Lifestyle
A Chinese and a Taiwanese comedian walk into a bar …
Comedians Vickie Wang (left) and Jamie Wang have no relation, yet create comedy over the cross-strait tensions between China and Taiwan.
An Rong Xu for NPR
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An Rong Xu for NPR
Comedians Vickie Wang (left) and Jamie Wang have no relation, yet create comedy over the cross-strait tensions between China and Taiwan.
An Rong Xu for NPR
TAIPEI, Taiwan — Vickie Wang calls Jamie Wang her “mirror sister.”
No, they are not related, but they share an inverse history.
Vickie, who’s originally from Taipei, Taiwan, spent about a decade living in Shanghai, where she began her stand-up comedy career, notably under Chinese censorship. Jamie, who’s from Shanghai, came across the Taiwan Strait and fell into a stand-up career in Taiwan.
They both met at the bar in a bilingual comedy club, tucked inside Taipei’s red-light district and began performing together. Their recent show, A Night of Cross-Strait Comedy, was so well-received that their friends suggested they start touring together.
Vickie jokes that if they were to tour together it would feel like something of a “peace and reconciliation tour. Like we’re trying to bridge cross-strait tensions, one d**k joke at a time.”
Vickie Wang (left) is from Taipei, Taiwan, and Jamie Wang is from Shanghai, China.
An Rong Xu for NPR
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An Rong Xu for NPR
Vickie Wang (left) is from Taipei, Taiwan, and Jamie Wang is from Shanghai, China.
An Rong Xu for NPR
For Vickie and Jamie, comedy is an effective way to remind their audiences that the tense relationship between the two governments doesn’t mean there should be tension between Taiwanese and Chinese people.
They spoke to All Things Considered host Ailsa Chang at the very bar where they first met.
This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.
Interview highlights
On both of their comedy sets confronting the stereotypes Taiwanese people have of Chinese people.
Vickie Wang: I grew up thinking that people in mainland China are not to be trusted, that they spit, and that they’re really aggressive and they’re not, like, polite and civilized like Taiwanese people. And it took years in Shanghai to consciously undo that kind of stereotype and prejudice.
Jamie Wang: Basically, like, [Chinese people] are the worst people in the world. Like, we’re easily offended. We’re all brainwashed. And we love money and we look down on, I don’t know, people who are poor.
On the stereotypes Chinese people have of Taiwanese people.
J Wang: I think people kind of have this stereotype about Taiwanese where they’re, like, villagers because they live on a small island and they haven’t seen much of the world. They’re very backwards.
On Chinese citizens having fewer rights in Taiwan than other residents of the island, despite technically belonging to the same “country.”
J Wang: Because I’m a Chinese student here, there’s a lot of unfair regulation towards us. Like, Chinese students are the only international students who cannot work here. Luckily, this February, Chinese people can have health insurance in Taiwan now. But for the past seven years, I couldn’t. [Most] Chinese people are also not allowed to work here, so there’s no way for Chinese people to stay and live and work in Taiwan unless, like, you get married to a Taiwanese citizen.
On the differences between performing in Taiwan and China.
V Wang: When I first started doing stand-up in China, I was immediately briefed on the three Ts: Tibet, Tiananmen Square and Taiwan. These are hard red lines that we’re not supposed to talk about. It’s interesting. It means that I can’t talk about politics. I can’t really talk about LGBTQ issues. I compare it to having your arm in a cast — over time, the muscles atrophy. And once you’re out of the cast, you need to build back the strength. And that’s kind of what I’m doing now. Now that I’m not living in China anymore, right now, I’m also revenge bingeing on democracy and freedom of speech. I’m really enjoying being able to say whatever I want.
On the consequences of Jamie’s comedy going viral, as a Chinese citizen who could face repercussions due to Chinese censorship.
J Wang: I posted two jokes, and they were all viral, obviously because I’m very funny. But one of the jokes touched the fine line. And I thought it was OK, but a lot of Chinese people were trolling me on the internet. I also received death threats. Trolls DMd me, they were like, “I’m going to kill you.” And I’m like, “You can’t. Because you can’t get a visa here.” I don’t think you can ever be free as long as you are Chinese.
