In 2019, Ken Jeong appeared on Hot Ones, where he got his ass more or less handed to him by the spicy sauces, and where he openly disdained host Sean Evans for putting him through it. But in a new episode of the series premiering today, Jeong willed himself to return for a fundraiser for Common Threads, a non-profit dedicated to helping children and families access healthy food.
His initial appearance on the show is apparently something that not only he still thinks about, but something his fans think about a lot, too. “I have to say, next to The Hangover, just on the street, people say, ‘Loved you on Hot Ones,’” Jeong said when asked to reflect on his 2019 stint. “Deep down inside I’m flattered, and then I just walk away traumatized.” He also recalled how his wife, Tran, was there with him during the shoot—a fact actually alluded to in the comments section of the original video. “I don’t know if you remember, right after we taped, you guys graciously gave her a plate of the same wings and she ate it like a boss,” he says. “She couldn’t have been happier.”
Another reflection Jeong offers about The Hangover: if it hadn’t happened, he probably would still be a doctor. Part of his lore is that he did go to medical school and was a practicing doctor before his comedy career took off. “Had The Hangover not happened, there’s a world where actually I would have been a physician and still doing standup at the Improv and the Laugh Factory,” Jeong says. “I had a good thing going on there, so I kinda pride myself on adapting to the moment and making the most out of everything.”
