Malaysian Government Asks Interpol To Help Them Arrest Comedian Over Plane Joke

Image: Vincent Thian (AP)

Malaysian Flight MH370 disappeared nearly a decade ago, but still stands as an incredible mystery. While everyone from conspiracy theorists to families of those on the flight look for answers, Malaysia tends to keep quiet about the touchy subject. Enough so, that if it’s talked about in the wrong light, the country will come for you. One American comedian happened to toe that line with a joke about the flight’s disappearance, and now Malaysia is asking Interpol to help find them.

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Comedian Jocelyn Chia was performing at the Comedy Cellar in New York City sometime in April, when she arrived on the topic of the relationship between her home country of Singapore and Malaysia, CBS News reports. According to the story, Chia mentioned that “the city-state had since become a “first-world country” and that Malaysian “airplanes cannot fly.” She added, “Malaysian Airlines going missing not funny, huh. Some jokes don’t land.”

Predictably, social media blew up, enough so that it caught the attention of Malaysian authorities. In a tweet, Singapore’s foreign minister Vivian Balakrishnan said that he was “appalled by her horrendous statements”while mentioning the close bond Malaysian people have with their families. Things were taken to another level on June 13, when the head of police in the southern Malaysian state of Johor Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani announced that authorities had called on Interpol to help in locating Chia.

If you’re confused over the sudden escalation, Malaysia has strict laws regarding public mischief. If Chia is found and brought to Malaysia, she could face jail time.

While a serious situation, Chia doesn’t seem to be bothered by any of it and is standing firmly by her joke. She explained to BBC news that everything was overblown and she wasn’t making fun of what happened, she was just trying to find humor in tragedy. She used the example of U.S. comedians joking about 9/11. “Americans can appreciate humor that is harsher, edgier and more in-your-face, as compared to in Asia where the stand-up comedy scene is still in its early days. You won’t find a lot of edgy comedy in Asia,” Chia said.

She even seems to be using the situation for clout and publicity, mentioning the possibility of a Netflix special in one tweet.