V Wang: There are a lot of things that I can say that Jamie can’t say. And I don’t want to speak over my Chinese friends, but I’m also very aware that, like, there’s things that I have to amplify for them. And in the meantime, I can also call out my own people. Ever since COVID started, I had Taiwanese friends on my Facebook feed who were saying things like, “Oh, yeah, they deserve it. These commies, they deserve a plague on their house.” And I was so, so devastated to feel, like, oh my God, my people, who I’d like to think are generally decent, kind people, have so dehumanized this other population that they’ve never actually encountered. And, you know, I feel like having both of us on stage performing together, I hope that somehow bridges the gap.
On the power of comedy to help people deal with tense issues.
J Wang: I think comedy is a very powerful thing ’cause it’s not, like, a debate. Comedy is like, “I make you like me. I make you feel weird together. And then let me tell you what I have to say.” I think it’s a very non-hostile, very friendly way to make people listen to you.
V Wang: When someone laughs with you, it’s the closest thing you get to changing someone’s mind. When you’re laughing with someone, it means you — in that moment — you get their perspective. To a degree, you agree with them. It’s a very proactive kind of empathy. And it’s a very joyful kind of empathy. Like, the world’s on fire. I think that’s the best thing we can do, is to make jokes about it. I just still struggle to make everything funny. I’ll get there. I’ll figure it out, or Jamie will first.
Lifestyle
L.A. Times Concierge: ‘I’m interested in photography. What great L.A. historic sites should I capture?’
I live in Santa Barbara and I’m interested in photography. Where are some historical places to take pictures in Los Angeles? I’m interested in old movie palaces, movie and TV show locations, historic homes and buildings, World War II–related sites and airplane museums. — William Lemons
Looking for things to do in L.A.? Ask us your questions and our expert guides will share highly specific recommendations.
Here’s what we suggest:
It’s cool to hear that you’re interested in capturing the beauty and history of Los Angeles through your camera lens, William. Given that you’ll be traveling from out of town, I am recommending spots that you can visit in a single day, if you’d like. They’re mostly in and around Downtown L.A.
First off, if you don’t feel like driving and paying for parking all over town, I’d suggest taking Amtrak from Santa Barbara to L.A. You can take take photos of the gorgeous view along the way and once you step off the train, you’ll already be at the first historic site on the list: the true stunner that is Union Station.
Open since 1939, it’s one of the country’s last great train stations and considered to be the largest railroad passenger terminal on the West Coast. Designed by father-and-son architect team John and Donald Parkinson, it blends Art Deco, Spanish Colonial and Streamline Moderne styles. Travel writer Christopher Reynolds, a.k.a. the person in the newsroom that everyone goes to for trip advice, tells me, “With its clock tower, big arches and high ceilings, Union Station feels like a secular church.” He notes that security guards will often shoo you off if you use a tripod without advance approval, so it’s best to bring a handheld camera instead.
Next, walk across the road to Olvera Street, one of the oldest streets in L.A. It’s part of El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historic Monument that’s been fighting to stay open since the pandemic. As you stroll through the area and take pictures, check out the Mexican marketplace, capturing the pottery, clothing and art along the way, and grab some authentic cuisine. Times food editor Daniel Hernandez swears by Cielito Lindo, a taquería that’s been around since the 1934, and still makes the most “perfectly rolled taquitos.” (The family-owned restaurant is currently raising funds to stay open due to economic hardship.)
Next, hop on an e-scooter or take a quick bus ride to the Historic Broadway Theater District, which has 12 stunning movie theaters — all of which were built between 1910 and 1931. The Los Angeles Conservancy even hosts walking tours of the famous district. You can register online for the next ones on June 6, 13, 20 and 27.
You’ll probably be hungry after the tour, so you might as well visit Grand Central Market, the city’s largest and oldest public market. Open since 1917, the market has more than 40 food stalls including China Cafe (open since 1959), Villa’s Tacos, Egg Slut and more. Afterward, take a brisk walk to L.A.’s most beautiful library, the L.A. Central Library, which turns 100 this year. Grab your camera and marvel at the exterior of the Art Deco-style building, which draws inspiration from Egyptian and Mediterranean Revival architecture. Then head inside on the second floor rotunda to see the marvelous California history mural and the breathtaking globe chandelier.
