Mr. and Mrs. Wong were two Chinese immigrants who had built a happy life for themselves in the United States. They had everything they could wish for: a cozy home, good jobs, and lots of friends except for one thing: a child. For years, they tried everything — diets, prayers, even old family remedies involving dragon fruit and turtle soup — but nothing worked.
One day, like a miracle, Mrs. Wong found out she was pregnant. The Wongs were overjoyed! They spent months preparing: painting the nursery, buying tiny clothes, and picking out traditional Chinese names that would honor their ancestors.
Finally, the big day came. Mrs. Wong went into labor and after a long and exhausting delivery, the doctor emerged from the delivery room, smiling. In his arms, he carried a healthy, crying newborn. But when Mr. Wong looked closely, he was shocked — the baby had blue eyes, pale skin, and light hair.
The doctor, trying to keep things cheerful, said, “Congratulations! It’s a beautiful baby boy! What would you like to name him?”
Mr. Wong scratched his head, looked at the baby, then at Mrs. Wong, then back at the baby again. After a long pause, he gave a small, tired smile and said, “Well, since two Wongs don’t make a white… I think we’ll name him Sum Ting Wong.”
Explanation: The joke hinges on a pun: “Two Wongs don’t make a white,” twisting the familiar saying “two wrongs don’t make a right.” After a Chinese couple unexpectedly has a white baby, Mr. Wong humorously names the child “Sum Ting Wong,” implying that something is indeed wrong with the situation.
