Comedy: Sheng Wang

By P.F. Wilson
CityBeat

Growing up in Houston, Sheng Wang had very little exposure to stand-up comedy. “We didn’t have cable,” he explains. “I’m still not savvy about what’s going on in pop culture.”

At the University of California, Berkeley, he dabbled in talent shows, but never considered himself funny. It was then that a professor turned him on to Mitch Hedberg’s comedy, and slowly the concept of stand-up began to unfold.

"Before that, my understanding of stand-up was limited to Def Jam Comedy infomercials. Not even the shows.” Wang was a quick study, though, and after graduation started hitting the Bay Area. He has gradually developed an observational style that he describes as “things you’d think about if you were high on weed.”

Lately, with the benefits of getting more stage time, he’s exploring things in more detail and telling more stories. “I’m still trying to figure out a balance between the two,” he says. “There’s a lot more of a personal narrative, but I still love writing a small set-up/punchline bit.”

Go Bananas Comedy Club, Montgomery. Through Sunday, July 15. $8-$12. 513-984-9288, gobananascomedy.com .