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. Perhaps there’s little surprise he sometimes wants to emphasisethat side of himself when East Asian men are seen as so sexless in Western culture. But with 1.4billion Chinese people, Wang argues that the Chinese men are scientifically the sexiest race on Earth. The funny thing about racism is that everybody wants to be thought as Progressive and modern but yet they did a lot of whitewashing. Let me explain, some of the movie's leads were written to be Asian actors. Yet they casted white Americans to play Asians. They didn't even think of allowing Asian actors to draw from personal experiences to depict what the Asian character they're playing is going through. The executives were so concerned Asian actors wouldn't be box office draws. I also thought the history chapter was exceptional, covering the history of Malaysia and Singapore in a funny but informative way.

Sidesplitter by Phil Wang | Waterstones

I really don't know how to describe this book, it is a memoir but it is so much more than that, it's an insight and analysis of what it is like to grow up between two cultures. Phil writes about some quite serious topics but it never feels preachy or judgemental and I think the expert use of his comedic experience keeps what could have been a heavy read, light and interesting. That’s not to say he shy’s away from difficult topics because he doesn’t, he talks openly and with sometimes potentially contentious opinions such as when defends the sitcom ‘Mind your language’ or when he talks about his opinion on cultural appropriation. Chinese is like the Marvel Cinematic Universe... It has too many characters and I just don't have the time." The pandemic, meanwhile, has forced Wang to face uncomfortable truths about his own altruism. “Oh, yeah, I haven’t helped a soul,” he reflects. “I thought I was going to buy old people their shopping, I was going to volunteer at vaccination centres. I haven’t helped a single person all pandemic. At this point it is actually impressive.

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He also touches on these themes in They Come Over Here: Asking Famous People Where They're Really From, a companion audiobook he is releasing with Hodder Studio on 24th June, featuring comic monologues and interviews with guests. sidesplitter definitely did what it set out to do, ie. confront what it means to be mixed-race in today's world and the 'neither here nor there' lamentation was a pretty prominent concern throughout the book, though it is already an oft-repeated narrative. it was a pretty good attempt; it seems to have captured a pretty good picture albeit rather simplistic as it still feels a bit too broad/surface-level.

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

Being a comedian, Phil obviously explores all of these serious topics in an amusingly wry way and occasionally covers funny topics in a serious way. But that's the life of a comedian I suppose. Gotta keep the reader on their toes. I felt like I learned a lot from listening to this and although he covers some important topics, thanks to Wang’s casual charm it never feels preachy in any way. The chapters on race and cultural appropriation are particularly interesting and made me re-evaluate some of my own feelings on the subjects. I loved his discussion on language too, particularly the fact that in China, because they’re restricted by the symbols Mandarin is made up of, they’ve had to become creative with their names for things. Kangaroos are bag rats, dolphins are sea pig and skunks are stinky weasels - and if that doesn’t encourage kids to learn other languages I don’t know what will!Easy 5 stars. An obvious and amazing coffee table book if you want to expose yourself to not only Asian-American history (outside of the heavy 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act), but also positive influences that helped shaped our country. This article was amended on 16 August 2021 to make it clear in the body of the text that Philly Philly Wang Wang is now on Netflix.

Sidesplitter: How To Be From Two Worlds At Once eBook : Wang

For my money, the best noodles in London are at Xi’an Impression by the Arsenal stadium. They have really amazing hand-pulled noodles with big pieces of beef, but they also do really good dim sum and very cheap corkage. Another one of my favourite Task Master contestants, and who I’ve enjoyed watching on Roast Battle, and various other UK comedy panels shows. And the very enjoyable podcast Phil Wang hates horror (which inspired my pic). 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." It's about how to consolidate two home countries into one unified identity, what it's like always having family on the other side of the world no matter where I am, and whether or not it is possible for everyone to feel a strong sense of home. I also wanted to answer the question 'Where are you really from?' by saying 'You'll have to buy my book'."Not only did this book make me laugh out loud in some places (especially the cow part!) it also made me think very deeply. The book covers topics such as racism, history and family. I learnt about things that happen to people of other races/mixed race that I never knew about before. It really widened my understanding of what they have to face. But it did this in a way that was not overly preachy, it was lighthearted and comical whilst still highlighting the importance of the topic.

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

In relatively standalone chapters, Phil Wang explores family, words, food, race, comedy, love, history, assimilation, nature, and home. The standout chapter for me was words, with amazing quotes, such as: Even as a White woman, this was just so relatable from many other experiences (moving to the UK and coming to terms with life and attitudes here, as well as having lived in a much more tropical country), and particularly (and surprisingly for myself) in the "Home" chapter: I thought, ‘This will get a few hundred retweets,’” he says. “But the mad thing is it’s probably the most anyone has seen of any of my work. That one Sunday I spent writing, filming and editing that little clip was more exposure than all these TV shows. It’s just such a strange world now. There are times when I think, ‘What am I doing, doing standup? I should just be making videos every Sunday.’” 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. 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.He even writes at quite some length in praise of the 1970s sitcom Mind Your Language, and its collection of crude racial stereotypes. It’s an unexpected stance, but part of the joy of the book is how you can’t quite be sure what’s coming. He even defends Amber Rudd for referring to Diana Abbott as a ‘coloured woman’ as an honest slip of the tongue. There’s something for everyone in a Phil Wang show. Puerile jokes and sophisticated ones. Progressive jokes and conservative ones. New jokes – and revivals too, in a set that includes routines regular Wang-watchers will have seen before. But if they’re olden, they’re usually golden, in a 75-minute show that can only bolster the British Malaysian standup’s burgeoning reputation.