Jenny Huang

Jenny Huang
Gender	Female
Actor	Lucille Soong
First	"Pilot"
Last	"Commencement"
Name	Jenny Huang (adopted English name)
Place	Taipei, Taiwan (formerly) Baltimore, Maryland (formerly) Chinatown, Washington, D.C. (formerly) Orlando, Florida
Family	Huang (husband) Louis Huang (son) Gene Huang (son) Jessica Huang (daughter-in-law) Eddie Huang (grandson) Emery Huang (grandson) Evan Huang (grandson) Margaret (ex-daughter-in-law)
Seasons	S1 • S2 • S3 • S4 • S5 • S6

"Patience. Wait until your enemy make a mistake and then pounce." — Jenny Huang

Jenny Huang is the mother of Louis and Gene and the paternal grandmother of Eddie, Emery, and Evan. She first appeared in "Pilot". She is portrayed by Lucille Soong.

History

Season 1

To be added

Season 2

At some point after moving to Orlando, Jenny struck a romantic relationship with a man named Charles, with everyone around her, including Emery, Evan and Honey, being aware of the relationship except for Jessica. After Charles leaves his life savings to her, Jessica approaches Jenny and constantly asks to borrow the money so that she may use it flip houses for a profit. Jenny constantly rebuffs and ignores her attempts, before eventually replying that she finds Jessica to be cold and spoiled, adding that Jessica never bothered to form a bond with her or really talk to her unless she needed something. As one of Jenny's favorite activities was to steal pennies from the public fountain, Jessica bought her a grabber, typically used to reach and grab cans or other items in the kitchen, for her to extract the pennies from the fountain. Jessica then offered that they become partners in the investment 50/50 rather than her merely loaning the money, and Jenny agreed, presenting Jessica with the check of Charles' life savings, which amounted to a mere $7,000, not enough for Jessica's house-flipping endeavors. She still gave the $7,000 to Jessica, and a week later Jessica informed her that she had purchased a house, had it renovated and placed it on the market, although Jenny replied in Mandarin that they were silent partners and that Jessica was interrupting her show. The next day, for Halloween, Jenny helped decorate the house and dressed as Garfield that night.

Jenny received a Nerf boomerang for the Christmas prior by Eddie, and helped Eddie by throwing the boomerang at Jessica's bakery set, therefore allowing Emery to gift his handcrafted replica to his mother as a Christmas gift. Jenny prepared to return to Washington, D.C.'s Chinatown for Chinese New Year with the rest of the Huangs, which she was excited for, although she did not end up going as they missed the flight. While this upset her and put her in a disappointed mood, she was eventually cheered up by the makeshift Chinese New Year festivities at Cattleman's Ranch Steakhouse and gifted her three grandsons with a hundred dollars each. Eddie thanked her for the money while Emery said that while it was generous, they did not need anything but their love; this prompted Eddie to declare that he would take Emery's money, and Jenny watched as Eddie tackled Emery and attempted to wrest the money out his hand, stating that she hoped the strongest one would prevail. Sometime later, she won a Pogs game on behalf of Evan, clearing up his debt with Stacey.

Jenny was present when Louis and Jessica decided how to deal with Eddie and Evan's lice situation while also managing their workload. Jenny then asked why Louis was getting involved, believing it was Jessica's sole responsibility as the mother and that Louis' sole responsibility was to provide for them and kill spiders, although Louis told her that it was the '90s and that they were a team. Jenny later scoffed that she was right when Louis believes his career is more important than Jessica's and leaves the house when Jessica gets lice as well, blaming her for the children receiving lice simply because she is the mother.

Jenny accompanied the rest of the Huang family to the bank so that Evan could open a new banking account, as it came with a free toaster. Jenny loved getting free things from the bank and at first attempted to steal a pen, although it was chained to a desk. She then retreated to the bathroom and stole a plant, and encountered Evan when he walked in. She told Evan that what name he picked didn't really matter to her as he was still her grandson, and disclosed to him that her American name was Jenny, which she took on after committing a crime, although she did not want to discuss it further. She then gave the plant to Evan to smuggle back home. At the end, a flashback reveals that she checked out multiple Garfield books at the library under the name "Jenny" with no intention of returning them, thereby stealing them and committing the crime she had spoken of earlier.

