Joe Wong did everything in his power to achieve the American dream.

In 1994, aged 24, he moved from the Chinese province of Jilin to the United States, where he completed a doctorate in biochemistry at Rice University in Texas in 2000.

“I came to America to study, and I did get a PhD in biochemistry, even though nobody calls me a doctor,” says Wong via Zoom from Los Angeles, where he is mostly based, splitting his time between the US city and Shanghai.

After graduation, Wong worked a few jobs, including at a pharmaceutical company in Boston, where he screened cancer drugs.

“I had just watched a show by [US comedian] Emo Philips, and even though I couldn’t understand half the jokes, I was like, ‘Wow, this is great.’ After that one show, I was happy for days.”