Sheng Wang’s Food for Laughter (and Thought)

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Photo: Sheng Wang - Facebook

Sheng Wang

Sheng Wang

It may behoove Sheng Wang to include an advisory on tickets: his stand-up comedy shows can induce growling stomachs. Food is not only a source of vital nutrients to him, but some of his funniest bits. 

“I just love food,” declares Wang, who will be coming to The Improv (20110 Lower Union St., Corners of Brookfield) for five shows from Thursday April 28 to Saturday April 30. “Sure, there’s some parallels in my appreciation for food and comedy,

Sheng observes. “They're both crafts that entail attention to details! An appreciation for a balance of flavors and textures! Surprises and variety! Vision and execution! And sharing!” 

Sharing more from his life than on what’s on his plate at any given time figures prominently in Wang’s humor, too. And, as has often been said about confession, observational hilarity apparently does some good for the soul.  

“Stand-up comedy, like many other creative pursuits, is also a great therapeutic outlet,” Wang says. “The craft helps you reflect on and process life experiences. Writing what’s on your mind, in your heart, and sharing that with an audience provides some sense of relief, community, joy, and fulfillment.” Wang’s success has also likely brought a sense of fulfillment to his mom and dad’s expectations for their son—expectations that make for one of his funnier routines

Parental Expectations

“My parents have always been very supportive and open-minded,” Wang says of his folks. “Their general policy is ‘As long as you’re happy.’ I’m not sure if they really mean that or if they just don’t wanna be responsible for mistakes and regrets in my life! I think it’s challenging for most parents to learn that their child wishes to pursue a career that has no clear path to success and is generally very unpredictable.”

If his accomplishments are significant to the Taiwanese immigrants who raised him, Wang’s public profile can likewise be to people sharing his Asian background. 

 “I don’t really think of it in terms of being a spokesperson,” he qualifies of being a representative figure for others, “because that's a bit paralyzing.” However, he adds, “I think it means something for me to be here. I think that my existence in this space means a lot for some people to see. So, I just focus on existing well.”  

Fresh Off the Boat

Wang’s path to his present good life has been marked by the epiphany of seeing a college theater troupe who sparked his interest in stand-up, writing for the 2015 TV sitcom “Fresh Off the Boat,” and processing inspiration of favorite stand-ups such as Mitch Hedberg, Maria Bamford and Dave Chappelle into his own personalized comedic voice. Of having an experiential connection to his material, he offers, “It’s helpful to play with subjects that are personal and emotional when you have to share jokes repeatedly. It keeps you connected to the material. and generally makes the jokes more specific and unique.”

And if Wang’s comparison of food to comedy is apt, so is how he relates the latter to golfing and how a good score, or leaving a club in stitches, is almost beside the point. “In golf, when you get one good swing and hit, you can then sustain several terrible shots afterward. I’ve just been keeping going. one day, one set, one joke at a time. As long as the average of your ups and downs lead to an upward trend, you’ll be alright. generally, I find that writing a new joke and fine-tuning older ones is what keeps me fulfilled. Killing a crowd on stage is fun, but it’s the act of creating that keeps me going.”  

Here Wang offers short takes on assorted culinary subjects as well as Visine and urban rodents ...