After Jessica rented their investment flip house and cashed in their check, she decided to write checks to Jenny and Honey for their share, although she paid them out of her own account as the tenants were squatters and their checks had bounced; Jenny used her share to purchase a hat. Back at home, she discovered that Louis had stolen a watch from Eddie to teach him a lesson and so stole the watch from Louis himself. At the end of the wee, she returned the watch to Louis, reprimanding him that he shouldn't have messed with his son, to which Louis pointed out that he was her son and that she was messing with him. Jessica then sold the house so that the squatters would be someone else's problem and wrote checks for Jenny and Honey for their share, although she attempted to convince them to reinvest with her in condominiums.

After Emery gets punched at school following Louis' advice to change who he is to make himself more likable, Jenny informs Louis that Emery is like Jessica. She clarifies that Jessica and Emery are proud of who they are and do not change for other people unlike Louis, who lies and changes who he is in order to make others like him. As Emery's graduation from fifth grade approaches, Louis allows his three sons to bring a friend to the post-graduation all-you-can-eat chicken dinner at Cattleman's, with Evan taking Jessica as his date. Jenny notices Evan perusing what outfit to wear and tells him that he should wear a suit for Jessica. As Evan replies that he doesn't have a suit, Jenny offers to make one for him, claiming she knit a cape for Evel Knievel in the past. At the dinner, she plays Frank Sinatra's "Come Fly With Me" as Evan struts in with his new suit.

Jenny was ecstatic when she found that her second son, Gene Huang, would be paying them a visit in Orlando. She informed Louis, who had a bitter falling out with Gene, that he had to make amends with Gene and set a better example for his sons. After Gene and Louis have a fight, Gene leaves their house and flies back to Taiwan for his wedding, bringing Jenny with him.

Season 3

This section requires expansion

Jenny met with her relatives in Taiwan and attended Gene's wedding to Margaret before flying back to Orlando with Louis' family. After Jessica complained about a watermelon Eddie dropped in the house, Jenny told Louis not to tell Jessica about the vase she broke while trying to eat Fruit Roll Ups; when Jessica discovered the vase, she told Louis that he was on his own before wheeling away. In order to help Jessica with the household mess, Louis hired a housekeeper named Mary, which Jessica found insulting. Noticing Mary's presence, Jenny told Jessica that if her husband had hired a housekeeper to help her with the housework, she would have flung herself down a well. As the Halloween season rolled around, Jenny dressed up as Grimace.

Season 4

To be added

Season 5

To be added

Season 6

The families assemble to watch the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup

The Huangs, along with Marvin and Honey, have gathered around the television to watch the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup. Honey is feeding Maria while Marvin groans about the game. Honey has also given birth to her second child, a daughter named Liza, who sleeps. Louis announces that while he would forget about the game in 24 hours, this is his current focus, with him, Eddie, and Evan wearing USA jerseys to support their country while Jessica wears a jersey representing China. Emery, unable to choose whether to represent his native ancestral home or his country, wears half of both jerseys. The game concludes 45 minutes after going into overtime when Brandi Chastain successfully shoots a penalty goal against China, granting the United States team the victory. However, when Chastain gets on his knees and rips off her jersey in victory, the sight of her in her sports bra causes Evan to gain an erection, forcing him to flee from the room immediately.

As Jessica is working on assignments at home, Jenny's muffled questions about the snacks being finish reverberate throughout the house. Jenny then wheels herself over to the kitchen to tell Jessica in person. After Honey and Jessica get into a fight which involves Jessica inviting Honey's in-laws to stay with her, Honey then retaliates by giving Jenny a megaphone, which Jenny uses to annoy Jessica by pretending to be the police.

