Ken Jeong heads to Community

You won’t see Ken Jeong on the first episode of Community. That will introduce you to the Spanish class at community college. From episode two on, however, he’ll be the Spanish teacher Senor Chang. After this summer’s big hit, The Hangover, Jeong got to keep his clothes on, and we got to chat with him at NBC’s summer party.

Crave Online: What has this summer been like for you with The Hangover being such a smash?

Ken Jeong: It’s been amazing. That has blown every single person’s mind in that movie from head to toe. I knew it was a great movie and it was great filming it, so in my heart, I knew it would be a hit, don’t get me wrong. I didn’t know it would be the biggest hit of all time beating Beverly Hills Cop as the top R rated comedy of all time. So no, it has just blown everybody’s minds and literally, I think it’s taken everybody individually to a level they’ve never been part of before. I’m one of the benefactors of that. I’m a small role in Hangover and for it to be that memorable and for it to be that amazing, I was just so grateful. Todd [Phillips]’s a dear friend. It was great. I’d actually known Todd Phillips prior to filming and Bradley Cooper is a really close friend of mine and Zack [Galifianakis] I’ve known for a while so it was great. 

Crave Online: Do people recognize you from it? 

Ken Jeong: Yeah, probably more like any other movie. In terms of name factor, the awareness has definitely increased a little bit. It’s been quite surreal. 

Crave Online: So were you looking for a TV show after that? 

Ken Jeong: No, in fact, I was already on board to do two other movies right after Hangover. One I just wrapped in July. Community, I think I signed on as a recurring and basically, I think in a matter of the last couple of weeks, a deal was done where I was a cast regular. It’s been amazing. I’d seen the pilot actually months ago just coincidentally and I loved it. I loved it so much I actually saw it like three times. I got it. I was like, “This is a fresh show. It’s going to be a hit. I totally get it.” I had no idea they had a part written in mind where it was basically the character, Senor Chang, is in my wheelhouse of moves as an actor. It doesn’t matter what genre it was. If it was a movie, a TV show, a stage play, I’d be fighting for that role. It’s a really great role in a show that doesn’t need me. If you’re a part of a show and you’re allowed to do your thing on a show that doesn’t need you to be a hit, go with that. Just go with that and you will never get this opportunity in your lifetime to do it. 

Crave Online: Have you done research to find out if there are Asian Spanish teachers? 

Ken Jeong: Actually, I do know of Asian doctors who speak Spanish. Having been a physician in my previous life, I know a couple of doctors, one including my wife who speak Spanish. They learn medical Spanish for patients. 

Crave Online: I’m sure they can be Spanish students. The joke is he’s a teacher. 

Ken Jeong: The joke is he’s a Spanish teacher. For that character, there is a bit of that, a lot of stuff that I face in terms of typecasting. Not even typecasting so much as just real life questions. “How can a doctor be an actor? I don’t get it.” I was a doctor before, I don't know if you know that. One of the reasons I got the role in Knocked Up was because I was a doctor and Judd was looking for reality in that. Then that led to all these other [roles]. 

Crave Online: I probably should have but I didn’t know that. 

Ken Jeong: I’m forever grateful. I’m very flattered that you didn’t know that because I was a physician in my previous life and my wife’s a doctor. 

Crave Online: I’m sure Judd told that story but it just didn’t register with me. 

Ken Jeong: He was busy lying on his cash to talk about it. Basically, Judd gave me a career and he’s the reason why I’m talking to you now. It’s all because of Knocked Up, absolutely. From then, I did other movies after that which led to Hangover which led to this. I try to channel, like some people have asked, “Why are you a doctor, not an actor? How could you be an actor? I don’t get it.” My character, Senor Chang, is like, “Why do you teach Spanish? Why not math?” I was able to definitely transfer that kind of chip on my shoulder in reality to my character if that makes any sense. That really is the essence of that character, like don’t judge a book by its cover and I’m a little bit defensive about it from a comedic standpoint. 

Crave Online: How does a teacher fit in with this group of funny students? 

Ken Jeong: Well, I don't think he does necessarily. I think he’s actually meant to teach and to educate, but sometimes the end result is that you antagonize. I think that’s a bit of what, so far, after shooting my episode last week was about. Just kind of having another person, another foil to add another wrinkle into the Community dynamic. It’s been amazing. 

Crave Online: How much Spanish do you speak? 

Ken Jeong: I do know how to order a veggie burrito at any Baja Fresh en Espanol. My wife, like I said, does some medical Spanish. I definitely leaned on her in some of the dialogue, some of the Spanish improvs that I’ve done. In my opinion, the whole show, I think it’s so timely in the sense that community college doesn’t get the credit it deserves in terms of being a conduit for education. In this economy right now, not everyone can go to an Ivy League school. Hell, in California, not everyone can go to an in state school, can afford to do that. So you’re looking at a community college, like Chevy Chase’s character, a second chance at education, or Yvette Nicole Brown’s Shirley character a second chance at life, a second chance at another trade. Really, if anything, it’s heightening community college awareness but it’s a relevant comedy that’s just a lot, a lot of fun. I think life, everything in life, not just television, movies or show business, everything’s about timing and I think the show is all about timing. I think it’s the right time to have a show like this. 

Crave Online: What were your big Chevy Chase questions? I got to ask him mine. What were yours? 

Ken Jeong: Oh, man, it was definitely like, “What was it like in SNL that first season? I heard you wrote a lot of bits.” There was an oft legendary told urban legend altercation he had with Bill Murray that second season, a lot of it based on what I read in the book. I’m a big SNLphile. A lot of SNL questions, some Fletch questions, some Vacation questions. It is kind of surreal to do a scene with an icon. It really is a career highlight of mine to have already done a scene with him. 

Crave Online: It was a highlight of mine to interview him. 

Ken Jeong: Wow, that must have been amazing. 

Crave Online: I didn’t ask about the altercation though. What did he say about it? 

Ken Jeong: I think he basically said kind of similar stuff that was in the book. Pretty much similar stuff that was in the book to be honest. It was amazing. Seriously, it’s been a career highlight just working with Chevy and being on the show, you want to be a part of something great and I think I am. 

Crave Online: Well, we’ll be watching. Good luck.
 

Ken Jeong: Thank you, so much, brother.