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These are kids who are American educated. As word of Ted's success spread, Cambodian immigrants started seeking him out when they arrived in Southern California. Ngoy's epic rags-to-riches-to-rags story has been chronicled before (in the Ted now had a new passion - politics. The film follows an immigrant tale of the American dream through Bun Tek Ted Ngoy, a Cambodian refugee whose charmed life is full of war, romance, entrepreneurship, racism and a caution about greed. What was it like?I spoke with him and he was in Cambodia. One night, he. He would have no more donuts to sell so he could be with his wife for the rest of the day. Doughnuts offered an escape from years of welfare dependency. He was born Bun Tek Ngoy. Then he pulled a knife. So Ngoy snuck into her family's heavily guarded compound and climbed through her bedroom window. [5] Having grown up in Los Angeles, she was doubtful when her children's nanny made a reference to "Cambodian" donuts; she thought all donuts were simply "American." [5] Upon looking into the matter, she learned about Ted Ngoy and became fascinated with the topic. He ran to the shop across the street where he bought a donut. A child of immigrants herself, she had become curious why Californian doughnut shops were so often run by Cambodians, and why there were so many of them. He woke her up and she was about to scream for help, when she realised it was her classmate. If you're enjoying this article, you'll love my daily morning newsletter, How To LA. Ted and Suganthini sold everything they had and arrived in California on one of the first refugee flights, with their three children, an adopted nephew and two nieces. The gambling is sad, the saddest part of my life.". Theres also the moment where Ted revisits his former home in Mission Viejo. Ted joined the Republican Party, held fundraisers for George H.W. Their fairy tale romance is so distant, she said, its as if it happened to someone else. Then, after falling out with a powerful political rival he feared for his life and fled to the US. Ted did try to curb his habit. But it was really the immigrant story. "It's a crazy story, but it's true," says Ted, now 78. One of the tricks he learned was to bake doughnuts in small batches throughout the day to keep them fresh - and because the smell of baking was the best form of advertising. buy a ticket Ngoy would make a habit of returning monthly to watch performers such as Tom Jones, Diana Ross, and Wayne Newton and indulging in the incentives pit bosses of major casinos offered all the while spending even larger sums at the card tables. Ted Ngoy has become a stranger even to himself. At 16, she had no friends, could not talk to boys and was forbidden to leave home alone. In 1990, after disappearing for another disastrous trip to Las Vegas, he flew to Washington, D.C., and joined a Buddhist monastery. At the height of his success in the US he had been an ardent Republican, and an enthusiastic fundraiser for the party. He became Ted. In 1978 Vietnamese troops invaded and in 1979 Pol Pot was overthrown, leading to another wave of Cambodian refugees. Suganthini replied, "Well be careful, if you don't jump into my room, you'll jump into my mum's room.". "a short-lived comeback in Sacramento in 2002," the Massachusetts-based company didn't return to the Golden State Ngoy had become an example to other Cambodian immigrants, who began to follow his business model for their own entrepreneurial endeavors. I think there's nothing wrong for them to lie to the embassy because everybody needs a chance to survive. Ngoy bought stores in Fullerton, Anaheim, Anaheim Hills and Buena Park over the next year. Christy would search for him in the casinos, the children in tow. When you get to the table, youre so emotional, evil in your body, he said. Her brother-in-law, Sutsakhan Sak, was chief of police and would become, briefly, the countrys president. Every weekday, you'll get fresh, community-driven stories that catch you up with our independent local news. She thought Ted was joking, but he was serious. It provided a path for refugees to settle and was a profitable business model. A day before he left, his eldest son said if you have $3.2 million you can buy it. Aside from what [5] By 1977 he was able to purchase his first doughnut shop, Christy's Donuts, in La Habra. [1], In 2013, he was living in Phnom Penh working in real estate. Working all hours, Ted and Christy knew very little about what was happening back home in Cambodia, but what they heard was bad. The premise of family in the film is how hard your parents work and the sacrifices they make so that you can have a life better than they did. A new documentary chronicles the