How I Came Up With 'Uncle Roger' Character | Minutes With | @ladbiblestories​

Overview

This Minutes With interview with Nigel Ng traces how his Uncle Roger persona grew from short clips into a global comedy breakout. It covers Nigel’s background, the character’s development, the viral BBC Food reaction that accelerated his fame, how he handles criticism, and his plans moving forward.

Main plot / arc

1. Background and transition

   • Nigel grew up in Malaysia, later moved to the US and UK.
   • He worked as a data scientist while doing stand-up nights, deliberately scaling his comedy income before leaving the job full-time in September 2019.

2. Creating Uncle Roger

   • He developed the character by observing middle-aged Asian “uncles”: bright polo shirts, sassy, know-it-all but kind, and stuck-in-their-ways.
   • Costume research included texting friends for photos of their dads, which reinforced the bright polo-shirt look.

3. Early content and breakout

   • Nigel started with short TikTok/Instagram clips (examples: “how regular people answer the phone vs Asian parents,” “how Uncle Roger makes rice”).
   • The real breakout came from a reaction video to a BBC Food egg-fried-rice tutorial. His outraged lines — including “drain it? what you doing…” — went viral and pushed him to millions of subscribers practically overnight.

4. Scaling up

   • Rapid international attention forced Nigel to build a team to handle interviews, media requests, and production.
   • He’s planning more ambitious scripted and non-scripted projects.

Highlights, jokes, and memorable moments

• The “phone” sketch contrasted casual Western phone etiquette with the formal, clipped way some Asian parents answer. Nigel’s dad summarized his experience: “I didn’t understand what you were saying but I just laughed when other people laughed.”

• Nigel on moving to the UK:

  “I moved here maybe for comedy and so I can drink tap water and not die.”

• The BBC Food reaction delivered signature catchphrases and incredulous commentary that lit up social platforms.

• Costume research anecdote: friends’ dad photos showed a dominance of bright polo shirts, which informed Uncle Roger’s look.
• He jokes about future ambitions, including wanting big guests (e.g., Drake) for his projects.

On criticism and cultural intent

• Nigel addresses accusations that Uncle Roger is a racist caricature. He argues:
  • The character celebrates Asian culture and does not demean his race.
  • He uses an accent intentionally because it reflects real Asian voices; removing it would “sound white,” which he finds problematic.
• He balances humor with thoughtfulness about cultural impact and responsibility, emphasizing pride in Asian visibility and the character’s intent to uplift.

Personal and production notes

• Transition from data science to comedy was deliberate and financially pragmatic rather than reckless.
• His parents were initially skeptical (reflecting the “Asian-parent-stability” theme) and didn’t always “get” stand-up due to language and nuance differences, though they later became supportive.
• Editing is a challenging but rewarding part of his workflow; he’s continuously trying to improve production quality.

People mentioned

• Nigel Ng — comedian, creator of Uncle Roger
• Uncle Roger — Nigel’s character (same performer, distinct persona)
• Interviewer / LADbible Minutes With host (unnamed)
• Nigel’s parents (recounted anecdotes)
• BBC Food presenter (subject of the egg-fried-rice reaction)