Americans looking for alternatives to “woke sports leagues” could do with a game of sepak takraw, according to satire program The Daily Show.
Malaysia-born comedian Ronnie Chieng, 35, gave the low-down on the Southeast Asian “kick volleyball” yesterday for the late-night program hosted by Trevor Noah, as an antidote to the growing trend of American sports becoming politicized. In the clip, US-based Chieng even claimed that the sport was perfect for American conservatives and even “disillusioned Republicans.”
“Are you tired of these woke sports leagues? Wish there was an alternative to the MLB, NBA, and NFL that would keep out of politics? It’s time to start watching sepak takraw,” Chieng said in the video.
“You think they give a shit about Brian Kemp suppressing the vote? Hell no, all they care about is kicking the ball over the net,” he added. The Georgia state governor last month signed a bill that includes new restrictions on mail voting and greater power on how elections are run.
Sepak takraw is played in Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Laos, and the Philippines. Players, in teams of three, typically use their feet, knees, and head to hit a rattan ball over a net.
Chieng also described athletes of the game as “more impressive” than anything American quarterback Tom Brady can do, and also joked that learning a bit about Southeast Asia could help “mitigate guilt” of supporting a “racist president” and ultimately fueling hate against the Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, or AAPI.
Earlier today, Chieng, who has roots in Malaysia’s Johor Bahru, took pride in putting sepak takraw on the map with his video.
“I’m happy to promote the ‘sepak takraw’ sport to the world! It’s also cool to practice a bit of Bahasa Malaysia,” he wrote on Twitter.
Hey conservatives, are you tired of woke sports leagues getting involved in politics? Check out Sepak Takraw! pic.twitter.com/MJT3fnPCPA
— The Daily Show (@TheDailyShow) April 12, 2021
Gembira kerana dapat promosikan sukan Sepak Takraw di mata dunia! Best jugak boleh berlatih cakap Bahasa Malaysia sikit. Terima kasih @drjasonleong . https://t.co/oSpVrIgjyG
— Ronny Chieng (@ronnychieng) April 13, 2021
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