Phil Wang

‘The ground is unstable but there are pleasures all around’ – goodbye to the joy of small things

For three years, this column has been looking for sources of quotidian joy in the darkness. As it comes to an end, what tiny delights would other writers nominate?

Hannah Jane Parkinson, Philip Pullman, Yomi Adegoke, Tracey Thorn Phil Wang

17, Sep, 2021 @7:00 AM

Phil Wang: ‘It was a shock to find out how Asian I was’

As an awkward teen, comedian Phil Wang found making people laugh a superpower. He talks about his British Malaysian upbringing, his one-sided ‘beef’ with Tom Hiddleston, and why we need to tackle race in standup

Tim Lewis

15, Aug, 2021 @9:00 AM

Phil Wang review – standup’s Netflix special skewers PC panic, Covid racism and himself

Wang studs his special with memorable one-liners that dissect his feminist pretensions, the fear of ageing and UK perceptions of east Asia

Brian Logan

10, Aug, 2021 @11:45 AM

Lockdown reawakened my childhood love of chess. Now I can’t do anything else | Phil Wang

The alert I get when an opponent has made their move gives me the shot of excitement I used to get from social media notifications

Phil Wang

24, Jul, 2021 @8:00 AM

'I crack up every time': comedians' all-time favourite standup routines

Top comics pick the routines that make them howl with laughter, from Eddie Murphy on Rocky to Eddie Izzard on penknives and Michelle Wolf on women’s worst enemies

Interviews by Ben Williams

06, Apr, 2020 @4:00 PM

Sunday with Phil Wang: ‘I’m a homebody, really’

It used to be video games and street food, but now the comedian relishes a day without routine. By Michael Segalov

Michael Segalov

05, Apr, 2020 @5:45 AM

Phil Wang review – record-breaking riffs on sex, race and Popeye

Wang is back with a new no-messing, harder-nosed attitude, along with excellent jokes including some choice one-liners

Brian Logan

16, Aug, 2019 @2:00 PM

Edinburgh festival 2019: 50 theatre, comedy and dance shows to see

There’s a Belle and Sebastian play, a show in a hair salon, Frances Barber performing Pet Shop Boys songs and top comics including Josie Long and Stephen Fry. Here’s our guide to the world’s biggest arts festival

Mark Fisher, Lyndsey Winship and Brian Logan

14, Jun, 2019 @6:00 AM

Edinburgh fringe 2019: 12 of the best shows

In the run-up to the Edinburgh festival we’ll be picking highlights from the programme. Here’s a dozen for starters, including Eddie Izzard and a ukulele comedy

Chris Wiegand

05, Jun, 2019 @8:00 AM

A new start: Phil Wang on how a coffee grinder with 12 settings changed his life

The standup bought himself the appliance to escape the yoke of big bean and find grownup enlightenment. All he learned was that he doesn’t like the stuff

Phil Wang

02, Jan, 2019 @6:00 AM

2017 in satire: inside Jeremy Corbyn's trophy cabinet

Phil Wang takes a peek at the Labour leader’s trophies for moderate achievements as part of our comic look back at the year

Phil Wang

30, Dec, 2017 @7:00 AM

'Chinese burn? We just say burn': comics on joking about race and immigration

Phil Wang has a messy relationship with the British empire. Evelyn Mok felt dirty joking about her family. Kae Kurd riffs on being a refugee. Aisha Alfa was shocked to find she had a ‘black perspective’. They talk patriotism, stereotypes and stigmas

Interviews by Ben Williams

15, Dec, 2017 @7:00 AM