Quick Facts
Biography
James Franklin "Jimmy" Wong (born March 28, 1987) is an American actor and musician. He is best known for his 2011 music video, "Ching Chong: Asians in the Library Song" and for his role as Ted in the web series Video Game High School.
Early life
James Franklin "Jimmy" Wong, who is the younger brother of filmmaker Freddie Wong, grew up in Seattle, Washington. He received his B.A. in theater from Middlebury College in 2009. After graduating, he moved to Los Angeles to become an actor.
Career
Wong garnered national news coverage in March 2011, when he uploaded his music video, "Ching Chong: Asians in the Library Song" to YouTube. He created the video as a response to a UCLA student's vlog rant against Asian students using mobile phones in the UCLA library, one which MSNBC qualified as "offensive." NPR suggested that Wong's video response was one that "effectively turn[ed] the tables on the original rant," offering an alternative method of defense against cyberbullying. Wong later said in an MSNBC interview that while he was initially frustrated by the video rant, he realized that humor offered a better response, as he hoped to "put a positive spin on all of it." Furthermore, he stated, an eye for an eye approach would only encourage "this behavior to continue." "Ching Chong: Asians in the Library Song" went viral and was covered nationally by the American media.
Wong later portrayed Ted in the Web series Video Game High School. He was also invited by Lionsgate and Google to create the web series District Voices. In 2014, Wong was ranked #73 on New Media Rockstars Top 100 Channels.
Magic: The Gathering
Wong is an avid player of Magic: The Gathering, specifically the Commander format. He hosts a podcast with co-host Josh Lee Kwai called The Command Zone, where he and Josh discuss their experiences playing the commander format. Wong is referred to by his co-host as "Jimmy the Red" due to the fact that he often plays red decks when playing commander.
Partial discography and filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Secret Weapon | Robby | |
| 2011 | "Ching Chong: Asians in the Library Song" | Composer and singer | YouTube Music Video |
| 2012 | John Dies at the End | Fred Chu | feature film |
| 2012–2013 | MyMusic | Leader | web series |
| 2012–2014 | Video Game High School | Ted Wong | web series |
| 2014 | The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – District Voices | District 9 Voice | TV mini-series |
| 2016 | Edgar Allan Poe's Murder Mystery Dinner Party | Constable Jimmy | YouTube series, 4 episodes |
| 2017 | The Circle | Mitch |
Awards
- 2015: Won: International Academy of Web Television Awards – Best Ensemble Performance/Comedy, Video Game High School (shared with other cast members)
- 2014: Won: Streamy Awards – Best Action or Sci-Fi Series, Video Game High School (shared with cast and crew members)
- 2014: Won: Streamy Awards – Best Ensemble Cast, Video Game High School (shared with other cast members)