Now for some rapid-fire suggestions across L.A.: There’s Frank Lloyd Wright’s 1920s-era Hollyhock House at Barnsdall Art Park in East Hollywood. (If you go here, I suggest stopping by nearby Ululani’s Hawaiian Shave Ice for a delicious sweet treat.) Or check out any one of L.A.’s most iconic TV houses including “The Brady Bunch” home in Studio City, “The Golden Girls” residence in Brentwood and the “Seinfield” Koreatown apartment building. (These are private residencies, so you won’t be able to go inside but you can snap a photo of the exterior.) If it’s architecture you’re into, peruse this guide to L.A.’s iconic homes that you can tour IRL, including the Adamson House in Malibu, the Eames House in Pacific Palisades and the Lummis Home (El Alisal) near Mount Washington. Finally, if you’re open to joining a group of fellow photographers, I suggest following Instagram pages for collectives like L.A. Photo Club and the 85 Mil Photo Walk Series, which host meetups and walking tours regularly.
L.A. is filled with so many beautiful historical sites, so I hope that these suggestions help get you started, and most importantly, that you continue taking awesome pictures. Have a great time!
President Trump speaks at the Memorial Amphitheater in Arlington National Cemetery on May 25 in Arlington, Va.
Alex Brandon/AP
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Alex Brandon/AP
President Trump has suggested that an event celebrating America’s 250 birthday should instead be a Make America Great Again rally after many of the artists who were announced to perform dropped out.
The Great American State Fair, which is set to begin on June 25 on the National Mall, had featured artists such as Martina McBride, Morris Day and the Time, The Commodores and Poison’s Bret Michaels — who have all since withdrawn from the lineup.
McBride explained why she decided to not to be part of the fair, writing in a social media post she was presented with an opportunity to perform at “a nonpartisan event but that turned out to be misleading.”
“In my mind I thought this was a great way to celebrate the states and also bring people together in the way that only music can. I saw it as just a bigger version of so many state fairs I have performed at over the years, celebrating community and what makes each state special,” McBride wrote in the post on Thursday night. “Yesterday things started changing and what we were told is, in fact, not what is happening.”
Some artists plan to still perform at the fair. Vanilla Ice said he would not drop out of the event, writing on social media, “This is not a political platform. This is celebrating America’s birthday.”
In a social media post on Saturday, Trump called the performers who backed away from the event “Third Rate” and said he will give a speech that will rally the U.S. “forward like I have done ever since being President!” Later on Saturday, Trump wrote in another social media post that the event should be canceled and replaced with a rally.
“We should have a giant MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN RALLY, for 250, instead of having overpriced singers, who nobody wants to hear, whose music is boring, and yet who do nothing but complain,” Trump wrote.
The fair is being organized by Freedom 250, a public-private group working with the White House to organize the celebration of America’s 250 birthday. The Trump-backed celebrations have drawn criticism and concern that it is centered around himself instead of the country.
Democratic lawmakers and watchdog organizations, such as Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, have also questioned where private donations for the 250th celebrations are coming from.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, who is involved with planning the celebration, on Sunday said the events are “nonpartisan.”
“It’s not about the transparency of the donors,” Burgum said on CNN’s State of the Union when asked if the donations should become public. “This is about Americans celebrating the 250th anniversary.”
On-air challenge
Every answer is a word, name, or a familiar phrase in which the first syllable is pronounced “fair” — in any spelling. (Ex. Locale for an exhibition –> FAIRGROUND)
1. Long stretch on a golf course
2. Alternative to Celsius in temperatures
3. Alaska city just south of the Arctic Circle
4. Boat that transports passengers across a river or body of water
5. Monarch in ancient Egypt
6. Medical term for the throat
7. Revolving ride at an amusement park
8. “Cinderella” or “Hansel and Gretel”
9. Small, domesticated animal related to the European polecat
10. Historical Jewish sect in the Gospels and Acts of the Apostles
11. County of northern Virginia that’s adjacent to Washington, D.C.
12. Actress Morgan
13. Louis who leads the Nation of Islam
14. Chemical secreted by the body that’s a stumulant to others
15. Fond goodbye
Last week’s challenge
This week’s challenge comes from Jim Francis, of Kirkland, Wash. Think of a famous female singer (8,4). The first syllable of her first name, the second syllable of her first name backward, and last name forward again are all verbs associated with human desire. Who is this singer?
Challenge answer
Courtney Love
Winner
Larry Birkenmeyer of Glenview, Illinois
This week’s challenge
This week’s challenge comes from Mike Reiss, a longtime writer and showrunner for “The Simpsons.” Name a classic song with a two-word title. Drop the first letter. Add an R after the new first letter. The result will be the names of two countries one after the other. What song is this?
If you know the answer to the challenge, submit it below by Thursday, June 4 at 3 p.m. ET. Listeners whose answers are selected win a chance to play the on-air puzzle.
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