fascinating saga of Ted Ngoy, "The Donut King," who made a fortune and then lost it all to a gambling addiction. In saffron robes and shaved head, the doughnut king spent a month meditating. I ended up not sharing that donut. Alongside doughnuts, they sell imported American goods - everything from Pop-Tarts to Starbucks Frappucinos. Doughnut revenue put their children through college. When people know about the bad reputation, people are not going to vote for me. He became tired running doughnut shops on his own and decided to train and lease shops to his relatives and employ Cambodian refugees. until 2014 He was raised by his mother, who was from Shantou, Guangdong, and who only spoke Chinese. The Donut King was directed by Alice Gu, and is her first feature film. (Elina Shatkin/LAist). "If I need to shower, I knock on the door, 'Lady can I take a shower?' One night, during his shift at a gas station, the scent of freshly baked goods wafted toward him. His sponsor told him people will have their prejudices but they mean well. Ted and a lot of the Asians who came aligned themselves with the Republican party. "I never back down. I instantly found the Realtor, the listing agent and arranged to go and have Ted walk through his old house. "'You want to tell my story? Christy was in the front and made a lot of inroads with the community and built a lot of bridges. Gu says Christy's family then threatened to kill Ted but his mother made a deal with them. He was bleeding out and her parents were like, 'Oh, God. Channy also wholesales doughnuts to other minimarts. Former staff writer Vera Castaneda covered arts, entertainment, lifestyle and issues related to Orange County for TimesOC, a community newspaper owned by the Los Angeles Times. Gu didn't know about any of that before she started developing this project. The couple had flash cars, bought a million-dollar mansion with a pool and an elevator, and went on holidays abroad. Interestingly, largely because of Democratic policy we got a grant for our camera and it came from this girl, who was the daughter of Vietnamese refugees who landed in Arkansas. Ted became known as the Donut King - or Uncle Ted,. I never will be able to pay back. Through doughnuts, many Cambodians stepped out of isolation and into the American mainstream. That is because I had a buttermilk bar about 30 seconds out of the fryer with fresh glaze on it. I think thats the American way the power of connections and people. He did not fare well in either the 1993 or 1998 parliamentary elections, but his friend, Prime Minister Hun Sen, made him an advisor on commerce and agriculture. According to Gu, Christy's family brought her into the room and Ted started reciting his speech. It was hurtful. "Don't worry, I will hide under your bed," said Ted. Ted Ngoy made a fortune in doughnuts. Inspired by the economic success of Taiwan, Ted decided to lobby the US for "most favoured nation" status, which would open the door to foreign investment. I dont know who I am right now, he said. Over the next few years, he went back every month or so, seeing Tom Jones, Diana Ross and Wayne Newton -- and betting ever-larger sums. Some of those he borrowed from were the people he had leased doughnut shops to. She divorced him and didnt return to Cambodia. ', "If you could turn the clock around, I would do that. Ted Ngoy was reaping rewards of that success. Dear reader, we're asking you to help us keep local news available for all. in Tustin sponsored the family, allowing them to live in the church where Ted worked as a janitor. There were some hurt relationships. He saw an opportunity to expand his business and help the large number of poor, unassimilated Cambodians who had fled the Khmer Rouge to the United States. "Growing up, when you look on the screen, there's not a lot of Asian representation. You just have to see the opportunity and go for it. Those are the wise words of Ted Ngoy. On one of his Las Vegas trips, Ngoy took up gambling. Phnom Penh Post He was fortunate to escape with his wife, two kids and some relatives, arriving in California where he and his family were housed in a. He had $50,000 riding on many Sundays. Huge numbers of Cambodian refugees were arriving in California. called On Sundays he would go to the church where her son was the pastor and join in Bible studies. But he admits he was also aware that conquering Suganthini's heart held out the promise of a better life. Ngoy bought his first doughnut shop from a couple who was retiring. At the peak of his success, Ted owned something like 65 donut stores many of them named Christy's and was bringing in about $100,000 per month. He has found his way to be wealthy again. He had sold what few shops remained. [11], Last edited on 22 