Shadowing Practice: My Dad's a Chinese Food Influencer | Jimmy O. Yang: Finally Home - Learn English Speaking with Video

Creating lesson...
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Do you guys remember when TikTok got banned in America for one day?
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Do you guys remember that?
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America was, like, fighting so hard to ban TikTok because they're like, that's a Chinese app.
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It's stealing our information.
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There's a whole Congress hearing with Americans.
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They're asking the CEO of TikTok.
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He's like, are you Chinese?
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I'm Singaporean, sir.
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Well, sir, I've never heard of that country.
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Is Singapore in China?
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No, it's in Singapore, sir.
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So are you Chinese or Japanese?
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I'm Singaporean.
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How are you a congressman when you don't know where Singapore is?
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It's so ridiculous.
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They fought so hard to ban TikTok because they think Chinese people is listening to them.
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And then when TikTok got banned for one day, every single American just went on a different Chinese ad, Xiao Hong Suu.
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Red Note.
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Do you guys use it?
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Xiao Hong Suu?
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I've been on Xiao Hong Suu for like a year.
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And then when I signed up, I realized my dad's been on that shit for like three years.
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My dad's active on Xiao Hongsu, man.
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He got like 40,000 followers before I even signed up.
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Not just because he's my dad, but because he turned into like a full-on food blogger.
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Like he's like now eating food, making weird faces.
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He's like, oh, this is delicious.
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He gets a lot of joy from it, right?
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Because people treat him really nicely because they know he's reviewing their food.
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And then he comes home, he's really excited.
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He was like, this place treat me like VIP.
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Everything free.
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And I'm like, Dad, I don't want to burst your bubble, okay?
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But I'm pretty sure they treat you like VIP because they know you're my dad.
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You know, I'm just telling you.
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You gotta be careful out there.
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And he was like, no, no, no, they don't know you, okay?
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They don't know who you are.
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When I was in New York, I took all my best friends out to this Chinese restaurant that my dad recommended.
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Like, literally, literally, all my coolest Chinese-American friends.
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It was me, Awkwafina, Ronnie Chang, BD Wong, MC Jin, you know?
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We, like, gathered the Asian Avengers.
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That's how much I trusted my dad's opinion.
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You know what I mean?
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And we went to this very, very authentic Sichuan restaurant, right?
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made a reservation and we walked in and the waiter was
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so rude to us that's how I knew the food was
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gonna be good we're like 10 minutes late right we're like
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sorry we got a reservation with a little late they're like
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no we gave you table away we gave you time I'm
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like no no no we're just having a second we don't
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have any more tables sir gave a table away I was
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like excuse me excuse me excuse me I usually don't do this, but do you know who I am?" And he stopped for a sec.
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No. It was so embarrassing, man.
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I had to take my friends to an Irish pub next door.
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The Asian Avengers ended up eating fish and chips for dinner.
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It was very sad of an experience.
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I've never been so angry and embarrassed in my adult life.
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I went home, I actually typed up an angry email and sent it to the owner of the restaurant, because I'm a little bitch.
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I went full Cameron, you know, I started typing this email.
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I'm like, how dare you treat us like that?
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We're only ten minutes late, you wouldn't even seat us?
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I could expect this kind of treatment maybe in an average American joint,
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place you just treat me like fucking Brad Pitt said so angry
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and to my surprise the owner of the restaurant email me
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back right away super apologetic he was like sir we're
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so sorry we couldn't accommodate you it was our bad but next time just tell us you are Richard's son
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So I guess my dad was right.
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He's not Jimmy's dad.
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I'm just Richard's son.

Context & Background

In the video "My Dad's a Chinese Food Influencer," comedian Jimmy O. Yang shares humorous anecdotes about his father's adventures as a food influencer on social media. The conversation begins with a lighthearted reflection on the cultural mix and misunderstandings surrounding the ban of TikTok in America, leading to a description of his father's engagement with the Chinese app Xiao Hong Suu. Yang illustrates his father's newfound popularity as a food blogger, giving insights into the cultural dynamics of food appreciation and social media influence. The humor and relatable scenarios make this dialogue both entertaining and educational for English learners.

Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication

  • “Do you remember when...?” – A great way to initiate conversations about shared experiences.
  • “That’s how I knew...” – This phrase can express a realization based on an observation, useful in storytelling.
  • “I took my best friends out...” – Perfect for talking about social activities and introducing people.
  • “They treat me like a VIP.” – A fun way to express being treated with special attention, useful in discussing customer service experiences.
  • “I realized my dad’s been on that...” – This showcases self-discovery and surprises, enriching daily conversations.

Step-by-step Shadowing Guide

To improve your English speaking skills using the shadowing technique with this video, follow the steps below:

  1. Watch the Video: First, watch the video without any interruptions. Focus on understanding the context and humor.
  2. Identify Key Phrases: Make a note of the top phrases listed above, paying attention to their pronunciation and intonation.
  3. Shadow Speak: Play the video again, pausing after each sentence. Repeat what Jimmy says immediately after he says it. This is the core of the shadowing technique and will help improve your accent and fluency.
  4. Practice Regularly: Engage with the content daily. The more you practice shadowing, the more natural your speaking will become. Use the phrases in your daily conversations to reinforce learning.
  5. Reflect on Your Progress: After several practice sessions, reflect on your improvement. Record yourself and listen for clarity, intonation, and flow, comparing it to the original speaker.

By incorporating these practices into your English learning journey, you'll not only enhance your speaking skills but also gain confidence in using English in daily interactions. Embrace the humor and cultural nuances in the video while using the shadowspeak technique to elevate your learning experience.

What is the Shadowing Technique?

Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.