Louis and Eddie later pay Jenny a visit in her room to get a woman's perspective on sexual education, and she gives them her version of "The Talk", including explaining how to pleasure a woman emotionally and sexually, even adding sound effects. While Louis is uncomfortable, Eddie laments that he should have taken notes. The two Huang men then state that perhaps Evan is too young for "The Talk" and decide to put it off for a while until Evan enters the room, asking his grandmother if he can store his Beanie Babies in her room as he wishes to have privacy in his room. Eddie and Louis immediately yell at the other to give him "The Talk", prompting Jenny to reply that she would do it, much to the loud opposition of Eddie and Louis. Jenny then informs Evan that Eddie and Louis wish to talk to him, but tell them not to do it in her room, citing that she has already had too much "family time" for the day.

After speaking with Louis and Eddie, Evan attempts to give his Beanie babies "The Talk", but instead outsources the task to Jenny, who asks him to leave the room. As he does so, she decides to explain "first base" to the toys by throwing one on the floor and spilling liquids on it.

Jenny listens to Eddie's predictions regarding Y2K

At home, Eddie is regaling tales to his family, imagining the Y2K situation to be similar to the movie The Matrix, placing himself as Neo and Louis as Morpheus. Louis states that Y2K would not be like that, while Emery believes that the world truly may end as a result of the Millennium Bug. As a result, Eddie states that they should do as much as possible during summer vacation as it may be the last summer of their lives. However, his plans are dashed by Jessica, who enters the room with a stack of PSAT books and tells Eddie that he will study them alongside her in preparation for college.

Jenny pours soda on the carpet floor

Evan and Jenny then begin watching Twins in the living room, Jenny watching it because she is attracted to Danny DeVito. Emery chastises them for watching television when the threat of Y2K looms on the horizon, suggesting that they should purchase supplies and rations to bargain with other survivors. Evan replies that they would need cash in order to do so and that they could be organized while the rest of society becomes chaotic, while Emery retorts that alternatively, they could "live it up." Jenny then pours a can of soda on the carpet floor, claiming that they need not worry about consequences with Y2K.

Jenny splurges with her new credit card

The Huangs then take a flight to California, where Jenny, Emery and Evan pay a visit to the UCLA campus ATM. Emery warns his grandmother against signing up for a credit card, although Evan informs him that they tried to be responsible but that it didn't work, and that should just embrace Y2K and live it up, with Jenny adding that the computerized bank records would be destroyed by Y2K, thus erasing their debt. Agreeing, the trio rent a limousine and cruise through Los Angeles while standing up through the sunroof, exclaiming that they were rich. While touring the streets of Los Angeles, Jenny meets a Danny DeVito impersonator, although she believes him to be the real Danny DeVito. She then tells Emery and Evan that she is taking "Danny" in the limo to do adult things and bids them farewell, abandoning them in the city. Jenny takes "Danny" to a high-end outfitters and pays for him to be dressed as The Penguin as she sips champagne, although she finds the experience boring.

Jenny regroups with Evan and Emery

Jenny later regroups with Evan in the limo, where Emery rejoins them, telling them that Hollywood sucks and that he finds the excessive lifestyle and lack of consequences to be unsustainable. Jenny agrees, citing that even Danny DeVito could not handle it; Emery clarifies once again that the man she was with was not the real DeVito, although Evan convinces him to let Jenny have it since she may have kissed him. Emery then tells the two that if the world does end with Y2K, he would want to spend his last moments on the family couch with them as he usually does. Evan then mentions that if the world does not end, they would not be able to pay back the credit cards, although Jenny replies that she faked her death once before and that she could do it again.

Jenny asks Louis for a retirement gift

Marvin Ellis has decided to retire from dentistry and is given a retirement party at Louis Huang's Cattleman's Ranch Steakhouse. After Honey gifts Marvin with a flagpole he wanted, Jenny announces that she too is now retiring, much to the confusion of her family, with her family wondering what she would be retiring from. The next day at breakfast, Jenny gives Louis a list of gifts she wants for retiring, stating that any one of them would do. Louis asks if her if she wants a party, although she merely replies that all the answers he seeks are on the list. Louis then reads the list of desired gifts, including a trip to Jamaica, a drum kit, or a hot tub. Louis believes that what his mother really wants is a party, but is too proud to ask him for one and expects him to dismiss the gift list, while Jessica declares that Jenny most likely is "retiring" just because she wants a gift. Regardless, Louis decides to go ahead and throw his mother a retirement party.

