Do you want to laugh? Do you want to laugh so hard you might pee your pants? Maybe you don’t want to have to change your underwear, but you might have to after watching SHENG WANG: SWEET AND JUICY. I haven’t laughed this hard at a stand-up routine in so so long.
You may recognize Sheng as a comedian who’s done the rounds across late-night TV and Comedy Central or maybe as a writer from FRESH OFF THE BOAT. His Netflix special, directed by his friend & fellow comedian Ali Wong(in her directorial debut), hit the streaming service last September, but I was only turned on to it this weekend in January 2023. Now I’m a megafan and will be following what he does next. While Sheng is reportedly one of Ali’s favorite comedians, his style couldn’t be more different than hers.
I love Wong’s stand-up, but realize it may not be for everyone, and it’s usually not “family-friendly.” SWEET AND JUICY not only manages to drop an infinite amount of relatable and hilarious jokes, but he also does it all within a PG-13 rating. Sure, some of the content may still go over your kids’ heads, but if you’re looking for a great special that relies on hardly any crude language for entertainment, this is just another plus for Sheng.
Sheng’s strengths lie in his ability to talk about the ridiculousness of the smallest things in everyday life we take for granted. Whether it’s trips to Costco, office supplies, or being a Godparent, his laidback delivery has much more in common with Mitch Hedberg, whom he considers an inspiration. When doing research for this review, I saw some news articles claiming Wang had “blown up” after this special. I hope that’s true and that I am somehow a lone person who missed this when it first dropped. But just in case I’m not alone, I want you ALL to watch it AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
Grab and extra pair of pants and stream SHENG WANG: SWEET AND JUICY today on Netflix.
