If you’re like us, you’ve probably wondered what famous people add to their carts. Not the JAR brooch and Louis XV chair but the hair spray and the electric toothbrush. We asked actor and comedian Ken Jeong, who recently partnered with Cottonelle as the brand’s first “assvertiser,” about the shoes that fixed his plantar fasciitis, charger he owns multiple of, and cough drops he has on his rider.
Anybody who knows me knows how much I love Coke Zero. Friends from sets — especially if you talk to anyone from Community like Joel McHale — tease me about how much I love my Coke Zero. This past Christmas, my brother-in-law got me the cherry version, and it’s now my favorite flavor. I even posted on Instagram a photo of me cradling a 12-can case like a baby, just so everybody would know how much I love it. My fridge is stocked with it. It’s the perfect pick-me-up and gets me through the day. It gives me the energy to overact in my comedy.
In college, I used to run cross-country in running clubs. I would get fallen arches, a bit of plantar fasciitis. When I started running more during the pandemic, the pain was worse than before. I switched to Hokas, and it improved considerably. They’ve helped because they’re very light. It’s like walking on pillows. Now I have an indoor pair as well, so I’m basically walking on pillows 24/7. Again, like the Coke Zero, people have caught on to my colorful Hoka collection while on set. While I was filming The Afterparty for Apple TV+, I got other actors to buy pairs for themselves.
I have charge anxiety about my cell phone, so I have this near my person at all times. In fact, I have two of them in case I need to charge my portable charger. It’s like an Inception-like universe, a whole metaverse of chargers and things that charge my chargers. If you opened up my mind right now, there’d probably be a charger in there as well. I like this one because it’s slim, very sleek, and just feels like another phone in many ways.
When I’m on the road filming, doing stand-up, and other events, I use a lot of portable razors and end up comparing them. I do like the CustomPlus 3 the best. It has a substantive feel and grip, but at the same time, it’s light and disposable. You get the best of both worlds. And, it never fails. I don’t get nicks or cuts. It fits my skill set.
I always brag to my wife that I’ve never had a cavity before. I believe my secret is I will gargle a little bit of Listerine Ultraclean, brush my teeth, then rinse out the toothpaste with Listerine again. I’m hitting any debris under the gums and molars with a solid cleanse. I do that twice a day and have been doing it for decades, so I think it really works. I like the Ultraclean one best because it’s the strongest and most effective. It’s always something I have to have on the road with me too.
This is known to be on my rider. Cough drops help when I’m yelling or screaming during stand-up sets and live events, or even on shows like The Masked Singer when I’m projecting lines. I love the strawberry ones the most because it tastes like a sweet candy, but the menthol helps clear my throat. The menthol isn’t too strong either; it’s just enough.
Last year, I was filming The Afterparty for Apple and had a two-week break. I wanted to go on vacation with my family to Yellowstone and hike, but I knew I had to go back to filming immediately after. I bought this sunscreen before the trip, because it’s clear, reef-friendly, and SPF 100. It feels like any other sunscreen, but it’s more effective than the others. I came back from very sunny, summery hikes without a huge tan in between takes and scenes.
I bring this with me wherever I go, whether it’s personal or professional trips. If I’m on set or I’m traveling, it doesn’t matter. It has all the pockets I need. If I’m doing a day trip and having to carry a change of clothes, I put everything in my backpack just so I don’t have to carry a suitcase. I’ll even do a cross-country trip with just this. When I’m constantly on the road, less is more. I pride myself on economizing my travel, and my Tumi does the trick.
This is by far my favorite toilet paper. It got me through the pandemic when it first started. As an actor, I’m very sensitive. I’m a soulful artist; I walk around different emotional avenues in a sea of sensitivity. It’s important for my toilet paper to accommodate that. This does, because it has those soft cleaning ripples. The soft ripples are iconic to the brand. And, as a former physician, I’m very proud to be Cottonelle’s first ever “assvertiser” for the toilet paper. I think it’s important to normalize conversations about down-there-care needs. It’s important for people to feel comfortable and keep it real down there.
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