Jenny is upset she didn't receive a gift

At Jenny's retirement party, Louis thanks everyone for attending; Jessica sings "Simply the Best" while Trent Masterson plays the piano. However, Jenny asks Louis if this is all, and demands to have her gift. When Louis replies that the party was the gift, Jenny replies that he should've just bought her a hot tub. Louis responds that a hot tub is impractical, citing that it was a big responsibility and asks who would maintain it and pay its utilities bill, but Jenny, still wanting a hot tub, wheels herself away.

Jenny reunites with Gene

Louis invites Gene over to make himself look good in Jenny's eyes, but finds him to be a completely different person. Gene divulges that he fell into the lion's pit at the Singapore Zoo, and as a lioness was clawing his chest, it made him realize that life, with every moment on Earth, should be treasured. Jenny then asks Gene if he brought her a gift, but when he replies that his hug is a hug of gratitude, she storms off angrily, claiming that no one knows how to give gifts anymore. Louis and Jessica explain to Gene that it is Louis who takes care of Jenny and puts up with her while he is absent. Gene then offers his assistance, and decides to help Jenny with her tasks for the day and relieve Louis of the burden.

Jenny is happy to get her hot tub

Gene returns after running errands with Jenny, and much to Louis' surprise, Gene enjoyed doing so. Jenny then tells Louis that spending time with Gene made her appreciate all the hard work Louis does for her, which makes Louis happy. Gene then adds that he spoke to Jenny after realizing that there was tension between her and Louis and got her to value Louis. However, just then, Jenny begins to fire up the hot tub which Gene had installed in the garage. This infuriates Louis, who believes that Gene simply bought his mother off.

Jenny in the hot tub with Jessica and Gene

Louis fetches Trent and brings him to the garage to dismantle the hot tub, only to find out that Jessica is in there relaxing with Gene and Jenny. Louis asks how she could do so, and Jessica replies that Louis' concern with the hot tub was who would pay the utilities, but because Jenny had agreed to pay it herself, she found no issue in using the hot tub herself. Louis scoffs at the idea of his mother making payments, and Gene chimes in that if their mother could not pay for the hot tub, he would; this angers Louis, who states that Gene would be gone by then and that the one thing that would never change was Gene being a screw-up. Insulted, Gene replies that he has changed and is no longer a screw-up; as he exits the hot tub, mentions that he has emotional scars from being Louis' brother. Later that night, the Huangs use the hot tub, now installed in Jenny's room, to perform a silent synchronized dance while Jenny sleeps, being careful not to wake her up.

Jenny at the breakfast table

One morning at breakfast, Louis mentions the love between Eddie and Tina at breakfast, causing Jessica to point out the word "love"; while she was aware he was in a relationship, she did not know it had progressed to love. Eddie attempts to deflect the situation by asking Evan and Jenny if they are doing anything, and Evan responds that he and his grandmother have decided to take up meditation.

Jenny attempts to meditate with Evan

After Tina Masterson pays the Huang household an impromptu visit so that she can meet Jessica, Eddie runs into the garage and interrupts Evan and Jenny's meditation to notify them of Tina and Jessica's meeting, fearful of an argument. Eddie declares the situation as DEFCON 5, with Evan clarifying that DEFCON 5 meant peacetime and that he should've said DEFCON 1. Jenny retorts that it does not make sense to her since 5 should be worse than 1. Eddie then asks if anyone has a glass he could put up against the wall so that he could eavesdrop on Jessica and Tina, and Jenny informs him that the glass trick only works in movies and that he should listen through the air vent like a normal person. Following Jenny's suggestion, Eddie hears a slap and rushes into the kitchen, thinking it has escalated into a physical bout.

Jenny falls asleep during meditation

The next day, Eddie arranges for Jenny to play Amy Grant music in the living room where Tina and Jessica have gathered, although Jenny falls asleep. Evan, thinking she had been meditating, plays the music and wheels her back to the garage. A short moment later, Jessica heads to the garage to listen through Jenny's air vent, smiling as hears Eddie and Tina's reconciliation, only for Jenny to shut the vent and demand a dollar per minute for vent usage.

