Ming Chen | |
---|---|
Born | Cliff Ming-Si Chen
[1] August 1, 1974 [2]
Euclid, Ohio, U.S
[2] |
Nationality | Chinese-American [3] |
Alma mater | University of Michigan |
Occupation(s) | Actor, podcaster, reality television personality, webmaster |
Years active | 1999–present |
Cliff Ming-Si Chen, better known as Ming Chen, is an actor, podcaster, reality television personality, and webmaster associated with Kevin Smith. [1] [3] [4] He co-hosts the I Sell Comics! and Ming & Mike Show podcasts with Mike Zapcic and also starred in the AMC reality series Comic Book Men. [1] [5] [6]
Ming Chen was born in Ohio to parents born in China, but raised in Taiwan.[ clarification needed] The family frequently moved due his father being an upstart engineer, but spent significant time in Jackson, Michigan and Ann Arbor, Michigan. [3] [7] Chen attended the University of Michigan (class of 1996), graduated with a degree in communications, and he at one point also worked at a video shop. [4] [7] [8]
Chen became involved with Kevin Smith after making a fansite dedicated to the movie Clerks in 1996. [4] [9] Smith asked Chen to build the View Askew Productions website. [4] Chen served as an extra in the movie Dogma. [3] After working around the Washington, D.C. area, and LivePlanet for two years, he joined Kevin Smith's company in 2002. [3] [4] Chen became the full-time webmaster of View Askew after moving to New Jersey. [4] One of the oddest requests from Kevin Smith has been to drive eight hours and deliver a copy of Red State to a critic from the Los Angeles Times in Maine. [3] [10]
Chen has participated in several podcasts for SModcast Internet Radio including Tell 'Em Steve-Dave!, Puck Nuts, and co-hosts I Sell Comics! with Mike Zapcic. [5] In 2012, he began starring with co-workers from Jay and Silent Bob's Secret Stash including Kevin Smith, Walt Flanagan, Mike Zapcic, and Bryan Johnson on Comic Book Men. [3] Ming is often made fun of as part of his role on Comic Book Men, due to his long friendships with Bryan and Walt. [9] [11] Comic Book Men would be cancelled after seven seasons in 2018. [1] [6]
Chen partnered with Hunter Pence and others to create Coral Sword: Coffee, Comics & Games in Houston, Texas, which opened in February 2018. [12] [13] [14] Chen partnered with Mike Zapcic to open A Shared Universe PodcaStudio in 2018, with a second location opening in 2020. [6]
Chen is married to Debbie and has two children. [3] His favorite baseball team is the Baltimore Orioles. [5] Two of his favorite comic books include Ex Machina and Preacher. Chen's favorite book as a kid was Avengers #214. [15] On Comic Book Men, Chen was able to purchase the USS Flagg, a toy his parents could not afford. [16] He has also participated in several marathons. [17] Chen also does work for two non-profits, Street Poets Inc. and The Kenny Gordon Foundation. [10] [18] Chen joined The YMCA of Greater Monmouth County as a board member in 2021. [19]