ABC is confirming for the first time publicly that Eddie Huang will no longer be serving as narrator of the show that’s based on his memoir, Fresh Off the Boat.

“Yes, we can confirm that Eddie is not serving as narrator this season,” said Shari Rosenblum, a spokeswoman for ABC.

Several unnamed sources have said in recent days that the outspoken Huang who had been critical of the program both before its debut and at the end of season 1, would not return.

Rosenblum is the first to my knowledge to do so publicly.

On Sunday, AsAmNews quoted an unnamed source who spoke about the episodes already produced. “None of the other episodes so far have narration,” the source said.



Rosenblum did not answer my question as to why Eddie would not return. Instead she pointed to several reviews of the first episode.

“The real Huang’s departure isn’t felt in the first episode…”

Entertainment Weekly

Will Robinson

“…missing from “Family Business Trip,” and probably the rest of the season, is the voice over narration from the real Eddie Huang, whose memoir served loosely as the basis for the show. Not that the show really needs him…. instead, the show seems now fully its own thing, unmoored from the darker realism of Huang’s actual life story.”

The Atlantic

Lenika Cruz

“Turns out repeatedly trashing the sitcom based on your memoir is not the best way to ensure your continued employment on said show: Vulture reports Huang is no longer doing voice over narration for new episodes of Fresh Off The Boat, the ABC comedy “inspired by” his life.”

A.V. Club

Alex McCown

We reached out to Huang, but have not yet heard back from him. Interestingly, he retweeted one of our first tweets about his absence from the first few episodes .