Jenny dressed as Eric Cartman

On Halloween 1999, Eddie decided to borrow one of Jenny's sleeping bags to use as a bag to collect Halloween candy. However, Jenny soon found the bag and wrapped herself in it, much to Eddie's dismay, who cited that he would now have to blow out the smell once more. Later that night, Jenny dressed up as Eric Cartman from South Park. After telling Eddie and Emery where Evan was and admonishing them for making fun of him, she began reciting some of Cartman's lines.

Jenny eating her tomatoes

After Louis wished to grow a vegetable garden but was convinced otherwise by Matthew Chestnut, who told him he should retain his focus on the restaurant, Louis outsourced the task to Jenny. Jenny tended to the garden, and after growing tomatoes, placed them in a basket and brought them into the kitchen. There, she munched on them as Eddie and Jessica were discussing Chestnut and informed them that she had been growing the garden on Louis' behalf. Sometime later, Jenny helps Eddie record a basketball tape for potential college scholarships, and plays basketball with him.

"I like hard tacos, but I can fit more soft tacos in my purse."

Jenny munches on hard tacos, telling Jessica that while she prefers hard tacos over soft, she can fit more soft tacos in her purse. Just then, Eddie, Emery, and Evan enter through the front door laughing. When Jessica asks them why they are laughing, they tell her that they had gone to the grocery store to watch people fight over Thanksgiving turkeys, with Evan recalling Tie-Dye Tim using a lasso. Jenny then mentions that Tie-Dye Tim had told her that he was not into rope stuff.

"I don't think you know what a party is."

Ignoring this, Jessica tells Jenny that she is upset as "Turkey Tango" was an annual shopping fight she had attended with her sons, and that they had gone without her. Jenny explains that her sons at the age where she is no longer interesting to them and that she herself is at the age, but Jessica dismisses her, claiming that it was because she was too busy. She resolves to show her boys she can be the life of the party, only for Jenny to remark that Jessica does not even know what a party is.

"You're trying too hard. No wonder they prefer the median. It smells like grass, not desperation."

Jenny witnesses Jessica trying to invite the boys to another 'turkey tango' only for them to refuse, wanting to hang out at the piazza. Jenny then tells a disappointed Jessica that if she wants to spend time with her sons she should go to the piazza as well, but Jessica refuses, wanting to spend quality time with her sons and not with the others, such as Carol-Joan. Jenny tells Jessica that she tries too hard and it is no wonder the boys prefer the median, calling Jessica desperate. Jessica then states that she must destroy the median, and Jenny retorts that Jessica always takes the wrong lesson.

"You are a fool to invoke the mob."

Relocating to the living room, Jenny is watching Honey and Louis' interview on Good Morning Orlando. Upon hearing Gus and Mey-Mey discuss the baby they had conceived on a cruise, Jenny states that according to maritime law, the baby would belong to no one. Jessica tells her to pipe down so she could work on her op-ed, a report she is anonymously sending to the local newspaper to get the city to tear down the median, citing that they should "leave bocce to the Mafia." As Jenny tells Jessica that she is a fool to invoke the mob, Jessica asks her to turn the television down, only for Jenny to retort that she got there first. This sparks an idea in Jessica to get to the median first and she thanks Jenny for the idea, telling her that she is one in a thousand for good ideas, later amending it to two in a thousand when Jenny mentions that she attached the vacuum cleaner to her wheelchair.

Jenny smiles at Eddie

Jenny is asked by Eddie to teach him Chinese cuisine, and she teaches him how to make bao zi. Louis enters, asking them why they did not turn off the kettle as it had been hissing for three minutes, having reached the temperature of 100 degrees Celsius. Eddie tells Louis that Jenny had taught him how to make bao zi, which Jenny states has a perfect consistency akin to a lamb's scrotum. Louis is shocked that Eddie took notes, and Eddie replies that he did so because Jenny never wrote her recipes down as Jenny smiles at him.