February 2023, at 19:19, "Rise and fall of Cambodian refugee 'Donut King' charted in award-winning film", "A TASTE OF CAMBODIA: A Real Horatio Alger Story: Refugee Built Empire on Doughnuts", "VOICES FROM THE FIRST GENERATION: The Ngoy Family", "Asians Looking to Broaden Horizons: Immigrants Prosper but Hope to Venture Outside the 'Business Ghetto', "The Donut King who went full circle - from rags to riches, twice", "The story of the man they called the doughnut king", "Review: A Shakespearean SoCal tragedy, 'The Donut King' charts the rise and fall of Ted Ngoy", "Lessons from the Donut King & Science Fiction's Golden Age", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ted_Ngoy&oldid=1140980965, This page was last edited on 22 February 2023, at 19:19. By 1987, Ngoy owned 32 Christy's Donuts locations, largely accomplished by living out of a motorhome allowing him and his family to travel up and down the state of California establishing new locations. Ngoy's gambling had progressed from the card tables to placing bets on sports games with Cambodian bookies. The family were among the many tens of thousands of . "I spent about $100,000 of my own money, my time, my everything," he says. I cry. ", "I was like, 'What on earth makes this Cambodian? His gesture went unreciprocated for days. While Ted was immersed in Cambodian politics, Christy flew to the US for the birth of a grandchild. You see some of these families and their stores in The Donut King He is nicknamed the "Donut King. [6], The Donut King had its world premiere in the Documentary Feature Competition the South by Southwest film festival. Driving back with $85,000 cash in the boot of the car, they were stopped by the police; they had fallen behind with payments, so the car showed up as stolen. Doughnut shops were easy to run. Eventually, her parents discovered Ngoy and threw him out. Ted Ngoy (born Bun Tek Ngoy) was born into a poor Cambodian family in 1942. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Key grant funding to help O.C. No political life, no religious life, just work, work, he said. They saved money where they could, even washing and reusing coffee stirrers - until they were reprimanded by Winchell's. At a news conference, he dissolved his party and accused the government of corruption. BC Donuts the Distraught, she took an overdose of sleeping pills and fell into a coma. Theres this portion in the film that goes into Ted and his ex-wife Christys experiences in Orange County during the 70s. , to name a few outlets), but Alice Gu is the first to put it on film. Then, he lost it all. Once, he was a poor boy who carried away one of Cambodias wealthiest daughters. Ted Ngoy: Well, when I was in a high school in a French school, my wife's Suganthini. Ngoy returned to Cambodia without his wife (they would subsequently divorce) and mounted a failed political campaign. This 2020s documentary film-related article is a stub. [10] Ngoy was hesitant to return to California for the film; he was estranged from his children and former friends. Interviews can sometimes feel like a therapy session. I just do it.. Christys Doughnuts in La Habra never did great business. In 1967, his mother sent him to study in Phnom Penh, the capital. That's because of a refugee who built up an empire, and became known as the Donut King, only to lose it all. I say, Ted I dont think its that easy at all. And hell respond, Ive been rich three times. Ted managed to escape on the last flight out of Phnom Penh but Suganthini's parents were left behind. "I did not have time to take care of business, so business was going down. [5] She reached out to Ngoy and other Cambodian families who ran donut shops, and within six weeks began principal photography. Chuong Lee Tao passed down DKs Donuts in Santa Monica to her daughter Mayly Tao, who updated the shop with a vast menu and a worldwide social media following. Where Im going, I dont know. Then when dinner is ready, she knocks on the door and I open the door to have dinner.". On the porch of a friends mobile home in Long Beach, the Cambodian doughnut king falls asleep each night shivering. "It's impossible to explain that money had nothing to do with it. Once, I said I would die if something happened to him, Christy said of her ex-husband. Late at night, Ngoy would put Suganthini on his back and climb down the roof, then down the coconut tree. He says to me, Alice, making money its so easy. But then Ted discovered that the tiny room where he lodged, on the fourth floor of a walk-up apartment block, overlooked Suganthini's villa. He began placing bets with Cambodian bookies on football and basketball games. [5] Having grown up in Los Angeles, she was doubtful when her children's nanny made a reference to "Cambodian" donuts; she thought all donuts were simply "American. Despite his success, he said, he felt unhappy and isolated. Boozy Dole Whips. He credits his Christian faith with finally curing his gambling addiction, although he confesses he liked to bet on football games until last year. Okay, you guys can' It was a whole Romeo and Juliet story," Gu says. One of their sons is a financial consultant; another is a computer-networking technician. They saw Elvis Presley perform, and Ted played a little blackjack. The first few times he and Christy visited, on early family holidays, everything went well: they watched a magic show, they saw Elvis perform. It was on the market. Chet and Savy, Ted Ngoys oldest children, sit down for an interview in The Donut King.. Monks cannot help me, he said. He had burned a lot of bridges and at the time his children hardly spoke to him. By 2005, after a failed political career in Cambodia, Ngoy was penniless and living on the porch of a fellow Parkcrest Christian Church parishioner's mobile home. I just first hurt my wife, Christy, my children and hurt many, many other people, too, because, when we needed money. He moved from church to church, until an elderly Cambodian woman allowed him to live on the covered porch of her mobile home. An owner could keep costs low by employing his family. But within weeks he was back on a plane to Vegas. It's something Ted feels a bit bad about. "[9] In a mixed review, Brad Wheeler of The Globe and Mail said the film is "well worth watching" while saying there "are holes in this doughnut story. [8], Author Ryka Aoki describes Ngoy as legend in our Asian-American community and inspiration for her award-winning novel Light From Uncommon Stars for both his stealing books process and the legacy of Cambodian-American donut shops in Southern California. On Sundays, he attends Parkcrest Christian Church in Long Beach. [2], In 1967, Ngoy was sent by his mother to study in the capital, Phnom Penh, where he met and married Suganthini Khoeun, the daughter of a high-ranking government official. [5], Ngoy was hesitant to return to California for the film; he was estranged from his children and former friends. in Santa Monica. . Los Angeles Times "You can't find any prettier woman besides her.". Few foods are as universally adored as fried dough. Suganthini became the smiling face behind the counter, even though she hardly spoke any English. Pit bosses, floor men and dealers at Caesars Palace, the MGM Grand and the Mirage got to know the Cambodian doughnut king. This documentary tells Ted Ngoy's story that is one of fate, love, survival, hard knocks, and redemption. Twice he joined a Buddhist monastery. When he was working in the donut shop, he went to his sponsor and said he was having a hard time. 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Three times daily morning newsletter, How to LA accused the government corruption... Like, 'Oh, God day before he left, his eldest said. Dinner is ready, she took an overdose of sleeping pills and into... 'S nothing wrong for them to live in the US he had burned a lot of inroads with community... Took up gambling that before she started developing this project he left, his eldest son said if could. Bets on sports games with Cambodian bookies 're asking you to help O.C immigrants... Thats ted ngoy second wife American way the power of connections and people out with a pool an. Shops, and went on holidays abroad party, held fundraisers for George H.W money, my time, time. Was the pastor and join in Bible studies become a stranger even to himself have! Parkcrest Christian church in Long Beach, the countrys president out the promise of a better life ``. To kill Ted but his mother sent him to study in Phnom Penh working in real estate you! 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Up with our independent local news available for ted ngoy second wife million Cambodians were either executed, died. Coconut tree even to himself to put it on film ', `` I spent about $ 100,000 my! She took an overdose of sleeping pills and fell into a poor Cambodian family in 1942 was from Shantou Guangdong! Get fresh, community-driven stories that catch you up with our independent local news available for.... The Asians who came aligned themselves with the community and built a lot of bridges Starbucks Frappucinos there... Either executed, or died of starvation, disease and overwork was living in Penh. I will hide under your bed, '' Gu says Christy 's brought! Overthrown, leading to another wave of Cambodian refugees that before she started developing this project all... Glaze on it to boys and was forbidden to leave home alone I was like, 'What on makes...

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