Nigel Ng defends Uncle Roger accent after J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s ‘yellowface’ criticism

Malaysian comedian Nigel Ng addressed criticism this week after recently discovering a 2021 video from Japanese American chef J. Kenji López-Alt, in which he described Ng’s Uncle Roger accent as “yellowface.”

López-Alt originally wrote in a video description that Ng’s performance “promotes anti-Asian racism” and objected to the exaggerated speech pattern. Ng responded in a video statement, saying he is Malaysian and that the accent reflects his own cultural upbringing rather than a mockery of Asians.

The Uncle Roger character, introduced in 2020 through viral YouTube videos critiquing Western interpretations of Asian cooking, features an exaggerated Cantonese-influenced speech pattern and mannerisms. Ng has previously said the persona is inspired by middle-aged men or “uncles” and elders he encountered growing up in Malaysia.

“Accent is not a stereotype,” the 34-year-old comedian said in a video published Feb. 8. “Accent is just how we talk and how we live. There’s nothing wrong with having an accent.”

Ng also addressed criticism that viewers imitate his delivery and catchphrases. “Sure, many people watch Uncle Roger’s videos, and then they imitate Uncle Roger’s way of speaking, and now they use ‘haiyaa’ and ‘fuiyoh’ in their daily life. That’s amazing! Uncle Roger popularised Malaysian slang to the whole world. Fuiyoh! And when people imitate Uncle Roger like that, they are not making fun of me. It’s all out of love.”

He later responded directly to López-Alt, saying, “Sorry, I don’t sound white like you, Nephew Kenji, haiyaa,” and joked that accents are common throughout Asia. Ng ended by complimenting López-Alt’s fried rice and expressing hope the chef’s opinion of him had changed.

After Ng’s response, López-Alt updated that description to clarify his position, writing that he believed Ng had “good intentions” and that he had never said he hated him.

Explaining his perspective, the 46-year-old chef wrote about growing up Asian in the United States and referenced anti-Asian violence during the COVID-19 pandemic. He said his mother in New York was “afraid to walk outside” amid reported attacks on elderly Asian women.

“So, in that context, when I open up the comments to a video and see comments imitating your catchphrases or speech patterns, then see that the people doing it are virtually all non-Asian American men, it rubs me the wrong way. I hope you can understand that,” he wrote.