Jenny utters profanity at Evan

Shortly after, Jenny is reading a magazine when Evan asks her for words so that he could look up the definition. Jenny proceeds to swear and Evan clarifies that he meant PG words, and she replies with "Garfield." Phone in hand, surrounded by encyclopedias, Evan prepares to be Louis' lifeline on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. He intends to keep the phone lines clear, but at that moment, Alistair Cain "the Science Brain" appears on the television, offering to answer any science question for the next hour. While Evan is conflicted, wishing to speak with him, Jenny voices her attraction to Alistair.

"Shh! I stole this from your mother."

As Evan heads next door to the Ellis house, Jenny calls into the show to talk to Alistair, asking him if the electric globe works on his genitals. As Alistair is left speechless, Jenny takes it as confirmation, and Evan, using the cordless phones, tells her to get off the phone as he needs the line to be clear. Jenny takes one of Jessica's face masks and applies it as Evan storms in, demanding Jenny to get off the phone as it could ring any second. Jenny responds that she got off the line and asks him not to tell Jessica about the face mask.

Jenny gets a call from Alistair Cain

Sometime later, the Huang family watch the Millionaire episode at Cattleman's, watching Louis lose on television. Trent serves them with seven Cow Baos, a fusion dish Eddie had created by adding burger meat to Jenny's bao zi. Trent then gives Jenny the phone, telling her that she has a phone call, with Alistair Cain calling to tell her that he is outside and has the globe. Smiling, Jenny hands him the phone and wheels away.

"Stop whining. Emery needs our help. [...] It should always be about the family."

The day after Thanksgiving, Jenny Eddie and Evan on the couch helping Emery practice his lines. When Emery asks them to read it again, Evan whines in frustration, and Jenny tells them that they shouldn't whine since Emery needs their help, stressing the importance of family. Emery thanks Jessica and the two relocate elsewhere in the house to rehearse. Shortly after, Jessica is setting up the garland at home when Jenny tells her that "Gar-land" is where Garfield comes from.

Jenny proclaims that Hans Gruber is the hero of Die Hard

Jenny later watches Die Hard in the living room when Eddie and Evan enter through the front door. Jenny overhears Eddie berating Evan for stealing a nutcracker from the mall. Eddie then decides to return the nutcracker and come clean to Honey, telling Evan that he would bear sole responsibility. Jenny, proclaiming Hans Gruber to be the hero of the film, goes out and gets the maritime nutcracker.

"I overheard you were in trouble, so I did it for the family."

Eddie and Evan inform Emery of the theft and enlist Emery's help in returning the stolen nutcracker to the mall. Honey enters with navy blue wrapping paper to wrap the nutcracker; Eddie plans to come clean, but Jenny wheels up to Honey and presents her with the nutcracker she had obtained. Eddie asks Jenny why she bailed them out, and she replies that she overheard them and decided to help them for the family, although she adds in Mandarin that she plans to hold this over them for a long time. A month later, on Christmas morning, Eddie, Emery, and Evan unwrap their Christmas presents to find gift cards, only for Jenny to demand that Eddie and Evan give their gift cards as restitution, informing her grandsons that family always pays back their debt.

"You still in for tradesies on massages? These new bra straps are killing my shoulders."

Jenny uses Jessica's credit card to purchase several Madonna bras, ruining Jessica's credit score in the process and causing Jessica to bleed from both sides of her nose. However, Jenny returns to Jessica's good side when she helps Evan get an A in Physical Education. While wearing one of the bras on top of her clothes, Jenny wheels into the kitchen and asks when dinner would be ready. She later overhears Louis asking if he and Jessica could give each other a massage, and when Jessica declines, Jenny proposes the same offer to Louis, telling her that her new bra straps were causing her pain.

Personality

"When you've lived a hard life, you'd rather not be reminded of it."
"So that's why you like soft stuff, like Garfield and Will Smith."
"I only call you Will Smith because you're a good kid. And you're lucky. You don't have to live a hard life unless you want to."

―Jenny Huang and Eddie Huang

To be added

Trivia

• She is a big fan of Garfield.
• In the episode "Hi, My Name Is..." it is revealed that she took the American name "Jenny" in order to steal Garfield books from the public library.