UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. – January 12, 2011 – Comedian Sheng Wang captured the top honors at NBC Universal’s seventh-annual “Stand-Up for Diversity†comedy search held recently at The Comedy Store in West Hollywood, Calif. Hosted by comedian/actor Russell Peters, the event concluded a three-city search for the nation’s funniest diverse comics.
As a result, Wang was signed to a one-year talent holding deal with NBC Universal.
“We were impressed by all of the talented and promising new voices who auditioned for our showcase this year,†said Grace Wu, Executive Vice-President, Casting, NBC Universal.
“We selected our winner, Sheng Wang, because of his smart, insightful writing and his hilarious stand up performance. He is well deserving of this talent deal and we welcome him to the NBC Universal family.â€
Chosen finalists received the honor of joining the touring company of the NBC’s “Stand-Up for Diversity College Tour.†This year’s finalists included Phoebe Robinson, Thomas Dale, Mike Britt, Ron Funches, Samuel J. Comroe, JJ Williamson, Amir K, Tony Baker and Wang.
In partnership with the National Association for Campus Activities (N.A.C.A.), the tour is expected to perform at more than 50 college campuses nationwide. Additionally, select finalists will be featured in February at the N.A.C.A convention in Boston, Massachusetts.
Wang is a “Taiwanese Texan†who developed and honed his comedy in the thriving standup community of the San Francisco Bay Area. He performs jokes based on personal experiences and addresses common nonsense with honesty and logic. His affable stage presence, combined with a healthy penchant for absurdity and self-deprecation, make his act universally accessible and hilarious.
Wang has toured with the Comedians of Comedy and American Eagle’s “Campus Comedy Challenge.†He also has appeared on Comedy Central’s “Live at Gotham†and attended the “Just for Laughs†comedy festival in Montreal. His half-hour “Comedy Central Presents†will air later this year. Wang currently resides in New York City.
In response to NBC Universal’s tremendous success in 2009 with the “Stand-Up for Diversity†open calls and showcases, this year’s hunt for the funniest comics of diverse backgrounds included such cities as Los Angeles, San Antonio and San Francisco.
The talent search was overseen by Kendra Carter, Director, NBC Talent Diversity Initiatives. All comedians were evaluated on the originality of their material, delivery, cast-worthiness and overall performance. The nine finalists were selected from a pool of over 50 semi-finalists.