'Only won 1?' The Daily Show pokes fun at Singapore's Olympic medal tally at Ronny Chieng's expense

He is Malaysian but was raised in Singapore.

That was enough of a Singaporean connection that Johor-born comedian Ronny Chieng was mocked for Singapore winning only one medal in the recently completed Paris Olympics.

It was during the Sports War segment in the Aug 13 episode of the US satirical news programme The Daily Show.

Chieng was presenting the segment with fellow Daily Show correspondent Michael Kosta.

Towards the end of the segment, Kosta said: "Finally, as we say goodbye to the Paris Olympics, let's take a look at the final medal count."

This was followed by a graphic that showed the medal tally of three countries:

"The United States has clearly won the Olympics," said American Kosta. "USA all the way!"

Feigning surprise, he added: "Oh no, what's that? Singapore's only won one medal?

"Hey, Ronny, where did you grow up again?"

Feigning annoyance, Chieng retorted: "Kosta, you're a bigger d*** than that French pole vaulter's actual d***."

The pole vaulter he was referring to was Anthony Ammirati, who went viral after his genitals knocked down the crossbar in Olympic competition.

Chieng then explained that per capita, the US was actually 59th in the medal count and Grenada was No. 1.

With a population of about 127,000, Grenada won two bronze medals for men's decathlon and men's javelin throw at the Paris Olympics.

The single medal that Singapore won was the bronze by kitefoiler Maximilian Maeder.

Not letting other countries where Chieng had lived off the hook, Kosta asked the question: "Which country that Ronny grew up in will embarrass themselves at the 2028 Olympics?"

The three choices were Singapore, Malaysia and Australia, where Chieng had gone to study law.

Malaysia won two bronze medals in Paris while Australia won a total of 53 medals, including 18 gold, and is ranked fourth in the final medal tally.

In March, Chieng said in an Instagram post that Singapore is a "country of small island Karens with main character syndrome who literally think they have all the answers despite having zero perspective on the world".

He later told The Straits Times that he was only teasing.

"What did I mean by that? I think Singapore is a pretty strict country, and I think that sometimes they need to be able to laugh at themselves, and I was just poking fun," said Chieng.

ALSO READ: 'I am completely overwhelmed': Olympic medallist Max Maeder receives rousing welcome upon return to Singapore

This article was first published in Stomp. Permission required for reproduction.