Sidesplitter: How To Be From Two Worlds At Once

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Phil was born in the UK, in Stoke-on-Trent to an English mother and a Chinese-Malaysian father. Three weeks after his birth, the Wang family returned to his father's hometown in Malaysia, and at age 16, Phil was uprooted once again, to return with his family to the UK. I listened to this audiobook with a gifted copy courtesy of publishers Hodder Studios and as part of a Tandem Collective listenalong. This review represents my own thoughts on the book.

Sidesplitter by Phil Wang | Waterstones Sidesplitter by Phil Wang | Waterstones

Wang is currently [ when?] working on a stand-up comedy series for BBC Radio 4 titled Wangsplaining. [23] The pilot episode aired on 19 May 2019 on BBC Radio 4. [9]

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Phil Wang: Philly Philly Wang Wang and Sidesplitter". Digital Spy. 21 July 2021 . Retrieved 26 October 2021. For me this was a slow read - but as we all know, slow doesn't always equal bad. This book really was heartfelt for me, normally I loathe non-fic - especially not memoirs but basically memories, but this one now holds a very special place in my heart. I've of course seen his comedy shows, saw him live, etc. but this book is something else. I relate to it massively as I too am mixed race, and completely understand not feeling like you fit anywhere. There were some hilarious parts that had me screeching with laughter - the cow story was definitely very easy to imagine, not least because of the psychopath mentioned but more than that, every topic discussed was handled so well with grace, elegance and a dash of honesty that our world is really in need of. Sixteen years in Malaysia, 16 in the UK. Thirty-two-year-old Phil Wang’s geographical equilibrium is nicely reflected in his new show The Real Hero in All This. If you want intelligent standup (a bit observational, a bit autobiographical) with no particular cultural flavour, Wang won’t disappoint, with strong routines on social media, the fridge versus the oven, and “photos of people who live in the house, in the house”. If you want a little cross-cultural flavouring on your standup dish – well, there’s his usual garnish here of now-thoughtful, now-flighty jokes on life as a biracial British-Asian with an amusingly beady prospect on western life.

Phil Wang review – an irresistible set of smart and silly Phil Wang review – an irresistible set of smart and silly

You’d be forgiven for thinking that all we talk about is race at the moment,” says Wang. “But this surge over the last year is only because we’ve suppressed it for so long. It’s erupted. And you should talk about it. The longer you suppress it, the more negative emotions fester and bubble and boil. It breeds a poisonous subculture. It’s something that people are always aware of, but never really talk about, which is usually fertile ground for comedy, right?” In May 2021, Wang hosted a new podcast called Phil Wang Hates Horror, which was released on Audible. I’ll get absolutely crucified for this, but I still don’t entirely get yorkshire puddings. It’s just bread in a bowl shape. Bread as a gravy cup.

Phil explores the contrasts between Eastern and Western cultures and delves into Britain and Malaysia’s shared histories, bringing his trademark cynicism and wit to topics ranging from family, food, and comedy to race, empire, and colonialism. It is at times a funny read and there were several times I laughed out loud at various situations he described. Phil has a really nice calming tone to his writing; you can tell this hasn’t been ghost written as his voice shines through. Although I was sent a physical copy of this book in exchange for a review, I actually bought the audiobook since it is narrated by the author himself. I am so pleased that I read this via audio because you get the emphasis of funny moments and the tone required in more serious moments. This is also my first encounter with Phil Wang and so it was a really good way to get to know him through him reading to me in my car on my commute. The audio narration was fantastic and well-paced. He has a refreshingly different take on topics of culture and belonging. At a time when many people are seeking increasingly granular definitions of what groups they are in, and defending each one vigorously, Wang advocates for the more relaxed, melting-pot attitudes of Malaysia. Any amount of time spent with Phil Wang is never enough. I've been watching his comedy ever since he slid into guest spots on 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown and British panel show podcasts. His style of humour is understated but insightful, and it was wonderful to see him develop a more complex narrative in Sidesplitter. It's not a memoir, he makes that clear from the beginning, then eases up. Okay, it's kind of a memoir. Phil uses his British-Malaysian lived experience to discuss contemporary relationships to identity, family, history, race, and cultural belonging. His comedy helps to avoid sentimentality, but it's also grounded in enough perception that there's levity even in the heaviest moments.

Sidesplitter: How to Be from Two Worlds at Once (Audio

What do people say about the importance of winning The War? 'If it wasn't for my grandfather, we'd all be speaking German!' Oh no! Not a second language!" I know now not to eat before a standup gig or TV show . Your brain’s not working as fast after you eat. I’m slower, more tired. It’s similar to how you feel post-coital, right? Postprandial and post-coital are very similar because, as far as your body is concerned, it’s mission accomplished for today. Nothing else needs to be achieved: you’ve eaten and you’ve procreated – you’re smashing this! Go to bed, you’ve earned it. Of course, as a comedian, that’s when the working day starts, but your body doesn’t know.

Phil Wang - Sidesplitter: How To Be From Two Worlds At Once

I hadn’t realised how much I use standup to process my own thoughts’: Phil Wang. Photograph: Pål Hansen/The Observer

Sidesplitter by Phil Wang | Waterstones

This was a shame as it wasn't lazy - he'd called comedians, even if the call with Sindhu Vee didn't result in much material for the book - and I thought he had nuanced views about cultural appropriation and stereotypes in comedy. He told anecdotes without each chapter just being an excuse for telling stories, as he actually explored the topics. A lot of comedians are into food. It might be because we have a lot of free time and we travel, so we can get into food in a way that people with nine-to-fives probably have less time to do. And we’re hedonists really. Our work is based on pleasure and so we really appreciate pleasure and weare always chasing pleasure. My favourite things I think about race a lot because I have no choice. The child of a white woman and an Asian man, the subject of race has always been a part of my life and it always will be." Perhaps it’s my affection for Borneo that really drew me into this one, but I was glued to each listen, even looking forward to my drives and vacuuming to get a new instalment of the books.There’s something magical about clams cooked in a sauce of onions, parsley and white wine. It’s so easy, but it looks so impressive. In Sidesplitter: How To Be From Two Worlds At Once, the stand-up, who was born in Stoke-on-Trent and raised in Malaysia by an English mother and Chinese-Malaysian father, will explore what it means to be mixed race and belong to two cultures at once. This is an important reference book covering the pop history of Asian -Americans over the last thirty years. As such, it belongs on the shelves of most young Asian-Americans, their parents, and every library. The format is engaging and as an older white woman (albeit the mother of two half-Asian children) I recognized very little in here other than the very well-known (i.e. Fresh Off the Boat, George Takei. and some of the politicians). And that is precisely why this is a necessary book.