Ahead of his new show, Wang in There, Baby!, coming to Dublin's Vicar Street on May 13, Sínann Fetherston sat down with comedian Phil Wang to discuss comedy, politics, and the importance of silliness...

"I have sort of tortured myself over names in the past," Phil Wang tells me over Zoom, reflecting on his latest show title. "Like, what's clever? What's thoughtful? And then I thought: Who do you think you are? Just throw a Wang in there and see what comes out."

With previous titles including Philly Philly Wang Wang and Philth, it's surprising to hear that the British-Malaysian stand-up has had to make a concerted effort to be more silly. In fact, as well as making this his biggest tour to date, he plans on making Wang in There, Baby! his "silliest show yet".

"I'm forcing myself to be sillier," he laughs. "I don't know if you can force yourself to be sillier, but I'm trying to be sillier."

"I watched some of my old stuff and I felt like I wasn't making the most of my face and my actions and my voices, but I feel like I'm at a place in my career where I can sort of let my hair down a little bit and recapture the silliness of my youth and the silliness that got me into comedy in the first place."

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A graduate of Cambridge University (he picked up a degree in engineering along with his two Student Comedian of the Year awards), Phil often has an academic way of looking at things.

"I studied control systems engineering and it made me realise that the world is a collection of systems, and I sort of see comedy as a collection of systems as well," he explains. "Some people think it's cold but I think it helps me understand things better."

Noting that the task of getting a laugh can be surprisingly serious, the comic posits that an equilibrium must exist between comedy and politics: "When politicians become comedians, comedians have to become politicians."

Phil Wang performs on stage during The Graham Norton Variety Show during Just For Laughs London
Phil Wang performs on stage during The Graham Norton Variety Show (Getty Images)

Over the past six years, when SNL skits and Waterford Whispers headlines became harder to distinguish from the news, comedy specials became increasingly earnest, and late-night talk show monologues increasingly political.

Now, he believes, the tables are turning.

"It seems politics is getting serious again - thank goodness - and I think we've started to lose faith that comedy can change things, politically. I don't believe it can and I don't think that's the purpose."

"We're getting back to funny for funny's sake and finding the funny first - that's something I'm trying to do, for sure."

Phil Wang during Max and Ivan s The Wrestling at Indigo at The 02 on March 05 2023
Phil Wang during Max and Ivan's The Wrestling at Indigo at The 02

Likening his career in comedy to that of a romantic relationship, Phil says that although the hot and heavy days of dating stand-up are long gone, he has no doubt that the marriage will last a lifetime.

"We still love each other, but we have to give each other space from time to time, and we occasionally sleep in different rooms," he laughs.

"I still love comedy, it's the one thing that I've never gotten bored of. The different outlets are fun too but stand-up will always be my first love. Stand-up is the thing that reflects where I am the most; it's got the least delay."

Those other outlets include writing (Sidesplitter: How To Be From Two Worlds At Once), acting (Life & Beth, Inside Amy Schumer), podcasting (BudPod), and even a spot of wrestling. Yes, really.

Touted as the "grandest spectacle in the comedy universe", Max & Ivan's The Wrestling saw the 33-year-old partake in some exceptional silliness while suited up in the ring this past March.

"It was quite the trial by fire," he agrees. "I went through a table, I got clotheslined - it was fantastic. It reminded me of the value of theatricality and not to waste the opportunity of being on stage to being a bit more physical."

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Although his table-crashing night in the ring was one to remember, Wang says that - as someone who believe most comics to be introverted at heart - performing outside of stand-up is "a little stressful".

"It's like somebody who normally plays tennis suddenly having to play rugby," he explains. "Now, if you mess up, it messes everyone else up. In stand-up, if you mess up, it's only you that has to deal with the consequences. It's a new set of challenges but I think it's fun to overcome those new challenges."

Ultimately, despite the pressure to hit marks and remember lines under the constraints of someone else's schedule and budget, having the opportunity to embrace new challenges is the funnyman's marker for success.

"I just want to keep making things that I think are good," he says . "Whether I'm working on a script, more stand-up, continuing to tour, maybe doing another book... I think success to me is being able to keep doing this but never compromising on the quality, or the faith that you have in your own work."

Wang in There, Baby! comes to Dublin's Vicar Street on May 13. Click here for more info.