed his online stand-up clips across social media platforms.

Leong has performed at corporate events in Langkawi, Penang and Johor Bahru since returning from Canada on Aug 5.

He used to tour the country before the pandemic and is now essentially hitting the ground running as more avenues for live entertainment are opening up again.

In October, he has a three-night gig in London and has shows lined up in Jakarta.

Making the switch from medicine 

Leong gave up his career as a doctor in 2015 to pursue stand-up comedy full time and has not looked back since.

His Netflix special essentially opened doors for him outside of Malaysia. Leong said it was shot in 2018 and sold to Netflix in 2019.

“I spent my own money on shooting this. In this business, you have to invest in yourself and bet on yourself,’ said Leong to Malaysiakini in an interview.

Leong called up someone he knew from Netflix and that person said that they were interested in finished content which is what Leong had. The rest was “streaming history”.

Leong was busy performing live and then the pandemic hit. He created his content and put it up on social media. Now he is back to performing live, Leong admitted it took some time to return to the swing of things.

“There was a transition period as places like Crackhouse Comedy Club just to warm up because definitely, the gear would be rusty. It is like wearing a comfortable pair of shoes again, it is like meeting an old friend,” he explained.

Once he started doing more shows, everything was back to normal.

“The fear of people not laughing is always there whether is a pandemic or not. As we progress with our careers, we learn to manage those fears but I can tell you the fear is always there,” Leong said.

Cancel culture

However, he does feel that comedians seem to be easy targets in the age of “woke culture” and “getting cancelled”.

At the recent Edinburgh Fringe festival, controversial comedian Jerry Sandowitz's second show was cancelled after the members of the audience of his first show complained he was too controversial.

“By and large, stand-up comedians are savvy enough to know when a comedian is trying to make a joke and when a comedian is being purposely controversial for controversy's sake, “said Leong.

He said there are many comedians such as Jimmy Carr, who are considered by today’s standards to be controversial and risqué, but an educated audience knows they are making jokes.

“Sometimes lines are blurred when a comedian’s take on current events may not be something the audience agrees with.

“If the audience does not agree, there are always the options of not laughing or not agreeing with them. At the end of the day, the market votes with their wallet.

“Usually, comedians who complain about cancel culture are usually not funny enough,” said Leong.

“However, there are instances where the comedian tells a joke and people cross the line by going on stage and attacking the comedian. Like slapping Chris Rock or attacking Dave Chappelle.

"That is not cancel culture. That is just terrorism. It is just criminal. It is just like when a comedian puts up a clip on social media and someone makes a police report. That is not cancel culture, that is just intimidation.

"This is a nuanced topic. As a comedian, I tend to be biased and give the comedian the benefit of the doubt.

“This cancel culture is just the sign of the times and we comedians pride ourselves in being current and putting up a mirror to society,” he emphasised.

Some people tend to become more mellow when they become parents but when asked if being a dad has influenced his comedy in any way, Leong said being a parent tends to give a different perspective of life.

“Having a child gives you a whole different perspective on life. This can inform your comedic choice and inspire you on a different level. It has changed my outlook on life, but not necessarily on my comedic style."

 No regrets about the move

Despite being in the business for several years and a well-known name on the comedy circuit, Leong is still asked if he regrets giving up his career as a doctor.

“This has happened quite a few times and what kills me is that it always happens after a good gig. After the show someone will come up and ask me ‘hey Dr Jason, you used to be a doctor you studied so long, isn’t it a waste?’

“I will be like…you just saw me perform. Hundreds of people laughed. Is that a waste? It is good what?”

Luckily, these types of questions are getting fewer and fewer.

He is grateful for opportunities like those he had in Montreal. “It just reminds you how much further you have to go. “

He recalls when his friend gave him a ticket to go see Bill Burr at the Bell Centre in Montreal.

“I go to the Bell Centre and it is a stadium. I walked into a wall of people. Twenty thousand people came to see Bill Burr,” said Leong in awe.

Leong is confident there will be huge turnouts for stand-up comedy shows like that in Malaysia once again soon.

The recent incident where Crackhouse Comedy Club was shut down and now the owner, Rizal Van Geyzel, has been permanently blacklisted from registering a business licence in the nation's capital, has not dampened Leong’s spirit in any way.

“I don’t censor myself. Usually, if I find something funny, I will try and share it on stage. I don’t find myself censoring myself more than usual. If we censor ourselves, then the people who are trying to silence us will win.

“Stand-up comedy is like Pandora’s Box, once it’s open it is hard to close it. No matter how many police reports or press conferences, stand-up comedy is here to stay,” said Leong.

He, however, expressed sadness that his friend Rizal has been undergoing a great deal of hardship recently.

“A small group of people making noise and police reports will not dampen the spirit of Malaysians who want to go out and laugh together.”

Leong will be performing at the Kings and Queens of Comedy event in Singapore on Sept 10, in Jakarta on Sept 24 and then off to London in October.

“I am now working on new material for my shows next year. I am going to tour Malaysia, Australia, Singapore, Jakarta, Hongkong, London, and New Zealand and once I get my work visa, I hope to perform in New York and Los Angeles.

If you want to follow Leong on his comedic journey, log on to his website.

Crackhouse case: Owners send legal notice to KL mayor over ban

When humour perceived as threat, nation's future at stake - Ambiga

'Comic' mulls legal challenge against law restricting free speech

No more laughs from Crackhouse as DBKL permanently blacklists owner